North Korea has become the third-largest government Bitcoin holder, surpassing Bhutan and El Salvador, with approximately 13,562 BTC valued at $1.14 billion. This ranking stems from a $1.4 billion crypto heist linked to the notorious Lazarus Group, a cybercrime syndicate tied to North Korea's intelligence services.

*Key Details:*

- *Hack Details*: The Lazarus Group infiltrated Bybit, a major cryptocurrency exchange, on February 21, stealing primarily in Ethereum before converting a significant portion to Bitcoin.

- *Laundering Efforts*: At least $300 million from the hack has been laundered using advanced techniques like chain-hopping and privacy mixers.

- *Global Implications*: North Korea's growing Bitcoin reserves raise concerns about the country's economic resilience and potential impact on international efforts to pressure the regime into denuclearization talks.

*Government Bitcoin Holdings Comparison:*

- *United States*: 198,109 BTC ($16.71 billion)

- *United Kingdom*: 61,245 BTC ($5.17 billion)

- *North Korea*: 13,562 BTC ($1.14 billion)

- *Bhutan*: 10,635 BTC

- *El Salvador*: 6,117 BTC ¹