The G7 declares war on North Korean hackers: cryptocurrency thefts in the crosshairs
The leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) at the summit in Evian adopted a tough resolution aimed at combating cybercrime originating from North Korea. The statement emphasizes the need for coordinated international efforts to counter large-scale cryptocurrency thefts, which have become a key source of funding for Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programs.
Despite the strong statements, the final document does not provide for specific mechanisms or sanctions targeting the cryptocurrency sector. This leaves room for interpretation, but the very fact of recognizing the problem at the highest level is an important signal for the industry.
The scale of the threat is impressive. According to estimates by the analytical platform Chainalysis, in 2025 alone, hacker groups affiliated with North Korea stole crypto assets worth $2.02 billion. This is 51% higher than the previous year's figures. The total volume of stolen funds in recent years has already exceeded $6.75 billion.
This dynamic indicates the systemic nature of the threat: North Korean cyber groups, such as the Lazarus Group, operate with a high degree of organization and use sophisticated methods of social engineering and exploitation of DeFi protocol vulnerabilities. The increase in the number of attacks directly correlates with the tightening of international sanctions against Pyongyang, making cryptocurrencies virtually the only channel for circumventing restrictions.
My expert commentary: Despite the political rhetoric, effectively countering North Korean hackers requires not just declarations, but the implementation of mandatory KYC/AML standards at the protocol and exchange levels. Until the G7 moves from words to creating a unified database of suspicious wallets and automated transaction blocking, North Korea's "crypto jihad" will only gain momentum.