North Korea ranks 3rd in the world in terms of the number of bitcoins: hackers are involved in this

North Korea ranked 3rd in the world by the volume of bitcoins. Hackers who steal cryptocurrency during their attacks play a key role in this. About this informs The Times.

North Korea is in the top three in the number of bitcoins, second only to the United States and the United Kingdom. In particular, North Korea’s most powerful hacking group, Lazarus, controls 13,580 bitcoins worth £886 million after last month’s record theft.

North Korea follows the UK with £3.9bn and the US with at least £12.7bn, according to Arkham Intelligence, which uses artificial intelligence to identify owners of cryptoassets. It is worth noting that both Western countries received these assets through the confiscation of funds belonging to criminals.

The Lazarus group, also known as TraderTraitor, is considered one of the most successful criminal organizations in the world. Its profits have become a “lifeline” for the leader of the DPRK, Kim Jong Un, and are used to finance the North Korean army, in particular for the production of weapons.

The FBI has confirmed that a group stole more than £1.2 billion in Ethereum cryptocurrency in a recent hack attack on crypto exchange Bybit. By comparison, North Korea spent £1.1 billion on defense in 2023.

According to a recent report, North Korean hackers stole around £616 million worth of cryptocurrency last year. Criminal groups working for the North Korean government are responsible for 35% of the £1.7bn stolen globally in such attacks in 2024. Last year, a UN panel concluded that North Korea finances up to 40% of its nuclear and ballistic missile programs through “illicit cyber means.”