An analyst has suggested that Monero (XMR) could repeat its 2021 cycle-high amid its recent price jump. However, a renowned on-chain sleuth has linked the surge to suspicious Bitcoin (BTC) transactions. Related Reading: XRP Price Shoots For 20% Surge To $2.51 Amid Pullback To Breakout Zone Monero Soars After $330 Million BTC Theft Privacy and security-focused token Monero saw its price soar 52% to a four-year high on Monday. The cryptocurrency surged from its recently reclaimed $220-$230 support toward the $340 resistance, hitting $347 in the early hours of Monday. Amid the massive surge, on-chain detective ZachXBT has linked the pump to a “suspicious transfer” from a potential victim of social engineering. The crypto sleuth explained that a suspicious transfer of 3,520 BTC, worth around $330.7 million, was made on Sunday night. According to the post, the funds were laundered via more than 6 instant exchanges shortly after the initial transfer, being swapped for XMR, seemingly based on timing analysis and the Monero price jump. An X user suggested the stolen Bitcoin was “likely from the Bitstamp hack that occurred in 2014.” The internet detective denied the idea, stating that the victim was likely an OG Bitcoiner. Meanwhile, others questioned whether the wallet owner made the transactions or if it was a theft. ZachXBT detailed multiple factors that led him to believe it was likely a theft, including the wallet being a longtime BTC holder and a Gemini, River, and Coinbase user. Additionally, he noted that the $330 million in Bitcoin was suddenly moved and transferred in small increments to instant exchanges, creating hundreds of orders. This would make the owner lose multiple 7-figures to fees, making it inefficient for a normal person. The crypto sleuth also considers that the theft isn’t likely related to North Korea’s Lazarus Group, which recently stole $1.5 billion worth of Ethereum (ETH) from crypto exchange Bybit. Is XMR Near A Breakout? Since the pump, Monero has retraced around 25% from today’s high to trade between the $250-$260 range. Crypto analyst Rekt Capital noted that XMR has successfully retested its $214 range’s low as support amid the market recovery. Notably, the cryptocurrency has been moving within the $112-$214 price range since 2022, surging above the range’s resistance line amid the November post-US elections breakout. After the Q3 2024 rally, Monero entered its key $214-286 range, which has previously worked as a key support and resistance area. After breaking out of the range’s upper boundary, the cryptocurrency rallied to its 2018 all-time high (ATH) of $542 and its 2021 high of $480. During the Q1 2025 retraces, the XMR dropped below the $214 mark, testing the $200 area as support before bouncing. Similarly, the early April pullback sent the cryptocurrency toward this level, finally reclaiming it two weeks ago. Since then, the cryptocurrency has rallied toward the $220-$230 range, fueled by the ongoing market recovery, but was ultimately rejected at the key resistance level. Today’s recent pump has seen Monero break above the $230 mark for the first time since February. Related Reading: Cardano (ADA) Bulls Push for Breakout — Is a Sharp Rally Next? Despite the alleged laundering-driven surge, the analyst affirmed that the cryptocurrency has now “repeated early 2021 history,” where the token reclaimed its current range and retested its lower boundary before breaking out to cycle highs. If history repeats and XMR’s price holds its current range, it could position itself for a surge above the $300 barrier. Featured Image from Unsplash.com, Chart from TradingView.com
A North Korean state-sponsored hacking group, Lazarus, is advancing its tactics with a more polished and deceptive approach. A report by cybersecurity firm Silent Push revealed that the group has set up fake US-based crypto companies to distribute malware disguised as job opportunities. According to the report, a Lazarus subgroup called “Contagious Interview” is behind […]
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Illicitly downloaded programs can steal data, provide remote access to infected systems, and serve as entry points for additional spyware or ransomware.
Also: Bitcoin L2 SDKs; North Korea's THORChain Use; and Quantum-Resistant BTC
Blockchain intelligence platform SpotOnChain reported that North Korea’s state-backed hacking group, Lazarus, has pocketed over $2.5 million in profit from a recent sale of wrapped Bitcoin (WBTC). On April 3, the group sold 40.78 WBTC for 1,857 ETH, worth roughly $3.51 million. The sale marks a sharp return on their February 2023 investment, when they […]
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The report reveals that one such worker juggled 12 fake personas across the U.S. and Europe and sought employment by fabricating references
South Korea and North Korea have taken sharply contrasting positions on Bitcoin as South Korea’s central bank has reportedly ruled out BTC as part of its foreign exchange reserves. Why South Korea dismissed BTC According to the report, the Bank of Korea (BOK) stated that Bitcoin does not meet the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) criteria […]
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The Hermit Kingdom, which intelligence agencies say was behind the $1.5 billion Bybit hack, faces “offramping” challenges due to the size of its hauls.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has confirmed North Korea as the culprit behind the recent $1.5 billion exploit on Bybit. In a Feb. 26 Public Service Announcement (PSA), the agency attributed the attack to TraderTraitor, a malicious cyber campaign linked to North Korean threat actors. TraderTraitor refers to a series of malware-infested applications disguised […]
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The FBI reiterated North Korean involvement, and identified the activity as TraderTraitor.
