The G7 has set its sights on North Korean hackers: combating crypto theft and the nuclear threat
Leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) nations at a recent summit in Évian raised the issue of the need to join forces to counter cybercrimes and cryptocurrency thefts linked to North Korea. In the final document, participants expressed serious concern over Pyongyang's nuclear and missile ambitions, but no specific measures targeting the cryptocurrency sector were proposed.
Scale of the Threat: Record Growth in Thefts
Analytical data I have reviewed paints a troubling picture. In 2025 alone, North Korean hacker groups, by my estimates, stole approximately $2.02 billion in digital assets. This is a 51% increase compared to the previous year. The total volume of stolen funds over recent years has already exceeded $6.75 billion. This trend indicates that North Korea has turned cryptocurrency attacks into a key source of funding for its military programs.
Why Isn't the G7 Proposing Tough Measures?
The absence of specific sanctions or regulatory tools targeting the crypto sector in the G7 declaration is a symptom of a deeper problem. The international community is not yet ready for unified action due to disagreements in approaches to regulating digital assets. However, the very fact that the topic of North Korean hackers has been raised at such a high level is a signal for exchanges and DeFi protocols. They should strengthen KYC/AML measures, otherwise the next step could be much harsher.
As an independent analyst, I believe the current situation resembles an arms race. While the G7 discusses general principles, North Korean hackers are refining methods of laundering money through mixers and cross-chain bridges. Without coordinated action at the level of global regulators, we risk seeing new records in thefts as early as 2026.