Bybit Sues North Korea and Lazarus Group Over $1.5 Billion Crypto Heist
Bybit, the cryptocurrency exchange, has filed a civil suit against North Korea, the Reconnaissance General Bureau, and the Lazarus Group over a theft of $1.5 billion in crypto that happened in February 2025. This case was brought to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, with the aim of recovering the stolen money and holding those responsible accountable. Bybit has also secured a preliminary injunction to freeze certain digital assets linked to the heist. On February 21, 2025, hackers from the Lazarus Group took over 400,000 ETH and stETH from Bybit's cold wallet. This year, North Korean hackers are estimated to have stolen around $2.02 billion in cryptocurrency. CEO Ben Zhou emphasized the firm's dedication to protecting customers and retrieving the lost funds during ongoing investigations.
Key facts
- Bybit filed a civil lawsuit against North Korea, its Reconnaissance General Bureau (RGB) intelligence agency, and the Lazarus Group over the $1.5 billion crypto heist.
- The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
- Bybit secured a preliminary injunction freezing certain digital assets linked to the theft.
- The heist occurred on February 21, 2025, draining over 400,000 ETH and stETH from a Bybit cold wallet.
- The attack was attributed to Lazarus, a North Korean state-linked hacking group.
- Chainalysis reported North Korean hackers stole approximately $2.02 billion in cryptocurrency in 2025, up 51% from 2024.
- Lazarus was previously linked to the $620 million Ronin Network bridge hack and the $100 million Harmony Horizon Bridge exploit in 2022.
- Bybit CEO Ben Zhou stated the company's priority remains protecting customers and recovering stolen assets.
Entities
Institutions
- Bybit
- Reconnaissance General Bureau (RGB)
- Lazarus Group
- U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
- Chainalysis
- Safe{Wallet}
- NFT Plazas
Locations
- North Korea
- United States
- District of Columbia