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North Korean Hacking Group Tied to $100M Harmony Hack Moves 41,000 Ether Over Weekend

Crypto exchange Huobi blocked funds tied to hack on Monday morning.

Updated Jan 17, 2023, 3:34 p.m. Published Jan 16, 2023, 11:35 a.m.
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Pseudonymous blockchain sleuth ZachXBT said on Monday that part of the funds tied to last year’s $100 million attack on the Harmony network were moved over the weekend.

“North Korea’s Lazarus Group had a very busy weekend, moving $63.5 million (~41,000 ETH) from the Harmony bridge hack through Railgun before consolidating funds and depositing on three different exchanges,” ZachXBT alerted on Twitter.

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Over 350 addresses linked to the attackers have been compiled in a list by ZachXBT.

The Lazarus Group, a North Korean hacking group believed to be supported by the regime of dictator Kim Jung Un, is likely behind last year’s hack of Harmony Bridge, according to analysis by blockchain research firm Elliptic, as previously reported by CoinDesk.

The attack drained the service, which enables crypto assets to be traded between the Harmony blockchain and other blockchains, of $100 million worth of crypto, including ether , tether and wrapped bitcoin (wBTC) on the morning of June 24.

The Harmony Bridge hack is consistent with other hacks attributed to the Lazarus Group, including the $635 million Ronin Bridge hack in March, which is so far the largest hack in the history of decentralized finance (DeFi).

Meanwhile, Binance founder Changpeng Zhao wrote Monday that addresses connected to the hack moved the stolen stash to crypto exchange Huobi, which blocked the transfers and froze the accounts. Over 124 bitcoin were recovered, Zhao said.

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KuCoin Hits Record Market Share as 2025 Volumes Outpace Crypto Market

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KuCoin captured a record share of centralised exchange volume in 2025, with more than $1.25tn traded as its volumes grew faster than the wider crypto market.

What to know:

  • KuCoin recorded over $1.25 trillion in total trading volume in 2025, equivalent to an average of roughly $114 billion per month, marking its strongest year on record.
  • This performance translated into an all-time high share of centralised exchange volume, as KuCoin’s activity expanded faster than aggregate CEX volumes, which slowed during periods of lower market volatility.
  • Spot and derivatives volumes were evenly split, each exceeding $500 billion for the year, signalling broad-based usage rather than reliance on a single product line.
  • Altcoins accounted for the majority of trading activity, reinforcing KuCoin’s role as a primary liquidity venue beyond BTC and ETH at a time when majors saw more muted turnover.
  • Even as overall crypto volumes softened mid-year, KuCoin maintained elevated baseline activity, indicating structurally higher user engagement rather than short-lived volume spikes.

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Bitfinex hacker Ilya Lichtenstein credits Trump’s First Step Act for early prison release

Ilya Lichtenstein, who pleaded guilty with wife Heather Morgan in the plundering of Bitfinex, is now testifying against the mixer he used. (Alexandria Sheriff's Office)

The U.S. hacker pleaded guilty to stealing and laundering nearly 120,000 bitcoin from cryptocurrency exchange Bitfinex in 2016.

What to know:

  • Ilya Lichtenstein, sentenced to five years for stealing and laundering nearly 120,000 bitcoin, was released after serving 14 months due to the First Step Act.
  • Lichtenstein expressed gratitude for his early release and reiterated his commitment to cybersecurity, while facing mixed reactions online.
  • The Bitfinex hack in 2016 resulted in the theft of 119,754 BTC, with authorities recovering about 94,000 BTC and 25,000 BTC still missing.