North Korean cybercriminals took their already prolific cryptocurrency theft to new highs in 2025 despite carrying out fewer confirmed attacks this year, according to blockchain researchers, as Pyongyang refined its proven tactics to inflict more damage. Driven largely by the record theft of $1.46 billion from the Dubai-based exchange Bybit in February, DPRK actors have pulled in at least $2.02 billion in stolen virtual currency so far this year, U.S. blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis said in a report Thursday. North Korean cybercriminals raised their cryptocurrency theft to new heights in 2025, despite a decline in confirmed attacks.
A Chainalysis report notes that the February Bybit breach, worth $1.46 billion, helped push the year’s total stolen virtual currency to at least $2.02 billion. The analysis indicates DPRK actors refined their tactics to inflict more damage, leveraging proven methods to maximize impact. The report underscores how enhanced techniques and targeting contribute to the rising losses in the crypto space. The trend highlights the ongoing risk to exchanges and the need for robust security and monitoring to counter ever-evolving cyber threats in the cryptocurrency ecosystem.
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