As AI-driven security solutions become more affordable and efficient, experts suggest they could redefine the standards for due diligence in the crypto sector, impacting developers and institutions alike.
By Margaux Nijkerk|Edited by Nikhilesh De Jun 20, 2026, 3:00 p.m. 4 min readMake preferred on ShareShare this articleCopy linkX (Twitter)LinkedInFacebookEmailMake preferred on SummaryShow- The introduction of AI-based security solutions like Mythos could significantly reduce the expenses associated with smart contract audits and facilitate ongoing code evaluations, potentially transforming what is deemed adequate security diligence in the crypto field.
- Although AI can expedite the identification of coding errors and lower costs, some experts caution that it cannot replace human insight or avert many significant losses in the crypto realm, which often arise from social engineering and operational failures rather than bugs in smart contracts.
The unveiling of Mythos, an AI tool aimed at autonomously detecting vulnerabilities in code, may extend beyond merely assisting blockchain developers in bug detection.
As AI-driven security tools grow in affordability and speed, experts believe they could transform the standards of due diligence in the crypto sector before code deployment, thus changing expectations for developers and organizations.
Historically, the high costs of thorough audits have limited smart contract security. The advent of AI systems like Mythos, which was briefly launched earlier this month before being withdrawn from the U.S. market, offers a cost-effective alternative.
"It drives the cost of a basic audit towards zero," remarked Alexander Urbelis, chief information security officer at ENS Labs. Tasks that previously took weeks and required substantial resources could potentially be accomplished in mere minutes, enabling projects that could not afford professional reviews to receive swift security evaluations.
For years, researchers have utilized automated tools known as fuzzers to search for software defects by inundating programs with inputs and watching for failures. AI systems, however, employ a different strategy.
"This is a shift in degree that could lead to a significant change in kind," Urbelis noted. "Machines have been used to find bugs for years, but now we have a fuzzer that can reason."
Instead of just spotting technical flaws, tools like Mythos could deduce the intended functionality of code and juxtapose it with its actual performance. In the crypto space, where smart contract code is publicly accessible and bug bounties can be lucrative, this capability could greatly enhance the industry's capacity to detect vulnerabilities before they are deployed.
David Schwed, COO of blockchain security firm SVRN and founder of the cybersecurity master's program at Yeshiva University, characterized the transition as even more profound.
"These models now operate in a manner akin to human attackers," Schwed explained. "They adapt and progress based on real-time observations. Previous tools were merely complex deterministic processes."
However, Schwed emphasized that the most significant change might not be in discovering vulnerabilities but rather in the advent of continuous security monitoring.
"The true transformation lies in ongoing auditing with recommended fixes at a fraction of the cost, as opposed to a one-time review that is often unaffordable," he stated.
Should security assessments become both inexpensive and perpetual, experts anticipate that industry expectations may evolve in tandem.
Urbelis believes that AI could eventually redefine the standard of care in smart contract development. Traditionally, teams cited the expense and complexity of audits as reasons for not conducting certain reviews. This rationale becomes less tenable when advanced security analysis is readily accessible.
"An AI-generated clean report will no longer suffice as a defense," he warned. "A plaintiff might argue that the tool was available, it was affordable, and you should have identified it."
This scenario raises broader implications for the industry: if AI-driven security evaluations become commonplace, will investors demand them prior to financing projects, and could neglecting AI-assisted audits eventually be interpreted as negligence?
Despite the potential of this technology, neither researcher believes that AI will fully replace human auditors.
While machines excel at spotting coding errors, Urbelis pointed out that they are still lacking when it comes to identifying economic and incentive-related vulnerabilities that have led to substantial losses in crypto. "The bugs that drain treasuries often hinge on intent and adversarial incentives," he explained. "Those still necessitate an experienced human presence."
Schwed echoed this sentiment, stating, "'Claude, audit my smart contract and make no mistakes' is not a security strategy." He cautioned that if the person operating the tool cannot assess the results, they have not truly secured their system but merely attained a false sense of security.
However, both researchers acknowledged that while a system like Mythos might not have prevented major breaches, many of the most costly incidents in crypto have not stemmed from smart contract flaws. Urbelis referenced the recent breach of Drift, describing it as the culmination of a months-long social engineering effort aimed at trusted contributors rather than directly at the protocol's code. "The smart contract functioned exactly as programmed," he noted. "It was the authority behind the command that was compromised and exploited."
Likewise, Schwed pointed to events like Ronin and Bybit, where compromised keys and manipulated signing processes were more significant than software vulnerabilities.
"No code scanner can prevent an authorized signer from approving a transaction they cannot verify," he stated.
This reality indicates that AI will not resolve all security issues in crypto. Nevertheless, the researchers contend it could significantly change one aspect of the problem: the costs associated with bug detection and the expectations tied to their identification.
Read more: How Anthropic’s Mythos model is forcing the crypto industry to rethink everything about security
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CEX Volumes Drop to Lowest Since September 2024 as RWA Perps Hit Record High
CEX Volumes Drop to Lowest Since September 2024 as RWA Perps Hit Record High
In May, combined exchange volumes fell 3.45% to $4.41T; the lowest since September 2024. RWA perpetual futures volumes rose 10.4% against the trend, hitting a new all-time high.
By CoinDesk ResearchJun 15, 2026In May, combined exchange volumes fell 3.45% to $4.41T; the lowest since September 2024. RWA perpetual futures volumes rose 10.4% against the trend, hitting a new all-time high.
Why it matters:
In May, combined exchange volumes fell 3.45% to $4.41T; the lowest since September 2024. RWA perpetual futures volumes rose 10.4% against the trend, hitting a new all-time high.
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