A major DeFi protocol exploited for $26 million—this incident underscores a pressing challenge for the industry heading into 2025. Beyond the immediate damage, it forces us to confront two uncomfortable truths: how do we identify genuinely secure platforms for deploying capital in a decentralized ecosystem, and who bears legal responsibility when things go wrong? Right now, the accountability gap remains wide. Users deposit funds into smart contracts with limited recourse, while protocol teams often operate in regulatory grey zones. As DeFi scales, the pressure intensifies for clearer safeguards, insurance mechanisms, and transparent governance structures. Without proper frameworks addressing user protection and liability standards, we risk repeating these costly lessons throughout the cycle.