2025 North Korean Hacker Theft of Cryptocurrency Sets New Record Exceeding $2 Billion

BlockBeats News, December 19, 2025 — Within the year, the total value of cryptocurrency stolen by North Korean hackers has set a new record exceeding $2 billion, a 50% year-on-year increase. In February alone this year, North Korean hackers carried out an attack on Bybit, stealing up to $1.5 billion, accounting for three-quarters of North Korea's $2 billion illicit gains for the year. Since 2016, when North Korea began targeting the cryptocurrency industry, their accumulated revenue from cryptocurrency theft has reached $6.7 billion. This year, North Korean hacker groups were responsible for 76% of major exchange and platform hacking incidents — the highest percentage ever recorded.

North Korea's hacker strategy is also evolving, shifting towards fewer but larger-scale attacks. Instead of relying on external hacking methods, they often place IT personnel inside cryptocurrency companies to gain access and carry out massive thefts. Pablo Sabbatella, a member of the investigative group SEAL, stated, "The situation is much worse than anyone imagined. Between 30% and 40% of job applications received by cryptocurrency companies are submitted by North Korean operatives attempting to infiltrate."