North Korea stole $1.4B in crypto from ByBit: Chainalysis

Technology Jul 17, 2025

Crypto thefts have hit an all-time high, with $2.17 billion stolen in just the first half of 2025—a 17% jump from 2022.
The biggest shocker? North Korean hackers grabbed over $1.4 billion from ByBit, then laundered the money to help fund their government's operations.

North Korea's strategy to fund its operations

The ByBit hack is part of North Korea's bigger game—using cyberattacks to get around global sanctions and bankroll its nuclear program, mostly by targeting Western companies.
In 2024 alone, these hackers were behind nearly two-thirds of all crypto hacks worldwide.
On top of that, North Korea plants remote IT workers inside tech firms to earn cash and steal valuable ideas, keeping their regime running despite being cut off from much of the world.