Bybit Sues North Korea Over $1.5 Billion Crypto Heist

Bybit, a major cryptocurrency exchange, has taken drastic action against North Korea in a bid to recover $1.5 billion stolen from its platform in February 2025.

The lawsuit, filed under the U.S. RICO Act, accuses North Korea's General Bureau of Reconnaissance and the Lazarus hacking group of orchestrating the theft.

Bybit is seeking the return of the stolen assets, compensation for damages, penalties, and the seizure of crypto wallets linked to the heist. The court has already ordered a temporary freeze on some of the assets, acknowledging Bybit's strong chance of success in the case.

The investigation led to the shutdown of the eXch crypto exchange by German authorities and the closure of Cryptomixer.io, a service used to launder the stolen funds, by Germany and Switzerland.