Hackers linked to the government of North Korea largely avoided using DeFi lending protocols to swap and obscure stolen cryptocurrency in 2025, even as they laundered record volumes.

According to a new report by blockchain forensics firm Chainalysis, hackers reportedly linked to the government of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) stole at least $2.02 billion worth of crypto in 2025, bringing the cumulative total DPRK-linked losses to $6.75 billion.

Despite fewer confirmed incidents, DPRK-linked groups accounted for 76% of all service compromises, relying on large attacks followed by laundering cycles lasting roughly 45 days. When it comes to DeFi, the report shows a sharp divergence in how North Korean hackers operate compared with other threat actors.

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