North Korean hackers accused of $290M crypto theft from Kelp DAO
Original: North Korea hackers blamed for $290M crypto theft
Why This Matters
Highlights ongoing cybersecurity threats to crypto infrastructure and North Korea's expanding digital theft operations
North Korean hackers allegedly stole over $290 million in cryptocurrency from Kelp DAO over the weekend, making it the largest crypto theft of 2026. LayerZero blamed North Korea's TraderTraitor group for exploiting security vulnerabilities.
Hackers stole more than $290 million in cryptocurrency from Kelp DAO, a protocol allowing users to earn yields on crypto investments. LayerZero accused North Korea of the heist, citing preliminary indicators pointing to the TraderTraitor hacking group. The attack exploited LayerZero's bridge connecting different blockchains and took advantage of Kelp's security configuration that didn't require multiple transaction verifications. This surpasses the previous largest 2026 crypto theft of $285 million from Drift exchange in April. North Korean hackers have stolen over $2 billion in crypto last year alone, with total theft since 2017 estimated at $6 billion.