Ethereum Stolen in Record North Korea Crypto Hack as Bybit Breach Drives 2025 Thefts to $2.17B

According to Chainalysis data highlighted by The Block, North Korean cyber operators amassed about $2.17 billion in illicit cryptocurrency in 2025, including nearly $1.5 billion in Ethereum stolen from the Bybit breach — the largest single-asset hack on record.

Separately, the Lazarus group is accused of a $37 million attack on Upbit, illustrating persistent risk to exchanges amid ongoing sanctions and heightened scrutiny of state-sponsored cybercrime.

Andrew Fierman, Chainalysis’ Director of National Security Intelligence, warned that relying on sanctions alone is insufficient; a coordinated, industry-wide response is essential to disrupt North Korea’s evolving crypto-finance ecosystem, which remains a revenue stream from cryptocurrency hacks.