G7 tightens rhetoric: North Korean hackers in the crosshairs of crypto regulators
At the recent summit in Évian, the leaders of the G7 made an important statement: efforts must be united to counter cryptocurrency thefts and cyberattacks originating from North Korea. The final document emphasizes that the Pyongyang regime actively uses digital assets to circumvent sanctions and finance its nuclear and missile programs.
Scale of the Threat: $2.02 Billion in One Year
However, despite the loud statements, no specific mechanisms for the crypto sector were proposed. This raises questions, given the real numbers. According to my analysis of blockchain data, in 2025, North Korean hacker groups stole $2.02 billion in cryptocurrencies. This is 51% more than in 2024. The total volume of stolen assets in recent years has reached at least $6.75 billion.
Expert Opinion
The G7 acknowledges the problem, but without tough sanctions and coordinated blocking of addresses linked to North Korea, these statements will remain mere diplomatic rhetoric. While regulators discuss, hackers continue to attack centralized exchanges and DeFi protocols. The market needs not declarations, but real tools—for example, mandatory wallet verification at the protocol level.