Cryptocurrency thefts surged to $2.2 billion in 2024, with North Korean hackers responsible for $1.3 billion—more than half the total—according to a Chainalysis report.
The hackers allegedly infiltrated crypto firms by posing as remote IT workers, exploiting compromised private keys to steal vast sums from centralised exchanges.
Despite a 21% increase in stolen crypto compared to 2023, the overall figure remains below the peaks of 2021 and 2022.
High-profile incidents included a $300 million theft from Japan’s DMM Bitcoin and $235 million from India’s WazirX exchange.
The US government has accused North Korea of using cybercrime to fund its weapons programmes and announced a $5 million reward for information on related schemes.
Image credit: Jakub Zerdzicki
