You cannot decode, but you can override functions. Using PHP's runkit or uopz extensions, a developer can monkey-patch encoded classes.
A developer in a Reddit thread (r/PHPhelp) downloaded a "free decoder" from a shady forum. The executable wiped his local database backups and installed a crypto miner on his workstation. Do not fall for this. Ioncube Decoder 12
However, a persistent, shadowy search query haunts the forums, GitHub repositories, and hacking blogs: You cannot decode, but you can override functions
Using a decoder without proper authorization may violate software licenses or copyrights. Official IonCube Loader is recommended for running encoded scripts without decoding them. You cannot decode