North Korean Hackers Stole a Record $2.02B in Crypto in 2025: Chainalysis
A new Chainalysis report reveals that North Korean hacking groups stole $2.02 billion in cryptocurrency in 2025, setting an all-time annual record. The previous peak was $1.3 billion, pushing North Korea’s cumulative crypto theft to roughly $6.75 billion.
Globally, total crypto stolen this year has reached $3.4 billion, with a significant share linked to the Bybit exchange attack in Dubai. Bybit’s CEO, citing the U.S. Secret Service, stated that around $1.5 billion—mostly Ethereum—was stolen in February by hackers affiliated with North Korea’s elite state-backed cyber units.
The United Nations and multiple security researchers have long accused North Korea of using crypto theft to fund its nuclear and missile programs amid heavy international sanctions. Chainalysis highlighted that even platforms with strong institutional security remain vulnerable, calling this a structural security challenge for the industry.
Experts also warn that North Korean hackers are increasingly infiltrating global companies via fake remote job applications, gaining insider access that enables large-scale thefts. According to CSIS analyst Matt Pearl, North Korea’s isolation and sanction status leave very limited options to deter these cyber operations, making crypto-related attacks a persistent geopolitical and market risk.
