North Korea recorded its most profitable year ever for cryptocurrency theft in 2024, stealing $1.34 billion in virtual funds to finance its nuclear and missile programs, according to an upcoming report by a U.S. blockchain analysis firm.

The figure represented more than 60% of the $2.2 billion stolen worldwide this year, while the country’s 47 cryptocurrency heists accounted for a fifth of total incidents, Chainalysis said in a preview of its 2025 Crypto Crime Report on Thursday.

This year’s sum is more than double the $660 million North Korean cybercriminals stole in cryptocurrency in 2023 and may rise further if