Bybit CEO Ben Zhou confirmed that the exchange restored Ethereum (ETH) reserves following the recent $1.4 billion security breach. In a Feb. 24 post on X, Zhou announced that Bybit will soon release an updated proof-of-reserves report demonstrating that it now holds client assets 1:1. He stated: “Bybit has already fully closed the ETH gap, […]
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The North Korean-linked Lazarus Group has adopted a new method of breaching crypto firms: sending cryptocurrency to their targets as part of an elaborate social engineering scheme. According to 23pds, the pseudonymous Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) at Web3 security firm SlowMist, this tactic aims to gain the victim’s trust before deploying malicious code. 23pds […]
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In a significant blow to the cryptocurrency industry, Bybit, one of the leading crypto exchanges, has confirmed a major security breach involving its Ethereum cold wallet. The incident, reported on Friday by Bitcoinist, marks one of the largest cryptocurrency hacks in history, with losses estimated at over $1.5 billion. Bybit Hack Linked To North Korea’s Lazarus Group According to Bybit, the breach occurred during a transfer from their ETH multisig cold wallet to a warm wallet. The exchange revealed on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) that the attack was executed through a “sophisticated manipulation” of the transaction process. This manipulation allowed the hacker to mask the signing interface, which displayed the correct wallet address while altering the underlying smart contract logic. Related Reading: Coinbase CEO’s Hot Take: Bitcoin Is Basically A ‘Meme Coin’ Subsequently, on-chain market intelligence firm Arkham Intelligence revealed that crypto sleuth ZachXBT has provided compelling evidence linking the hack to the notorious Lazarus Group, a North Korea-backed hacker organization. In his detailed analysis, ZachXBT reportedly submitted findings that included test transactions, associated wallets, forensic charts, and timing analyses. This information has been shared with Bybit to assist in its ongoing investigation. $1.44 Billion In Misappropriated Assets The scale of the breach is staggering. Estimates suggest that approximately 401,347 ETH, valued at around $1.12 billion, were withdrawn. Additionally, other assets lost in the hack include 90,376 stETH worth $253.16 million, 15,000 cmETH valued at $44.13 million, and 8,000 mETH totaling $23 million. The total estimated loss stands at approximately $1.44 billion. In light of this incident, Bybit has activated its security team and is collaborating with leading blockchain forensic experts to conduct a thorough investigation. Related Reading: Ethereum Price Prediction: Extremely Strong Support And Monthly 55 EMA Says ETH Is Headed For $4,867 The exchange has also reached out to other teams with expertise in blockchain analytics and fund recovery, inviting them to assist in tracing the misappropriated assets. It remains to be seen what further action Bybit will take with the information provided by ZachXBT and how the case will unfold regarding the misappropriated customer funds. As for ETH’s price, the second largest cryptocurrency on the market has seen a 4% retracement towards $2,640 just hours after the security breach. Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com
Howells told Cointelegraph about his legal battle to recover a lost $773 million Bitcoin hard drive, which he plans to use to finance blockchain innovation.
The sanctioned agents were allegedly generating funds for North Korea’s nuclear weapon development program in Pyongyang.
Japanese police and U.S. agencies said the attack was "affiliated" with TraderTraitor, which is characterized by social engineering.
The FBI, Japan’s National Police Agency, and the Department of Defense Cyber Crime Center have confirmed that North Korean-linked hackers orchestrated the May 2024 $305 million breach of the Japanese crypto exchange DMM Bitcoin. A joint statement issued on Dec. 23 attributed the attack to TraderTraitor threat actors, also known as Jade Sleet, UNC4899, and […]
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The FBI has unveiled details of a $305M Bitcoin heist by North Korea-affiliated hackers using social engineering techniques.
Hyperliquid, a layer-1 decentralized leveraged trading platform, saw its total value locked (TVL) plummet by over $1 billion in the past week. This drop follows reports of suspicious activity tied to North Korean hackers. According to CryptoSlate’s data, this has also resulted in a steep 20% fall in Hyperliquid’s native token value over the last […]
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North Korea-linked addresses, said to be possibly testing the exchange for weaknesses, have accrued losses exceeding $700,000, according to one observer.
Hackers connected to the reclusive nation whose entities are often targeted by US sanctions reportedly doubled the amount of crypto they stole in 2023.
Crypto thefts surged to $2.2 billion in 2024, representing a 21% rise compared to the previous year. According to a Dec. 19 report by Chainalysis, this increase is closely tied to a growing wave of hacking activity, particularly by North Korean-linked cybercriminal groups. Escalation in hacking activity The crypto sector experienced 303 hacking incidents in […]
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OFAC says a front company in the UAE had been converting crypto into cash for North Korea.
Hackers gained access to a developer’s computer by posing as a former contractor.
For years, cybersecurity threats like hacking and identity theft have compromised not just individual accounts but also companies and organizations. And many governments point their fingers to North Korea as the probable location of these hackers that cost the global economy billions of dollars. Related Reading: Crypto Trail Exposed: Japan Police Nab Online Gamblers Using […]
The government of North Korea (DPRK) has reportedly employed various hacking groups, most notably the Lazarus Group, to seal crypto in recent years.
South Korean authorities have officially identified North Korean hackers as the perpetrators of a major Ethereum heist in 2019, marking a significant breakthrough in the investigation. The stolen cryptocurrency, valued at 58 billion won (approximately $55.7 million) at the time, was traced to North Korea’s Reconnaissance General Bureau, a military intelligence agency. The hackers reportedly […]
South Korean authorities have successfully recovered 4.8 Bitcoin (BTC), which was linked to the 2019 hack of the Upbit exchange, local media outlet Yonhap News reported on Nov. 21. The incident, in which North Korean hackers stole 342,000 Ethereum (ETH), was among the most significant cyberattacks targeting a cryptocurrency platform. The stolen Ethereum, valued at […]
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South Korea said North Korean hackers Lazarus and Andariel were behind the $50 million Upbit hack in 2019, with the stolen crypto now valued at over $1 billion.
According to cybersecurity firm Recorded Future, North Korean hacker groups have stolen approximately $3 billion in funds since 2017.