North Korea Accused of $1.5 Billion Cryptocurrency Heist in Largest Digital Theft Ever

The FBI attributes the theft from crypto exchange Bybit to Lazarus Group, a hacking organization allegedly tied to Pyongyang’s intelligence agency.

The FBI has identified North Korea as responsible for the theft of $1.5 billion in digital assets from cryptocurrency exchange Bybit, marking the largest cryptocurrency heist to date.
The Lazarus Group, a North Korean hacking collective linked to the government, is accused of orchestrating the attack, stealing approximately 400,000 Ethereum coins.
The stolen assets were reportedly converted into Bitcoin and dispersed across thousands of blockchain addresses, with plans to launder and convert them into fiat currency.
Experts suggest the funds are likely being used to support North Korea’s nuclear weapons program, continuing a pattern of cyber thefts attributed to the regime since 2017.
The Lazarus Group has a history of high-profile cybercrimes, including the 2014 Sony Pictures hack and a $620 million cryptocurrency theft from the Ronin Network in 2022.