North Korean hackers carried out a $2 billion cryptocurrency theft in 2025.

crypthub

1 day ago

2025 Theft Scale

North Korean-linked hackers stole about $2.02 billion in cryptocurrency in 2025, a 51 % rise from the previous year. The Bybit breach alone accounted for $1.5 billion of the loss. This surge raised the cumulative theft total to roughly $6.75 billion, making the DPRK the top global crypto thief.

Evolving Tactics

In 2025 the groups shifted to fewer, high‑value attacks, embedding insiders and using social engineering to access privileged systems. They focused on centralized platforms, responsible for roughly 76 % of service‑level thefts. Sophisticated laundering through mixers and cross‑chain bridges helped conceal the stolen funds.

Industry Response

Regulators, exchanges, and analytics firms are boosting on‑chain monitoring and tightening compliance to counter the threat. Collaboration with law enforcement is increasing to track illicit flows. The persistent nation‑state pressure highlights the need for stronger global security measures in the crypto ecosystem.

North Korean hackers carried out a $2 billion cryptocurrency theft in 2025.

2025 Theft Scale

Evolving Tactics

Industry Response

North Korean hackers carried out a $2 billion cryptocurrency theft in 2025.