The years go by and the crypto industry continues to face a recurring scourge: hacks. In 2022, 3.7 billion dollars had already evaporated into thin air. The following year, an illusory respite with “only” 1.7 billion lost. Then 2.2 billion in 2024. And now 2025 marks new carnage. The pirates are increasing their ingenuity. Methods change. The targets too. But the objective remains the same: to plunder the crypto universe.
In brief
- Three giant hacks generated 69% of crypto losses recorded in the year 2025.
- North Korea has stolen more than 2 billion in cryptocurrencies through infiltration and trickery.
- Personal wallets were hacked on a massive scale despite lower amounts stolen per user.
- DeFi protocols are showing unexpected stability thanks to new proactive security tools.
Hackers on the attack: the era of “Big Game Hunting”
They no longer look for the small, poorly protected wallet. The hackers of 2025 want something heavy, something massive. They track “whales”, these centralized platforms which concentrate the funds of thousands of users. And the results are frightening: $3.4 billion stolen this year. The hack of the Bybit exchange alone represents 1.4 billion losses.
According to Chainalysisjust three attacks account for 69% of total losses in 2025. A concentration never seen before. And a strong signal: hackers are now banking on surgical operations, but devastating ones.
Private keys are always in the crosshairs. But it is above all internal flaws, human errors, and poorly managed authorizations that open the door to attacks. These large platforms, although clad in security, become the target of “big game hunting” orchestrated by actors who take the time to observe, infiltrate, and strike.
As Andrew Fierman, Director of National Security at Chainalysis, says:
It's difficult to predict whether 2026 will be worse, because hacks often depend on a few isolated events — one or two massive hacks can be enough to break annual records. But what I can say is that the trend of big game hunting continues, and there is no sign that hacks will decrease next year.
Crypto looted: Pyongyang signs the heist of the century
Among the most formidable actors of the year, one name comes up repeatedly: North Korea. The Pyongyang regime has stolen more than $2.02 billion in crypto-assets. An absolute record, up 51% compared to 2024. But it's not just a question of numbers. It's a question 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 poison through fake interviews or fake fundraising.
The theft doesn't stop there. This is followed by a sophisticated whitening process, spread over 45 days. DeFi, mixing services, interchain bridges, Chinese platforms… Everything goes. With almost military precision.
The regime is constantly training and perfecting new tactics for its agents to carry out their operations, whether 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, with crypto as the battlefield and data as the weapons.
Personal crypto wallets: the invisible threat that is exploding
While the spotlight is on major attacks, another reality is playing out in the shadows. That of the 158,000 personal wallet hacks recorded in 2025. A three-fold increase since 2022. And 80,000 unique victims identified.
The paradox? Less money stolen per user. In 2024, individual losses represented 1.5 billion. This year, “only” 713 million. Pirates adapt: more victims, smaller amounts, but still significant overall loot.
The Ethereum and Tron blockchains are the most affected, despite their robust architectures. It is perhaps the massive use of these networks that makes them more vulnerable. More wallets, more applications, more opportunities for hackers.
Conversely, DeFi surprises with its resilience. Its locked value has more than doubled since 2023, reaching 119 billion, without this causing a new wave of hacks. A stark contrast. This is partly explained by the rise of proactive monitoring solutions like Hexagate, which allow a reaction within a few hours.
5 numbers that sum up a 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 outbreak of hacks.
Crypto hacks won't disappear overnight. They adapt, change shape, and aim where attention is weakest. But in the face of these threats, solutions exist. Cold wallets, reinforced authentication, diversification of security tools… The best defense remains constant vigilance. Because in this constantly evolving universe, prevention is better than cure.
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