fromcrypto – Cryptocurrency platforms will lose $2.2 billion to hackers in 2024, a 21% leap from final yr, in accordance with Chainalysis.
That is the fourth yr in a row that losses have exceeded $1 billion, with the variety of incidents rising to 303 from 282 in 2023.
The surge comes as bitcoin has soared 140% this yr, topping $100,000 and attracting institutional buyers and help from US President-elect Donald Trump.
“Because the digital asset market evolves, it's typical that the illicit use of cryptocurrencies grows in tandem,” mentioned Eric Jardine, head of cybercrime analysis at Chainalysis.
A lot of the stolen funds got here from personal key breaches, primarily concentrating on centralized platforms. Main hacks included $305 million from Japan's DMM in Might and $235 million from India's WazirX in July.
Cryptocurrency theft linked to North Korea will attain a document $1.3 billion in 2024, greater than double final yr, a report says. The UN has beforehand mentioned the cryptocurrency helps North Korea evade sanctions, which the nation denies.