Digital war has no borders. A few weeks before the G7 summit, the cyber attacks orchestrated by North Korea via crypto platforms are a global security priority. A coordinated response is emerging, faced with a threat that combines technology, finance and political strategy.
In short
- The G7 is preparing a common response to the North Korean crypto hacks, as the June 2025 summit approaches.
- North Korea finances its nuclear program via massive crypto attacks, with $ 1.34 billion stolen in 2024.
- A task force and traceability rules are being studied, to secure the global crypto ecosystem in the face of this state threat.
A systemic cyberrenace doped by cryptos
For several years, North Korea has used cryptocurrencies to circumvent international sanctions. The Lazarus group, spearhead of this strategy, has made Crypto platforms its privileged target. In 2024, 47 attacks allocated to Pyongyang made it possible to steal $ 1.34 billion. These funds in particular feed the regime's nuclear program, according to American information.
The Hack of Bybit in February 2025, estimated at 1.5 billion dollars, marked a turning point. The intrusions are no longer limited to systems: North Korean agents now infiltrate crypto startups by pretending to be developers.
The G7 wants to structure a transnational response
The members of the G7, which will meet in June in Alberta, included the subject of cyber attacks in their strategic agenda. Washington, Tokyo and Seoul have already launched common alerts, highlighting the need for real -time information sharing between platforms, states and intelligence agencies. It is in this context that G7 discussions on the North Korean cyberrenace.
The objective is double:
- Neutralize the effectiveness of North Korean operations;
- Protect the integrity of the international crypto market.
Discussions on the creation of a dedicated task force are underway, with an emphasis on the traceability of crypto transactions and the regulation of anonymous wallets. Several avenues are mentioned in the strategies envisaged for counter the crypto hacks of Pyongyang.
The crypto ecosystem under pressure
For actors in the crypto sector, these attacks raise a double problem:
- Operational cybersecurity;
- Reputational risk.
Institutional investors now require reinforced guarantees, while certain platforms plan to relocate their infrastructure or impose more frequent security audits. This growing requirement also affects Bitcoin actors, particularly exposed to this threat.
The Bybit case revealed the limits of existing defense systems in the face of nation states. To restore confidence, Crypto companies will have to collaborate with governments, while preserving the principles of decentralization that base their attractiveness.
What the G7 is preparing in June 2025 is not just another agreement. It is a doctrine of digital deterrent against states using crypto hacking as geopolitical lever. In this asymmetrical war, the mastery of digital flows becomes as strategic as that of raw materials. North Korea has understood this and is today one of the biggest Bitcoin holders in the world. It remains to be seen whether the G7 democracies will respond with the same agility.
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