North Korean Hackers Steal $3.4-B in Crypto This Year

Cyber attackers sponsored by North Korea have stolen more than $2.02 billion in cryptocurrency since January, according to a report by blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis, David Hollerith reported for Yahoo Finance.

The findings underscore how heavily sanctioned North Korea has exploited vulnerabilities in the crypto ecosystem to generate revenue.

Through early December, the report shows that North Korea–linked hackers stole more than 50% more cryptocurrency in 2025 than in 2024, bringing the regime’s total identified crypto theft since 2016 to $6.75 billion.

The findings underscore how the heavily sanctioned country has exploited vulnerabilities in the crypto ecosystem to generate revenue.

Since at least 2019, US and UN national security officials have said funds stolen by North Korean hacker groups help finance the regime’s nuclear weapons and missile programs.

“The reality is that cryptocurrency, because of its global 24/7 access, creates a unique value proposition for the regime to target,” said Andrew Fierman, Chainalysis’ head of national security intelligence.

Chainalysis said the crypto industry suffered $3.4 billion in theft in 2025 through early December, with the majority stemming from a single breach in late February.

In that incident, Dubai-based exchange Bybit lost $1.5 billion to North Korea–affiliated hackers — the largest crypto theft on record.

Earlier this week, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, the top Democrat on the Senate Banking Committee, sent a letter to the US Treasury and Justice Department urging an investigation into how North Korean hackers and other illicit actors are using decentralized finance protocols to fund the regime.