KOREA TIMES · 2026-11-01 06:57 UTC

[COVER STORY] North Korea has every incentive to keep stealing crypto, analysts say

North Korea-linked hackers stole $6.36 billion from Binance, equivalent to 22% of North Korea's 2025 GDP, with analysts saying more attacks are likely. Cryptocurrency theft funds Pyongyang's military programs including nuclear and ballistic missiles; North Korea-linked attacks accounted for 89% of crypto heist losses this year versus 15% in 2021. Binance replaced 90% of stolen funds and planned to restore withdrawals; average loss per North Korea-linked attack rose to $185.65 million in 2025 from $50.65 million in 2021.

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