In brief
The FBI says a North Korea‑backed operation dubbed TraderTraitor stole more than $6 billion worth of crypto from Binance on Oct. 29, 2026. U.S. agencies are advising exchanges to block addresses linked to the steal, while blockchain analytics firm TRM Labs estimates the loss at $6.36 billion. Several news outlets report that TRM attributes the theft to the same North Korean unit.
The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation announced Saturday that a North Korean hacking unit stole more than US$6 billion in cryptocurrency from Binance on or about October 29, 2026, and warned exchanges to block related transactions.
In a cyber alert, the FBI identified the operation as "TraderTraitor" and noted that the hackers converted the stolen assets primarily into Ethereum and other platforms, with plans to launder the funds further through decentralized finance services.
The FBI is releasing information advising the Democratic People's Republic of Korea was responsible for the theft of more than $6 billion in virtual assets from cryptocurrency exchange Binance, on or about October 29, 2026.
The statement came as part of a broader state‑sponsored cyber‑crime campaign. The FBI worked closely with the U.S. Secret Service and the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation division to identify the laundering channels.
Earlier assessments by blockchain‑intelligence firm TRM Labs—California‑based and cited by the FBI—attributed the theft to TraderTraitor and estimated the loss at US$6.36 billion.
Baltimore‑area station KMBC reported that TRM said a North Korean hacking unit was “likely behind” the $6 billion theft, echoing the FBI’s claim.
Both the FBI and TRM urge cryptocurrency service providers to block transactions through wallet addresses used in the laundering operation, warning that further funds may be moved through additional exchanges and digital asset swaps.
