Finance1 min read

Binance says 90% of losses from $6.3bn hack covered as FBI says North Korea behind attack

By · Via The Guardian · Published by Everything Blog

In short

Binance allocated roughly $6.34 billion from its corporate treasury, Futures Insurance Fund, and Secure Asset Fund for Users to ensure customer balances remain intact after the massive theft. While most assets were replaced immediately, the remaining 10% involves less liquid tokens that require additional time to repurchase before user withdrawals fully resume on Sunday. Meanwhile, the FBI identified the North Korean cyber unit TraderTraitor, part of the Lazarus Group, as the perpetrator responsible for moving the stolen loot into Ethereum. The revelation roiled the broader digital asset sector, sending major cryptocurrency valuations tumbling across the board.

Key points

  • Customers will not suffer financial losses because the exchange tapped internal corporate…: Customers will not suffer financial losses because the exchange tapped internal corporate and insurance funds to restore balances.
  • The intrusion highlighted the ongoing threat of North Korean state-sponsored cyber operat…: The intrusion highlighted the ongoing threat of North Korean state-sponsored cyber operations targeting decentralized platforms to evade international sanctions.
  • Broad digital currency markets reacted negatively to the breach disclosure, driving sharp…: Broad digital currency markets reacted negatively to the breach disclosure, driving sharp declines in Bitcoin, Ethereum, and BNB tokens.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

Cryptocurrency exchange Binance says it has replaced 90% of the amount stolen after a record $6.3bn hack of its platform by a group the FBI identified as being backed by North Korea.

The remaining 10% of tokens are less liquid, meaning they may take longer to buy, the company said in a post on X on Saturday. Co-CEO Richard Teng said separately that the company was “committed to covering the remaining 10%” and that “users will not bear the financial impact of this incident”.

Binance suspended user withdrawals after the hack, but said in its latest update that it was on track to resume them on Sunday.

The announcement came as the FBI on Saturday confirmed earlier suspicions from private investigators and analysts that a North Korea-affiliated group called TraderTraitor was behind the hack.

TraderTraitor is believed to be part of the Lazarus Group, which gained notoriety in 2014 when it was accused of hacking into Sony Pictures as revenge for The Interview, a film that mocked North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

“The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is releasing…

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