US enlists vetted private firms to counter North Korean crypto theft
- —Chainalysis: North Korean thefts exceeded $2 billion in 2025
- —The Bybit breach accounted for about $1.5 billion of the total
- —Operation Lonestar Roundup produced over 70 indictments and arrests and 187 seized computers
- —Since 2023 the US has sought forfeiture of over $15 million in stablecoins tied to APT38
Why it matters: Private firms are joining the hunt for Lazarus Group, raising the compliance bar for exchanges and stablecoin issuers.
Source: Crypto Briefing