Record-Breaking $2.7 Billion in Cryptocurrency Stolen in 2025
In 2025, the cryptocurrency sector faced unprecedented security breaches, with cybercriminals absconding with over $2.7 billion in digital assets. This staggering figure, reported by blockchain monitoring firms, marks a new high in crypto-related thefts.
The most significant incident was the attack on Dubai-based crypto exchange Bybit, where hackers extracted approximately $1.4 billion in Ethereum. Both blockchain analysis firms and the FBI have attributed this massive heist to North Korean state-sponsored hackers, who have been notably active in targeting the crypto industry in recent years. ([techcrunch.com](https://techcrunch.com/2025/02/21/crypto-exchange-bybit-says-it-was-hacked-and-lost-around-1-4-billion/?utm_source=openai))
This breach stands as the largest known cryptocurrency theft to date and ranks among the most substantial financial heists in history. Prior to this, the largest crypto thefts were the 2022 breaches of the Ronin Network and the Poly Network, resulting in losses of $624 million and $611 million, respectively.
According to data shared with TechCrunch, cryptocurrency-monitoring firms Chainalysis and TRM Labs both estimated a total of $2.7 billion stolen in crypto in 2025. Chainalysis also tracked another $700,000 stolen from individual crypto wallets. Similarly, De.Fi, the web3 security firm operating the REKT database that tracks crypto thefts, reported the same total for stolen and hacked crypto last year.
North Korean government hackers emerged as the most prolific crypto thieves throughout 2025, responsible for at least $2 billion in thefts. Chainalysis and Elliptic estimate that since 2017, these hackers have stolen around $6 billion, with the funds reportedly used to support North Korea’s sanctioned nuclear weapons program. ([techcrunch.com](https://techcrunch.com/2025/10/07/north-korean-hackers-stole-over-2-billion-in-crypto-so-far-in-2025-researchers-say/?utm_source=openai))
Other notable crypto hacks in 2025 included:
– Cetus: A decentralized exchange that suffered a breach resulting in a $223 million loss.
– Balancer: An Ethereum-based protocol that was hacked, leading to a $128 million loss.
– Phemex: A crypto exchange where cybercriminals stole over $73 million.
The trend of increasing crypto thefts has been consistent over the past few years. In 2024, hackers stole $2.2 billion in crypto, up from $2 billion in 2023. This upward trajectory underscores the escalating challenges in securing digital assets against sophisticated cyber threats.
