North Korea denies role in $6B Binance crypto heist
North Korea denied US allegations linking it to the theft of over $6 billion in cryptocurrency from the Binance exchange, calling the claims "absurd rhetoric" via state media KCNA. The FBI had accused Pyongyang of orchestrating what may be the largest financial heist in history. Kim Yo Jong, a senior North Korean official, rejected the FBI's statement as a "serious political provocation" and accused Washington of misleading international opinion by blaming all global cybercrimes on her country. The denial came after the FBI's weekend announcement. Binance clients withdrew $4.72 billion on the first day of trading after the hack, though the exchange said this represented only about 3% of its assets. Blockchain analysts TRM Labs reported North Korean-linked hackers have stolen $7.4 billion in 2026.