North Korean Hackers Steal $577 Million in Crypto in First Four Months of 2026, TRM Labs Reports

According to TRM Labs, North Korean hackers stole approximately $577 million in cryptocurrency during the first four months of 2026, accounting for roughly 76% of all global cryptocurrency losses year-to-date. The figure highlights a strategic shift by elite units such as the Lazarus Group toward high-impact operations targeting infrastructure rather than individual users.

Two major incidents in April 2026 accounted for the bulk of the total: the KelpDAO bridge exploit resulted in a $292 million loss, while the Drift Protocol was drained of $285 million on April 1. Since 2017, cumulative cryptocurrency theft attributed to North Korea has surpassed $6 billion.