Cybercriminals stole $2.7 billion in cryptocurrencies this 12 months, a brand new report for crypto theft hacks, based on a blockchain monitoring agency.
2025 as soon as once more noticed dozens of crypto heists hitting a number of crypto exchanges and different Web3 and decentralized finance (DeFi) tasks. The most important hack so far was the breach at Dubai-based cryptocurrency alternate Bybit, the place hackers stole about $1.4 billion in cryptocurrencies. A blockchain evaluation agency and the FBI blamed North Korean authorities hackers, essentially the most prolific crypto-targeting group in years, for the huge heist.
This was the biggest recognized looting of cryptocurrencies in historical past, and one of many largest monetary heists in human historical past. Previous to the Bybit hack, the biggest cryptocurrency thefts had been the Ronin Community and Poly Community breaches in 2022, which netted hackers $624 million and $611 million, respectively.
Cryptocurrency monitoring corporations Chaineries and TRM Labs each estimate {that a} whole of $2.7 billion was stolen in cryptocurrencies in 2025, based on information shared with freecryptozone. Chainalysis additionally tracked a further $700,000 stolen from particular person cryptocurrency wallets, the corporate mentioned.
Web3 safety firm De.Fi, which operates the REKT database that tracks cryptocurrency theft, additionally estimates the quantity of cryptocurrency stolen and hacked final 12 months at $2.7 billion.
As regular, essentially the most profitable crypto thieves all through 2025 had been North Korean authorities hackers, who stole no less than $2 billion, based on Chainalysis and Elliptic. The examine estimates that Kim Jong Un's hackers have stolen about $6 billion since 2017. North Korea makes use of crypto theft to fund its sanctioned nuclear weapons program.
Different important crypto hacks this 12 months included the hack towards decentralized alternate Cetus, which netted hackers $223 million in earnings. A breach of Balancer, a protocol constructed on the Ethereum blockchain, resulted in losses of $128 million. The opposite was towards cryptocurrency alternate Phemex, the place cybercriminals stole greater than $73 million.
Cybercriminals proceed to focus on crypto exchanges and different DeFi tasks. In 2024, hackers stole $2.2 billion in cryptocurrencies, in comparison with a complete of $2 billion the 12 months earlier than in 2023.
