North Korean Hackers Steal Record $2.02 Billion in Crypto in 2025

North Korean hackers stole a record $2.02 billion in cryptocurrency in 2025, marking the highest annual haul by the state-sponsored groups and accounting for nearly 60 percent of all thefts from crypto services that year, according to blockchain analysis firm Chainalysis.

The figure represents a 51 percent increase from 2024 and pushes the cumulative total stolen by North Korea-linked actors since 2016 to $6.75 billion. Despite the surge in value, the number of confirmed attacks dropped by about 74 percent compared to prior years, highlighting a strategic pivot toward fewer, more devastating strikes. Overall, the crypto industry suffered more than $3.4 billion in losses from thefts between January and early December 2025, with North Korean operations responsible for 76 percent of compromises at exchanges, custodians, and other services.

A pivotal event was the March breach at the Bybit exchange, where hackers siphoned $1.5 billion in a single operation, the largest crypto heist on record. Chainalysis attributed the attack to North Korean groups, a finding echoed by U.S. officials. The top three incidents of the year alone comprised 69 percent of all service losses, underscoring...