In 2025, cybercriminals stole 3.4 billion cryptocurrencies

Years pass and the crypto industry continues to face a recurring scourge: hacks. In 2022, $3.7 billion has already evaporated into thin air. The following year, an illusory respite with a loss of “only” 1.7 billion. Then 2.2 billion in 2024. And now 2025 means new bloodshed. Pirates increase their resourcefulness. Methods change. Goals too. But the goal remains the same: to loot the crypto-universe.

Hackers on the Attack: The Era of “Big Game Hunting”

They are no longer looking for a small, poorly protected wallet. The hackers of 2025 want something heavy, something massive. They are watching the “whales”, these centralized platforms that concentrate the funds of thousands of users. And the results are terrifying: $3.4 billion was stolen this year. The hack of the Bybit exchange alone represents 1.4 billion in losses.

According to Chainalysis, just three attacks account for 69% of total losses in 2025. Concentration like never before. And a strong signal: hackers now rely on surgical operations, but devastating.

Private keys are always in the viewfinder. But it is mainly internal errors, human errors and poorly managed authorizations that open the door to attacks. These large platforms, though cloaked in security, become targets of “big game hunting” organized by actors who take the time to observe, infiltrate and strike.

As Andrew Fierman, director of national security at Chainalysis, says:

It’s hard to predict whether 2026 will be worse because hacking often depends on a few isolated events – one or two massive hacks can be enough to break the year’s records. But what I can say is that the big game hunting trend continues and there is no indication that the hacks will decrease in the coming year.

They looted the crypt: Pyongyang signed the heist of the century

Among the most impressive actors of the year, one name repeatedly appears: North Korea. The Pyongyang regime has stolen over $2.02 billion in crypto assets. An absolute record, an increase of 51% compared to 2024. But it’s not just a matter of numbers. It’s a matter of strategy.

North Korean hackers are no longer content with simple intrusions. They infiltrate by posing as developers, recruiters or investors. Once there, they target critical access points, copy source codes, bypass VPNs, and inject their venom through fake chats or fake fundraising.

The theft does not end there. This is followed by a sophisticated whitening process spread over 45 days. DeFi, mixing services, inter-chain bridges, Chinese platforms… Anything goes. With almost military precision.

The regime is constantly training and refining new tactics for its agents to carry out its operations, either by infiltrating Web3 companies as developers or exploiting vulnerabilities through third-party providers.

Andrew Fierman

It’s not just hacking anymore. It’s a shadow war where crypto is the battlefield and data is the weapon.

Personal Crypto Wallets: The Invisible Threat Exploding

While the focus is on major attacks, a different reality is playing out in the shadows. That of 158,000 personal wallet hacks recorded in 2025. A threefold increase from 2022. And 80,000 unique victims identified.

Paradox? Less stolen money per user. In 2024, individual losses amounted to 1.5 billion. This year “only” 713 million. Pirates adapt: ​​more casualties, less quantity, but still significant total booty.

The Ethereum and Tron blockchains are the most affected, despite their robust architecture. Perhaps it is the massive use of these networks that makes them more vulnerable. More wallets, more apps, more opportunities for hackers.

On the contrary, DeFi will surprise you with its resilience. Its locked value has more than doubled to 119 billion since 2023 without causing a new wave of hacks. A stark contrast. This is partly explained by the rise of proactive monitoring solutions such as Hexagate, which enable a response within hours.

5 numbers that sum up the digital nightmare

• 3.4 billion stolen from the crypto ecosystem in 2025;
• 1.4 billion siphoned in a single attack (Bybit);
• 2.02 billion stolen by North Korea;
• 158,000 individual wallets compromised;
• $119 billion locked in DeFi without hacks breaking out.

Crypto hacks won’t disappear overnight. They adapt, change shape and aim where attention is weakest. But in the face of these threats, there are solutions. Cold wallets, strengthened authentication, diversification of security tools… The best defense remains constant vigilance. Because in this ever-evolving universe, prevention is better than cure.

DISCLAIMER OF LIABILITY

The comments and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and should not be considered investment advice. Before making any investment decision, do your own research.