According to recent findings from blockchain intelligence companies monitoring illicit cyber operations tied to Pyongyang, North Korean state-sponsored hackers have illicitly acquired cryptocurrency valued at over $2 billion since the start of 2025.
This enormous sum highlights the growing complexity and reach of North Korea’s cybercrime efforts, which have increasingly targeted cryptocurrency exchanges, decentralized finance (DeFi) platforms, and blockchain networks across various nations.
Elliptic, a blockchain analytics firm, revealed in a blog post published Wednesday that this figure is derived from more than 30 cyberattacks recorded this year alone, marking the highest annual total ever documented-with three months still remaining in the year.
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Previously, North Korea’s largest known crypto theft was $1.35 billion in 2022. Elliptic estimates that since 2017, the regime has stolen at least $6 billion in digital assets, though this number could be conservative.
“The true amount might be significantly greater. Pinpointing cyber thefts to North Korea involves considerable uncertainty,” the report explains.
“We have identified numerous other cyber heists exhibiting characteristics typical of North Korean operations but lack conclusive proof to confirm attribution. Additionally, some incidents likely remain undisclosed and unknown,” Elliptic added.
