Science & Tech · Cybersecurity · 3 hrs ago
North Korean hackers linked to record Binance crypto theft
Experts link North Korean group TraderTraitor to a record-breaking theft from Binance, a cryptocurrency exchange.
The group is suspected of targeting developers and IT staff with malware or fake job offers to gain access to companies’ systems.
North Korea’s crypto thefts have grown into a major source of foreign currency, as sanctions limit its trade and access to money.
Researchers say the stolen funds are often laundered, and some can be frozen before they are spent.
The money may help fund North Korea’s weapons programs, including its nuclear and missile programs, according to US officials.
Binance says about $3 billion has been located, and it and other groups are working to freeze some of the stolen crypto.
Cybersecurity experts link North Korean hackers to a record cryptocurrency theft from Binance and say the proceeds help fund the country’s weapons programmes.
Blockchain analysis firms TRM Labs and Chainalysis attribute the theft to a North Korean group known as TraderTraitor.
North Korea had stolen at least $6.75 billion in cryptocurrency by the end of 2025, according to Chainalysis.
Experts say the hackers target cryptocurrency firms through malware, fake job offers and other methods to gain access to systems and credentials.
North Korea has previously rejected allegations of hacking, but did not respond to inquiries about the current Binance case, according to n-tv.
- Who
- Cybersecurity experts attribute the Binance theft to TraderTraitor, a North Korean hacking group.
- What
- Experts link North Korean hackers to major cryptocurrency thefts, including a record theft from Binance.
- When
- The reports were published on October 30, 2026. The Binance theft date is not stated.
- Where
- The theft targeted Binance, a cryptocurrency exchange. The hackers are linked to North Korea.
- Why
- Experts say stolen funds help finance North Korea’s weapons programmes and help the country evade sanctions.
Cybersecurity experts and US officials
North Korea
Attribution
Cybersecurity experts and US officials
Experts and US officials link North Korean hackers, including TraderTraitor, to cryptocurrency thefts.
North Korea
North Korea has previously called similar allegations absurd and defamatory.
Purpose and impact
Cybersecurity experts and US officials
Experts and US officials say proceeds from hacking help fund weapons programmes and evade sanctions.
North Korea
North Korea’s position on the current Binance allegation was not stated; it did not respond to inquiries, according to n-tv.
North Korean hackers were identified as the perpetrators of the WannaCry ransomware attack, according to n-tv.
TRM estimated North Korea’s cryptocurrency haul at about $1 billion, according to n-tv.
The Bybit cryptocurrency exchange suffered a $1.5 billion theft, which Chainalysis included in its estimate of North Korea’s stolen cryptocurrency.
Chainalysis said North Korea had stolen at least $6.75 billion in cryptocurrency by this point.
InfoMoney and n-tv published reports on North Korean hacking and cryptocurrency thefts.
- Binance theft
- $6.3 billion, described by InfoMoney as a record theft
- Group named by experts
- TraderTraitor
- North Korean cryptocurrency thefts
- At least $6.75 billion by the end of 2025, according to Chainalysis
- Bybit theft
- $1.5 billion in February 2025
- Bitget theft
- $387 million in September; year not stated in the article
- Binance funds located
- About $3 billion, according to Binance
2 sources
What people are saying
After Bitget, much of the community was already expecting something like this.
This group, in particular, is almost like a group of artists when it comes to breaking into these decentralized finance companies.
North Korean cybercrime is a global problem.