North Korea's Crypto Heist Totals Billions, but Figures Fall Short of $7.8 Billion Claim
North Korea-linked cyber operations have resulted in significant cryptocurrency losses, but the available figures do not support a unified total of nearly $7.8 billion.
The U.S. government has publicly confirmed losses exceeding $3.1 billion, while a broader estimate puts North Korean hackers' cumulative thefts at $6.75 billion through the end of 2025.
The higher figure depends on adding an estimated $351.6 million moved from Bitget hot and warm wallets on September 24, which is based on Bitget's reported loss and on-chain analysis, but not a completed government finding.
North Korea's involvement in the Bitget incident has not been confirmed, and the FBI attributed approximately $1.5 billion in virtual assets stolen from Bybit to North Korea in February 2025, as part of an operation called 'TraderTraitor.'