FBI attributes $6.3 billion Binance hack to North Korean group

Federal investigators have identified a North Korean hacking group, dubbed TraderTraitor, as the source of a theft that moved about $6.3 billion in bitcoin and other digital assets from Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange. The breach, which occurred on Thursday, involved the rapid transfer of funds in roughly 20 minutes, according to blockchain analytics firm TRM Labs.

The FBI said the attackers accessed Binance through a compromised laptop and employed software designed to erase their activity. The bureau has posted a list of digital addresses linked to the theft and urged cryptocurrency platforms to block transactions associated with those addresses.

"I am not concerned," President Donald Trump said on Saturday, adding that officials have not yet confirmed North Korea’s responsibility for the hack.

TRM Labs’ Ari Redbord described the incident as a “bank robbery” conducted at internet speed, noting that investigators can trace the movement of the stolen assets on the firm’s platform. The stolen cryptocurrency is reportedly being converted into ether to obscure its origin.

The United States has previously linked North Korean cyber-crime proceeds to funding for the country’s weapons programs. The same hacking group was also blamed for a $1.5 billion theft from the Bybit exchange last year.