North Korea-linked hackers steal over $2B in crypto in 2025
08 Oct 2025

North Korean hacking groups have stolen over $2 billion in cryptocurrency assets in 2025, according to blockchain analysis firm Elliptic.

The figure is based on more than 30 hacks this year and marks the largest annual total on record, with three months still remaining.

The previous record was set in 2022 when North Korea stole $1.35 billion worth of digital currency.

Total theft since 2017 could be much higher
Accumulated losses

Since 2017, North Korean hackers have stolen at least $6 billion in cryptocurrency, according to Elliptic.

"The actual figure may be even higher. Attributing cyber thefts to North Korea is not an exact science," said the company in its blog post.

This year, a major chunk of the record theft was due to a massive breach at crypto exchange Bybit, which saw approximately $1.46 billion stolen.

Shift in tactics and targets
Shift in strategy

Elliptic noted that North Korean hackers are now targeting "high-net-worth individuals" with large amounts of crypto.

The firm also observed a shift in tactics, with most hacks in 2025 being carried out through social engineering attacks.

These attacks involve hackers deceiving or manipulating individuals to gain access to cryptocurrency, highlighting that the weak point in cryptocurrency security is increasingly human rather than technical.

UN Security Council's estimate of North Korean crypto thefts
Consistent figures

Elliptic's estimate of North Korean crypto thefts this year matches that of other organizations.

The United Nations Security Council estimated between 2017 and 2023, North Korean hackers stole $3 billion in cryptocurrency.

Adding Elliptic's estimates for this year ($2 billion) and last year ($659 million), the total closely matches the $6 billion figure.

The United Nations believes that the regime led by Kim Jong-Un uses these stolen cryptocurrencies to fund its nuclear weapons program.