North Korea rejects US accusations over Binance hack. Kim Yo-jong, sister of leader Kim Jong-un, denounced on November 3, 2026 a political provocation by the FBI, which attributes the theft of more than 6 billion dollars to the North Korean group TraderTraitor. Pyongyang disputes this conclusion and accuses Washington of seeking to tarnish its image. An unusual official reaction in a crypto cybercrime case.
In brief
- Kim Yo-jong rejects FBI accusations regarding Binance hack.
- The FBI attributes the theft of more than $6 billion to the North Korean group TraderTraitor.
- Pyongyang denounces an American political provocation and evokes diplomatic consequences.
Kim Yo-jong rejects FBI accusations on Binance
Pyongyang’s reaction comes four days after the first American conclusions. On October 30, Tremplin.io already reported clues linking the Binance hack to North Korean hackers. This time, the response comes directly from North Korean power. In a statement relayed by the official KCNA agency, Kim Yo-jong accuses the FBI of wanting to present his country as a cybercriminal state.
She calls the US findings a serious political provocation and disputes the idea that Pyongyang can be held responsible for every major cyberattack in the world. Kim Jong-un’s sister also denounces an attempt to degrade North Korea’s international image.
She claims that Washington seeks to undermine the dignity and prestige of her country.
Kim Yo-jong goes further. It evokes the American desire to seize cryptos obtained illegally to supply the strategic reserves of the United States. According to her, the beneficiaries of a possible recovery of funds could provide clues to the origin of the hack.
This insinuation is not based on any evidence presented in his statement. Pyongyang has also not provided technical elements to challenge the analyzes of crypto investigators. The reaction nevertheless remains unusual. North Korean authorities rarely respond so directly to accusations regarding crypto thefts.
FBI maintains charges against TraderTraitor
The FBI published its official notice on October 31. The US agency attributes the theft of more than $6 billion to the TraderTraitor group, associated with North Korean cybercrime operations.
Hackers reportedly siphoned around $6.36 billion from Binance crypto wallets on October 29. The FBI also claims to have observed significant conversions to Ethereum. Investigators expect the funds to then flow between multiple DeFi protocols and instant exchange services.
The agency published a list of blockchain addresses associated with the attackers. It asks crypto platforms, node operators and specialized companies to block transactions involving these addresses where possible.
The name TraderTraitor has appeared in American investigations for several years. In February 2025, the FBI had already attributed the theft of around $1.5 billion suffered by Bybit to this group. TRM Labs had also identified several technical similarities between previous attacks and that of Binance.
The company cites careful preparation, crypto transactions tested before operation and the operation of signature mechanisms on Ethereum. These elements strengthened the North Korean trail even before the publication of the FBI opinion.
Binance is continuing its efforts to find the stolen assets. The platform had notably announced its cooperation with the authorities to recover part of the funds. Kim Yo-jong’s denial therefore does not modify, at this stage, the official American conclusions. The attribution, however, remains contested by Pyongyang.
Binance hack becomes a diplomatic affair
The North Korean declaration far exceeds the crypto sector. Kim Yo-jong accuses Washington of pursuing a hostile policy towards his country. She says Pyongyang is closely monitoring U.S. actions and may reconsider some issues related to its relationship with the United States.
It does not specify the measures envisaged. This outing comes as Donald Trump has repeatedly raised the possibility of renewing dialogue with Kim Jong-un. Diplomatic relations nevertheless remain difficult, particularly on security issues and the North Korean nuclear program.
The Binance affair adds a new subject of confrontation. American authorities have long accused groups linked to Pyongyang of financing certain regime activities through the theft of digital assets. North Korea regularly rejects these accusations.
For Binance, the priority remains financial. The crypto platform announced that it had reconstituted around 95% of the assets affected by the hack as of November 1. In particular, it uses its own resources and protection funds to replace missing cryptos.
This reconstitution does not mean that the hackers have returned the funds. A significant portion of the stolen assets are still circulating on blockchains, while investigators attempt to identify the intermediaries used for their conversion.
The conflict between Washington and Pyongyang does not facilitate the prospect of direct judicial cooperation. The American authorities can nevertheless continue their investigations with crypto platforms and transaction monitoring specialists.
The case thus enters a new phase. After technical analyzes and official attribution by the FBI, North Korea now offers a political denial. Meanwhile, Binance continues to reopen withdrawals and replenish its reserves. For users, the recovery of funds remains a much more immediate concern than the accusations exchanged between Washington and Pyongyang.
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