North Korean groups have stolen $1.34bn through cryptocurrency hacks this year, their highest level of such thefts on record, underlining the importance of this revenue stream for Pyongyang. The total value of the thefts by North Korean-affiliated groups, across 47 incidents in 2024, is more than double the amount they took last year, according to data from Chainalysis, a blockchain research group. It means the country now accounts for two-thirds of cryptocurrency hacks globally.