According to a report by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, the volume of crypto assets stolen by hackers and cybercriminals linked to North Korea (DPRK) exceeded $2 billion in 2025. This is a 51 percent increase compared to the previous year; although the number of attacks decreased, the amount of stolen funds rose sharply. This is reported by Cointelegraph.com reports .
The report notes that North Korean hackers are considered the largest group posing a threat to cryptocurrency users. They primarily target Web3 projects and crypto exchanges, as it is much easier to anonymize and transfer crypto assets compared to the traditional financial system.
Cybercriminals are effectively using not only technical attacks but also social engineering methods. For example, in April 2025, the decentralized crypto exchange Drift Protocol was breached by hackers. The hackers met with the company's team at major conferences, built trust over six months, and ultimately stole $280 million through malicious software.
The Drift Protocol team stated that the individuals they interacted with face-to-face were not North Korean citizens. It was revealed that the hackers used third-party intermediaries to achieve their goals. Additionally, observers like ZachXBT have found that North Korean IT specialists are getting hired by various technology companies, earning up to $1 million per month.
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