The researchers say that the North Korean infiltrators have stolen more than two billion dollars of cryptocurrencies so far in 2025

The infiltrators working for the North Korean government have stolen more than two billion dollars from the cryptocurrencies so far this year. According to Blockchain Elliptic analysis company.

On Tuesday, Al -Alailjiya Blog post has been published With this new estimate, which the company says is “the largest annual total registered, with a remaining three months remaining”, and is based on more than 30 penetrations this year.

The previous record was in 2022, when North Korea stole $ 1.35 billion. The total amount of the total encrypted currencies since 2017 is at least $ 6 billion, according to Elipic, who said this number may still be less than reality.

“The actual number may be higher. It says in the blog post that” the ratios of electronic theft to North Korea are not an accurate science. ”

“We are aware of many other thefts that participate in some distinctive features of the activities associated with North Korea, but we lack the adequate evidence that can be categorically attributed. It is possible that other thefts are not reported and remains unknown.”

The company said that the main goals of North Korea are still the encrypted currency exchanges, but the system’s pirates also began targeting “high -wealthy individuals” who have large quantities of cryptocurrencies.

The company said this is not the only last change.

“The majority of the hacks in 2025 were committed through social engineering attacks, as individuals deceived or manipulated them in order to reach encrypted currencies,” the blog post said. “This is a shift from previous attacks, as in many cases technical defects were exploited in the infrastructure of encrypted currencies to steal money. This transformation highlights that the weak point in the security of encrypted currencies has become increasingly human, not technical.”

Elliptic estimates appear to be in line with the estimates of other organizations. last year, The United Nations Security Council was estimated Between 2017 and 2023, North Koreans stole $ 3 billion in cryptocurrencies. By adding Elliptic estimates of $ 2 billion for this year, and 742.8 million dollars last year, the total is approaching the number 6 billion dollars.

Governments of Japan, South Korea and the United States He accused North Korea’s pirates of theft More than 659 million dollars in 2024, which is the same as Elleptic.

United Nations Believe The system, led by Kim Jong Un, uses the stolen cryptocurrencies to finance the nuclear weapons program.

The record for this year was mostly driven by The tremendous theft of more than $ 1.4 billion from the encrypted currency exchange by BYBITany Federal Bureau of Investigation And many Blockchain monitoring companies and researchers Advocated to North Korea.

Other victims of North Korea pirates in the world of cryptocurrencies over the years were the game of playing for profit Axi Infiniti (625 million dollars in 2022), and the emerging Harmony Corporate Corporation ($ 100 in 2022), and the exchange of cryptocurrencies X Minister (235 million dollars in 2024), among many other things.