North Korea has strongly denied US accusations of being involved in a massive $6.3 billion cryptocurrency heist on the Binance platform. According to a statement released by Kim Yo Jong, sister of leader Kim Jong Un, the allegations are a "grave political provocation" aimed at tarnishing the country's image. The statement was reported by the official KCNA news agency on November 3, 2026.
The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) had attributed the cyberattack to the North Korean hacking group known as TraderTraitor. The group is believed to be linked to the Lazarus group, which has been implicated in several high-profile cybercrimes. The FBI alleges that TraderTraitor is responsible for the theft of $6.3 billion in cryptocurrencies from Binance, one of the largest such heists ever recorded.
Kim Yo Jong dismissed the US accusations as "absurd rhetoric" and claimed that they were part of a broader effort to associate North Korea with cyberattacks worldwide. She stated that the allegations were an attempt to undermine the country's dignity and prestige, and a violation of its sovereignty. North Korea's policy is to oppose all malicious activities in cyberspace, she added.
The Lazarus group has been linked to several high-profile cyberattacks, including the 2014 hack of Sony Pictures Entertainment. The group is believed to be a component of the North Korean military's cyber warfare unit, known as Bureau 121. According to a 2020 US military report, Bureau 121 has around 6,000 employees, some of whom operate from abroad.
The Binance platform, which claims to be the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange by volume, has 335 million users. The announcement of the hack caused a significant decline in cryptocurrency prices on October 30, 2026. The FBI had previously attributed a $1.5 billion theft from the Bybit platform in February 2025 to the same TraderTraitor group.
North Korea's denial of involvement in the Binance heist comes amid heightened tensions between the country and the US. The US has been critical of North Korea's cyber activities, which it sees as a threat to global security. The incident highlights the growing concern about the role of nation-state actors in cybercrime.
The incident is still under investigation, and it remains to be seen how the allegations will be resolved. The US and North Korea have a history of tensions over cybersecurity issues, and the Binance heist is likely to remain a contentious issue between the two countries.
Key points
- North Korea denies US accusations of involvement in a $6.3 billion cryptocurrency heist on Binance.
- The US FBI attributes the hack to the North Korean hacking group TraderTraitor.
- The incident highlights the growing concern about nation-state actors in cybercrime.
