North Korean Hackers Suspected in Record $6.3 Billion Crypto Theft

Hackers from the DPRK are suspected of being behind the largest cryptocurrency theft in history

North Korean hackers may be behind the largest cryptocurrency theft in history, amounting to around $6.3 billion. The analytics firm TRM Labs reports that the attack on the Binance exchange was likely carried out by the TraderTraitor group, which is linked to the North Korean hacking network Lazarus. Experts consider this theory to be highly plausible, although there has been no official confirmation as yet. Neither Binance nor the law enforcement agencies have named the alleged organisers of the attack.

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According to preliminary information, the attackers gained access to the system via a compromised laptop belonging to one of the exchange’s technical specialists. They withdrew the bulk of the funds in just 20 minutes on the evening of 29 October. Binance temporarily suspended deposits and withdrawals, promising to compensate for the losses and reassuring customers that their assets were safe, reports Bild.

To date, around $3 billion has been frozen, partly thanks to Tether and Circle. According to TRM Labs’ estimates, crypto assets worth around $2.4 billion remain under the control of the alleged attackers.

Amid reports of the hack, the price of Bitcoin fell below $77,000 on Friday, losing more than 3 per cent. If the scale of the theft is confirmed, it will significantly exceed the previous record: in February 2025, hackers stole around $1.5 billion from the Bybit exchange.

North Korea has repeatedly been accused of using cyberattacks to fund state programmes. According to Chainalysis, hackers linked to the DPRK stole approximately $2 billion’s worth of cryptocurrencies throughout 2025.

This story was translated with the assistance of artificial intelligence.

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