TL;DR
- Over $2.17 billion in crypto stolen in H1 2025, surpassing 2024’s full-year total.
- North Korean hackers behind the majority of large-scale breaches, including Bybit.
- Crypto thefts are a strategic part of North Korea’s sanctions evasion and nuclear funding.
- FBI and Chainalysis confirm majority of stolen funds were laundered through state-controlled channels.
Crypto Theft Surges to Record Highs
A new report from Chainalysis confirms that crypto thefts in 2025 have reached unprecedented levels. In just the first half of the year, hackers stole more than $2.17 billion in digital assets, marking the worst year-to-date performance on record. This figure has already surpassed the total crypto lost in all of 2024.
Notably, thefts during this period represent a 17% increase over the same timeframe in 2022, which was previously considered the worst year for crypto security breaches.
North Korea’s Role in the Bybit Hack
According to both Chainalysis and the FBI, a substantial portion of 2025’s crypto losses stemmed from a single breach targeting cryptocurrency exchange Bybit. In that attack, over $1.4 billion was stolen and later laundered through North Korean-controlled networks.
This breach reflects an increasingly organized and strategic approach by North Korean hacking units, who have built a reputation for targeting vulnerable infrastructure in the global cryptocurrency space.
Sanctions Evasion Through Crypto
The Chainalysis report outlines how these attacks align with North Korea’s broader sanctions evasion tactics. Cut off from the global financial system, the regime leverages illicit crypto operations to fund its nuclear weapons program.
The country has also developed a network of remote IT workers who infiltrate Western companies under false identities. These individuals not only earn salaries but often steal proprietary data and later engage in extortion campaigns against their employers.
Historical Trends Show Worsening Threat
This year’s surge follows a longer trend. In 2024, North Korean hackers were responsible for nearly two-thirds of all crypto thefts, according to an earlier Chainalysis study. The 2025 Bybit hack alone accounts for more than 65% of total losses so far this year, underscoring North Korea’s continued evolution as a global cyber threat.
Crypto Theft Trends
| Metric | Value | Source |
| Total crypto stolen (H1 2025) | $2.17 billion | Chainalysis |
| Percentage increase from 2022 | 17% | Chainalysis |
| Bybit hack loss (attributed to DPRK) | $1.4 billion | FBI |
| North Korea’s share of 2024 hacks | ~66% | Chainalysis |
Outlook: Cybersecurity Measures Under Scrutiny
In response to the rise in state-sponsored hacks, cryptocurrency platforms are facing renewed pressure from regulators and cybersecurity watchdogs to enhance their defense protocols, implement real-time monitoring, and conduct rigorous audits of their security stacks.
Industry experts expect the second half of 2025 to bring stricter global regulatory coordination, especially as nations continue to view crypto theft as a threat to financial and geopolitical stability.
