North Korean hackers are suspected of stealing more than $351 million from cryptocurrency exchange Bitget in what appears to be the largest known crypto heist of 2026 so far.
The attack, disclosed Thursday, involved unauthorised transfers from Bitget’s internet-connected hot wallets. The exchange has since suspended cryptocurrency withdrawals.
Bitget said its $464 million user protection fund should be sufficient to cover the losses.
Bitget points to North Korean hacking patterns
Bitget CEO Gracy Chen said the breach was “highly consistent with known patterns of North Korean hacker organisations.”
North Korean hacking groups have previously been linked to cryptocurrency thefts and other cyberattacks aimed at generating funds for the country’s nuclear weapons program.
Blockchain intelligence firm TRM Labs estimates that North Korea has been responsible for around three-quarters of the value stolen in crypto hacks during 2026.
Largest known crypto theft of the year
The Bitget breach surpasses a $340 million cryptocurrency hack earlier in September, making it the largest known digital asset theft reported this year. In that case, the attacker later returned most of the funds, leaving about $47 million unrecovered.
The incident adds to a series of major attacks targeting the cryptocurrency sector. Bitget has not said when it will resume withdrawals.
