Following the G7 summit in Evian, France, leaders issued a joint statement characterizing North Korea's crypto theft and cybercrime as a "global security threat." This statement elevates the issue, previously focused on trading platforms and on-chain security, to the level of international security.
The joint statement specifically names North Korea for cryptocurrency theft.
The statement was released on June 18. The G7 expressed deep concern over North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile programs and reiterated its commitment to promoting the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in accordance with relevant UN Security Council resolutions.
In this statement, the G7 also called on member states to coordinate efforts to combat North Korean crypto theft and cybercrime. Several UN agencies and cybersecurity companies have previously pointed out that crypto assets obtained by North Korean hackers could be used to support its weapons programs.
The scale of the related attacks is still expanding.
This warning comes amid ongoing market concerns about North Korean-related hacking activities. The Lazarus Group is widely regarded as a major hacking organization linked to North Korea, having been accused multiple times in recent years of attacking exchanges and DeFi protocols.
According to Chainalysis data, North Korean-linked hackers stole at least $2 billion from encryption platforms in 2025. By 2026, the total amount involved in North Korean-backed hacking groups was approximately $7.35 billion.
- Bybit suffers attack worth approximately $1.5 billion
- The Drift Protocol was exploited, resulting in a loss of approximately $285 million.
- Humanity Protocol suffered an attack, resulting in approximately $36 million in losses.
Researchers also stated that these hackers are adjusting their methods, often approaching crypto companies posing as recruiters, investors, or IT professionals to gain internal access.
No new sanctions have been announced yet.
The G7 did not announce any new penalties, sanctions, or enforcement arrangements this time. However, judging from the wording of the joint statement, member states may subsequently focus on tracking the flow of stolen funds, strengthening compliance requirements for trading platforms, and expanding cross-border law enforcement cooperation.
This means that North Korea-related on-chain financial activities may face more intensive monitoring in the future. For exchanges, custodians, and on-chain analytics companies, the pressure of identifying North Korean addresses, freezing funds, and cooperating with cross-border investigations may continue to rise.
