Ontology has temporarily suspended mainnet block production after core developers identified a potential security concern during a routine security check on August 31, 2026. The network said the halt is a precautionary measure rather than a response to an active attack, and on-chain transactions are currently unable to be processed while validators conduct an emergency review.
According to an official announcement, no security incident has been confirmed and there is no evidence that ONT, ONG or other on-chain assets have been lost or compromised. However, the network has not provided a restart time and said block production will resume only after the mainnet and related components have been sufficiently assessed and deemed safe. Users have been advised against attempting time-sensitive on-chain transactions during the pause.
The technical nature of the potential issue remains undisclosed, including which component triggered the review and whether developers have identified a vulnerability requiring a software upgrade. Ontology said it is working with validators and ecosystem partners, and that any needed upgrades would be completed before operations resume. A separate announcement will be released before or when block production restarts.
Ontology operates a dual-token system: ONT is used for governance and staking, while ONG (Ontology Gas) serves the network’s economic model. The project has previously seen exchange-level restrictions during upgrades; in 2022, Binance suspended ONT deposits and withdrawals during a network upgrade. Currently, Ontology has not said whether exchanges or other services will restrict ONT or ONG deposits and withdrawals during this security review.
