UN says North Korea-linked hackers stole $2.83B in crypto

A multilateral monitoring team says hackers linked to North Korea stole about $2.83 billion in virtual assets between January 2024 and September 2025, with roughly $1.64 billion taken in the first nine months of 2025 alone, according to a report released by the Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team. The report singles out a February 2025 breach of the global exchange Bybit as a major contributor to the surge in thefts and details sophisticated laundering networks that moved the proceeds into fiat currency through intermediaries in multiple countries.

The monitoring team, a coalition of 11 countries created to support implementation of U.N. sanctions, said the stolen funds have been used to procure foreign currency and to finance activities linked to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s weapons programs. The group concluded that cyber operations, fake remote-worker identities and targeted malware campaigns form a central part of the regime’s strategy to generate revenue while evading sanctions.

Researchers and investigators described a range of intrusions and tactics. Attackers have targeted third-party service providers connected to exchanges, exploited software supply...