North Korea denies role in record Binance hack, calls US charge 'provocation'
Kim Yo Jong dismissed FBI claims that North Korean hackers stole more than $6 billion from Binance, as the exchange began reopening withdrawals on more networks.
North Korea has denied involvement in a record $6.1 billion heist from cryptocurrency exchange Binance, while labeling US charges a "grave political provocation." Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, dismissed the accusation as "absurd rhetoric and nothing new" in a statement from the state media agency KCNA. The FBI accused a state-linked hacking group, TraderTraitor, of orchestrating the largest crypto-exchange theft to date, surpassing the $1.5 billion Bybit raid in 2025 also attributed to North Korean hackers.
TRM Labs linked the attack to TraderTraitor, stating the majority of funds were moved within 20 minutes. Kim Yo Jong indicated Pyongyang now has concerns to address due to Washington's hostility. North Korea has remained tight-lipped on President Trump's proposals for rekindling summit talks. Experts in Seoul suggested the swift denial may signal worry that the US might intensify efforts to sever a funding source believed to support arms development.
Binance subsequently announced plans to resume withdrawals of various assets across multiple blockchains, including Binance Smart Chain, Ethereum, Solana, XRP, and Sui, starting Tuesday at 04:00 GMT. Selected tokens on Arbitrum, Optimism, Tron, and Base are part of the same rollout, with most stolen assets reportedly replaced using the company's own funds.
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