FBI: North Korea behind $6.3bn Binance hack, the 'biggest in history'
The FBI has accused North Korea of orchestrating the theft of $6.3 billion from Binance, describing it as the largest cyber-attack in history.
The FBI has officially accused North Korea of orchestrating the theft of $6.3 billion from Binance, describing the incident as the "biggest hack in history" according to the Daily Mail [1]. The bureau stated that the massive heist, which occurred on or around 29 October, was carried out by cyber actors known as TraderTraitor.
The investigation, involving the FBI, US Secret Service, and IRS Criminal Investigation, revealed that these actors attempted to launder the stolen assets through various digital channels. The Independent reported that the FBI identified the same group responsible for the $1.5 billion Bybit hack in February 2025, suggesting a consistent pattern of North Korean cyber aggression [2].
Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, initially believed the breach involved a single compromised laptop belonging to a DevOps engineer. However, subsequent investigations uncovered additional points of entry. Richard Teng, co-CEO of Binance, stated that the company was working nonstop to address the breach and was committed to covering all losses, assuring users that their assets remained safe despite the theft.
The scale of the theft is unprecedented, exceeding the previous record for such an incident by four times. The stolen funds are believed to have been converted primarily into Ethereum, with the FBI warning that the hackers would likely use decentralised finance services to obscure the money's origins. Binance has since confirmed it holds enough reserves to cover 90% of the missing assets and has pledged full reimbursement for customers.
TraderTraitor is widely believed to be a sub-group of the Lazarus Group, a hacking collective notorious for its 2014 attack on Sony Pictures. The attribution to North Korea comes amid growing concerns that advancing artificial intelligence capabilities may be outpacing traditional cybersecurity protocols. Binance founder Changpeng Zhao, who stepped down in 2023 after pleading guilty to money laundering violations, was pardoned by President Donald Trump in 2025.
Sources
This article is based on reporting by the outlets below.
- Daily Mail: FBI confirms North Korea was responsible for 'biggest hack in history' after $6.3billion was stolen from crypto giant Binance
- The Independent: FBI blames North Korea for stolen billions from Binance in biggest hack in history
