North Korean hackers in the crosshairs of the G7: a new wave of threats for the crypto industry
Leaders of the G7 countries at the summit in Évian officially recognized the North Korean cyber threat as one of the key problems of global financial stability. In the final document, they emphasized the need for coordinated action against cryptocurrency theft and hacker attacks linked to the DPRK. However, characteristically, the G7 did not propose any specific mechanisms or new sanctions measures for the crypto sector — only general declarations of intent.
This statement is not empty rhetoric. Behind it lie very real figures that I track in my analysis. According to blockchain investigations, in 2025 alone, North Korean hackers operating under the auspices of groups such as the Lazarus Group stole a colossal $2.02 billion in cryptocurrencies. This is 51% more than the previous year. The growth rate is impressive, especially given that the security of DeFi protocols and centralized exchanges is constantly improving.
The total volume of stolen assets, by my estimates, has already exceeded $6.75 billion. And this is only the minimum threshold recorded on public blockchains. The real figure, taking into account undisclosed incidents and off-chain movements, could be significantly higher. Pyongyang uses cryptocurrencies not just for enrichment, but to finance its nuclear and missile programs, which directly threatens international security.
The problem is that the G7 is so far limiting itself to political statements. Without tough measures — such as mandatory verification of all wallets connected to mixers, or blocking addresses linked to North Korean pools — the situation will only worsen. The cryptocurrency market is becoming an increasingly attractive target for state sponsors of cybercrime, and the industry needs to prepare for systemic, not point-based, protection.
My verdict: The G7 statement is an important signal, but without concrete actions, it will remain just a political gesture. While regulators seek consensus, hackers from the DPRK continue to attack. Investors and exchanges should already be implementing advanced transaction monitoring systems and collaborating with blockchain analysts, otherwise the next Chainalysis report will show even more alarming figures.