North Korea Cryptocurrency Hacking Hits $2.84 Billion In Global Thefts

An investigation supported by the United Nations has shown that North Korea’s cryptocurrency hacking incidents have increased tremendously, with groups linked to DPRK taking a whopping US$2.84 billion (AU$4.54 billion) worth of digital assets from January 2024 onwards. The massive theft of US$1.65 billion (AU$2.64 billion) occurred from January to September 2025 alone, and this period is noted as one of the most devastating to date for crypto-associated cybercrime. The ongoing North Korea cryptocurrency hacking trend signals the growing global concern over North Korea crypto theft in 2025 and its implications for digital finance.The UN-activated Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team (MSMT), together with Chainalysis, have prepared a report that demonstrates how much North Korean hackers are modernising with the help of AI in their capturing activities. The theft level and the sophistication of attacks have already raised a red flag for the cybersecurity agencies of different countries, making the UN report North Korea crypto findings a critical issue for regulators worldwide.A big part of the increase was attributed to a massive Bybit platform breach in February 2025, which the FBI later connected to North Korean agents. Around US$1.5 billion (AU$2.40 billion) of the stolen assets from that one incident made it the largest known crypto hack to date. Investigators say that the North’s hacking units are using AI tools and large language models (LLMs) to make phishing campaigns more susceptible, exploit weaknesses in the system and automate laundering operations. The adoption of advanced AI technologies has turned these attacks into rapid, highly targeted and almost undetectable operations, further advancing North Korea’s cryptocurrency hacking across borders. The MSMT foresees that the strategy will not only ensure North Korea’s continued cyberwarfare but also keep its weapons program funded while managing to avoid international sanctions, a core finding of the UN report North Korea crypto assessment.

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