Pyongyang — North Korea‑linked hacking groups have surged to the top of global cryptocurrency thefts in 2025, reportedly stealing more than $2 billion worth of digital assets this year and accounting for over half of all crypto heists worldwide, according to the latest blockchain analytics report.
- The Chainalysis 2025 Crypto Crime Report revealed that DPRK‑associated actors stole roughly $2.02 billion in cryptocurrency between January and December, marking a 51 per cent increase compared to 2024. This amount represents nearly 60 per cent of the total $3.4 billion stolen globally, highlighting the staggering scale of North Korea’s cyber operations.
- While the number of attacks linked to North Korea reportedly decreased, the impact of each operation grew, with hackers targeting high-value exchanges and centralised platforms rather than smaller decentralised finance (DeFi) systems. One of the largest attacks this year involved Bybit, a Dubai-based crypto exchange, where a single heist accounted for $1.5 billion in losses, underlining the strategic precision of these operations.
- Analysts note that these cyber campaigns employ sophisticated techniques, including insider infiltration, cross-chain laundering, and mixing services that obscure the flow of stolen assets, making it extremely difficult for authorities to trace and recover funds. This approach has enabled North Korea-linked groups to move vast sums across borders with minimal detection.
- Cumulatively, since tracking began, DPRK-affiliated actors have reportedly stolen $6.75 billion in digital assets, demonstrating the growing role of nation-state actors in global crypto crime and the persistent vulnerabilities in cryptocurrency platforms despite improvements in digital security.
- Blockchain experts warn that the prominence of North Korea in the crypto theft landscape underscores the urgent need for stronger international cooperation, enhanced cybersecurity protocols, and robust monitoring systems. Without such measures, investors and digital asset markets remain at risk from increasingly sophisticated, high-value cyberattacks.
- The report also raises broader concerns about the security of centralised crypto exchanges and the potential economic and political implications of nation-state cybercrime, with North Korea now firmly established as a formidable actor in the digital financial underworld.
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