OnchainRisk Map
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An institutional framework to understand, categorise and navigate onchain risk
The Onchain Risk Map is a taxonomy of blockchain risks designed to help risk professionals, industry stakeholders, and sophisticated users identify and manage risk throughout their onchain journey.
Explore the Interactive Onchain Risk Map
Navigate the blockchain risk taxonomy in an interactive tree chart. Each node maps a specific risk across six core categories, supported by real-world examples that show how risks can materialise and their potential impact.
The Onchain Risk Report 2026
Access the complete Onchain Risk Map in report format. A comprehensive resource for professional stakeholders covering the full taxonomy and historical precedents.
1. Custody Risk
Risk of loss/theft based on who controls private keys: self-custody adds human/operational mistakes; custodians add breach, insolvency, access risk.
2. Transaction Risk
Risk in onchain actions: phishing, malicious approvals, compromised interfaces, or MEV/execution effects that reduce value or redirect assets.
3. Protocol Risk
Risk of loss if a DeFi protocol is exploited or fails due to contract bugs, design flaws, governance capture, or dependency failures like oracles and bridges.
4. Digital Asset Risk
Risk the asset loses value: low liquidity and slippage, or peg/redemption failure for stablecoins and wrapped assets, leading to depegs or haircuts.
5. Staking Risk
Risk while staking: slashing and downtime penalties, plus intermediary risk and dependency risk from liquid staking or restaking products.
6. Systemic Risk
Risk from blockchain instability: consensus faults, majority attacks, forks or reorgs that disrupt finality and can reverse expected transaction outcomes.
Contribute to the Onchain Risk Map
Join the discussion shaping how onchain risk is documented and understood.
Join the DiscussionContact
Onchain Risk Map is a joint initiative by Nexus Mutual and OpenCover.
For research, collaboration, or bespoke risk discussions, get in touch.