Neutron DAO Passes Proposal as $9.3 Million in Crypto Goes Missing

On Sept. 22, Neutron DAO members voted to pass proposal #9, which included eleven “Update Admin” actions that modify contract administrators at the network level. The same day, the security monitoring service SlowMist recorded estimated thefts of $4.9 million from the Astroport platform and $4.4 million from Drop, for a combined loss of $9.3 million.

Proposal details

The passed proposal, titled “AIATO: AI Agent Takeover. Phase 1: Agent Admin Registration,” is listed on the chain explorer as having been approved with eleven administrator updates. Neutron’s governance documentation describes the DAO as the network’s highest authority, capable of executing messages that can change contract administrators across services.

Security impact

SlowMist’s incident records for Sept. 22 name Astroport and Drop as the affected applications. The reported figures represent the estimated value of assets moved out of those platforms during the attacks.

Recovery outlook

Protos reported on Sept. 23 that a network halt contained most of the affected assets, with the attacker having extracted roughly one‑fifth of the total at that point. A halt can prevent further movement but does not guarantee asset return. The final amount that may be recovered depends on which assets remain contained, which are restored, and which have already left the defenders’ control.

Key considerations

• Neutron DAO’s governance can alter contract administrators, affecting downstream services like Astroport and Drop.
• SlowMist estimates a combined loss of $9.3 million across the two platforms.
• A network halt limited further asset extraction but left the total recoverable amount uncertain.
• Users of the affected applications face an unresolved question about the eventual return of their funds.