\n<\/p>\n
A total of $2.2bn (\u00a31.76bn) in cryptocurrencies has been stolen this year, with North Korean hackers accounting for more than half that figure, according to a new study.<\/p>\n
Research firm Chainalysis says hackers affiliated with the reclusive state stole $1.3bn of digital currencies – more than double last year’s haul.<\/p>\n
Some of the thefts appear to be linked to North Korean hackers posing as remote IT workers to infiltrate crypto and other technology firms, the report says.<\/p>\n
It comes as the price of bitcoin has more than doubled<\/a> this year as incoming US president Donald Trump is expected to be more crypto-friendly than his predecessor, Joe Biden.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Overall, the amount of cryptocurrency stolen by hackers in 2024 increased by 21% from last year but it was still below the levels recorded in 2021 and 2022, the report said.<\/p>\n “The rise in stolen crypto in 2024 underscores the need for the industry to address an increasingly complex and evolving threat landscape.” <\/p>\n It said the majority of crypto stolen this year was due to compromised private keys – which are used to control access to users’ assets on crypto platforms.<\/p>\n “Given that centralised exchanges manage substantial amounts of user funds, the impact of a private key compromise can be devastating”, the study added.<\/p>\n Some of the most significant incidents this year included the theft of the equivalent of $300m in bitcoin from Japanese cryptocurrency exchange, DMM Bitcoin, and the loss of nearly $235m from WazirX, an India-based crypto exchange.<\/p>\n The US government has said the North Korean regime resorts to cryptocurrency theft and other forms of cybercrime to circumvent international sanctions and raise money.<\/p>\n