Kava Pauses Axelar Bridge After KAVA Tokens Are Bridged to BNB Chain and Sold
Kava calls the incident isolated and contained within its Kava Lend market and says it was not an infinite mint. Exchanges have suspended KAVA while a full report is pending.
Key Takeaways
- Kava paused the Axelar bridge on November 14, 2026 after KAVA tokens were bridged to BNB Chain and sold.
- The team says the incident is isolated and contained within Kava Lend and is not an infinite mint.
- On-chain reports cited by Crypto Briefing put the outflow at about 48.3 million KAVA, worth roughly $3.2 million at the time.
- Bithumb, Upbit and Coinone have suspended KAVA deposits and withdrawals.
Kava (KAVA) paused its Axelar bridge on November 14, 2026 after KAVA tokens were bridged to BNB Chain and sold, in what the team calls an incident isolated and contained within its Kava Lend market. The layer-1 chain posted three updates during the day and promised a full incident report.
What Kava Has Said
At 11:28 UTC, Kava said it was tracking unexpected behavior from a dApp on its chain and was investigating with high priority. At 12:01 UTC the team said in a second update that it was aware of on-chain activity involving the bridging and sale of KAVA tokens on BNB Chain, called the event isolated and contained within Kava Lend, and added that it was not an infinite mint. Partner exchanges had paused KAVA deposits and withdrawals as a standard precautionary measure, it said. At 14:05 UTC, Kava paused the Axelar bridge out of an abundance of caution, stopping cross-chain withdrawals. Kava has not said what went wrong, how many tokens were involved or who moved them.
What the on-Chain Numbers Show
On-chain reports cited by Crypto Briefing estimate that about 48.3 million KAVA, worth roughly $3.2 million at the time, crossed to BNB Chain and was mostly sold for BNB. Kava has not confirmed that figure. Kava Lend, the DeFi lending market at the center of the incident, held about $5.6 million in deposits after the event, down from about $7.3 million the day before.
The token's slide started before Kava's first public update. KAVA traded near $0.068 until about 09:50 UTC on November 14 and near $0.037 by 11:50 UTC on hourly price data. The KAVA price chart now shows about $0.029, down roughly 57% over the past 24 hours.
What Happens Next
Kava says the full incident report will follow as soon as it is ready, with no date given. Cross-chain withdrawals through Axelar stay paused until the team says otherwise, and the team has not said when the pause will be lifted. Bithumb posted a security notice on the incident and suspended KAVA deposits and withdrawals, and Upbit and Coinone took the same step.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Happened at Kava on November 14, 2026?
KAVA tokens were bridged to BNB Chain and sold after unexpected activity from a dApp, and Kava paused the Axelar bridge the same day.
Did Kava Mint New Tokens in the Incident?
No. Kava said the event is not an infinite mint and is isolated and contained within Kava Lend.
Is the Axelar Bridge Open?
No. Kava paused the bridge at about 14:05 UTC on November 14, 2026, and cross-chain withdrawals are stopped.
How Much KAVA Was Moved to BNB Chain?
On-chain reports estimate about 48.3 million KAVA, worth roughly $3.2 million at the time. Kava has not confirmed the figure.
Which Exchanges Suspended KAVA?
Bithumb, Upbit and Coinone suspended KAVA deposits and withdrawals after the incident.
Sources
- Kava update on the Kava Lend incident · Kava
- Kava token plunges after bridge dump on BSC · Crypto Briefing
- Prices and market data · Coinranking
