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CertiK Says North Korean Hacker Groups Stole $6.75 Billion in Crypto Since 2016

According to CertiK, Chainalysis, and Elliptic, North Korea-linked hackers drove about 60% of 2025’s $3.4 billion in crypto theft, extending a decade-long, likely state-backed campaign against digital asset platforms.

Fact Check
The claim is strongly supported by primary sources. Chainalysis's official blog ('North Korea Drives Record $2 Billion Crypto Theft Year, Pushing All-Time Total to $6.75 Billion') directly confirms the $6.75 billion all-time total and the ~60% share of 2025's $3.4 billion in global crypto theft. CertiK's own Skynet DPRK Crypto Threats Report independently corroborates the $6.75 billion figure across 263 incidents since 2016. Multiple credible news outlets (crypto.news, PANews, Yahoo Finance/Decrypt) all cite CertiK, Chainalysis, and Elliptic as the joint sources for the 60% and $3.4B figures. The only minor discrepancy is a rounding difference in DPRK's 2025 total ($2.02B per Chainalysis vs. $2.06B per CertiK's Skynet), which does not materially affect the claim. The attribution to all three firms (CertiK, Chainalysis, Elliptic) and the decade-long state-backed campaign framing are also well-supported.
Summary

Blockchain security firm CertiK said North Korean hacker groups have stolen about $6.75 billion in digital assets since 2016, or more than 1 trillion yen over roughly a decade, highlighting a sustained and likely state-backed cyber threat to the crypto sector. CertiK, Chainalysis, and Elliptic each estimated that DPRK-linked hackers were responsible for about 60% of 2025’s $3.4 billion in crypto theft, implying around $2.02 billion stolen in 2025. CertiK had previously cited a slightly higher 2025 figure of $2.06 billion, including the $1.5 billion Bybit hack, so both estimates remain part of the record pending clarification. The findings suggest that most industry losses in 2025 came from a concentrated set of sophisticated attacks on digital asset infrastructure.

Terms & Concepts
  • Digital assets: Cryptocurrency tokens and other blockchain-based holdings that can be transferred and stored electronically.
  • Blockchain security: The set of tools and practices used to protect crypto networks, wallets, exchanges, and on-chain applications from hacks and unauthorized access.
  • Smart contract: Self-executing blockchain code that runs automatically when preset conditions are met; vulnerabilities in it can be exploited to steal digital assets.