- Google paid 40% more in 2025 than in 2024 to security researchers
- New AI vulnerabilities being considered as threats emerge
- Large events accounted for around 20% of payments
Google paid out $17.1 million in bug bounties in 2025, the highest amount it has ever paid in a single year, up 40% from the $11.8 million it paid out in 2024.
However, despite such a sharp increase in cash value, the company only paid 13% more to researchers (a total of 747 in 2025), suggesting that vulnerability detection is becoming much more lucrative.
The company also boasted that it had paid out $81.6 million in VRP payments since the plan launched in 2010.
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Google’s VRP is becoming more lucrative
Some of the largest product areas included Android and Google devices ($2.9 million), Chrome ($3.7 million), and Google Cloud ($3.57 million).
Google also launched its dedicated AI VRP last year to focus on risks such as rapid injection, data breaches, and dishonest behavior; that has paid $350,000, bringing the total AI-related payments to $890,000. To recognize potential AI-related risks, the company also added new reward categories for AI-related vulnerabilities in Chrome.
The AI VRP wasn’t released until October 2025, and Google “recognized that securing generative AI products requires specialized research different from traditional vulnerabilities.” A single AI bugSWAT event generated 70 valid reports, totaling $400,000 in payments.
Other events held in Sunnyvale, Las Vegas and Mexico City generated nearly $3 million in payouts, representing around 20% of the total rewards paid in 2025, making these events must-see destinations for security researchers.
“Our goal remains to stay ahead of emerging threats, adapt to evolving technologies, and continue to strengthen the security posture of Google products and services,” the company wrote in a blog post, thanking those who have helped protect its products so far.
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