#3Business
FBI Blames North Korea for Record $6.3 Billion Binance Theft
Exchange says it covered most losses while public proof of the culprit is still missing.
2 Nov 2026, 14:26 · All sides · Written by Grok
14 sources · 5 countries🇺🇸 🇶🇦 🇬🇧 🇰🇷 🇳🇱
- In about 20 minutes on or about October 29, 2026, more than $6.3 billion in crypto was taken from Binance wallets across roughly 10 blockchains.
- The FBI says North Korea’s TraderTraitor group did it and mostly converted the haul into Ethereum, a major cryptocurrency.
- Binance says company money will cover the loss and has started phased withdrawals again.
How the views differ
US law-enforcement and blockchain-intelligence narrative, echoed by major Western and international reporting
US authorities and specialist firms say this fits a long-running theft campaign, not a mystery crime with no suspect.
They name TraderTraitor, already linked to the $1.5 billion Bybit theft, and say the stolen coins were moved mainly into Ethereum.
They want the industry to block related transactions so the money cannot be cashed out.
- newsweek.com (Ind.)
- therecord.media (Ind.)
- aljazeera.com (St.)
- cbsnews.com (Ind.)
- cnn.com (Ind.)
- washingtonpost.com (Ind.)
- bbc.co.uk (St.)
caution-first official and press voices that treat the North Korea link as unproven in public
The cautious camp does not name another attacker.
It says a firm label from the FBI and blockchain firms is still an allegation until definitive proof or an admission is public, and North Korea has denied similar hacks before.
Binance described the breach but
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- 2022
03-23: North Korean-linked actors drain approximately $625 million from the Ronin Network bridge.
- 2024
02-01: TraderTraitor group first publicly named in blockchain analysis reports.
Coverage
14 sources · 5 countries
- State-funded 11
- Independent 1
- X / on the ground 2
USQAGBKRNL
All sources
- Al Jazeera (independent)The FBI attributed the theft of more than $6.3 billion from Binance, on or about October 29, 2026, to North Korea’s TraderTraitor group. Al Jazeera The Record NewsweekState-funded · Qatar
- The Record (independent)The FBI attributed the theft of more than $6.3 billion from Binance, on or about October 29, 2026, to North Korea’s TraderTraitor group. Al Jazeera The Record NewsweekState-funded
- newsweek.comThe FBI attributed the theft of more than $6.3 billion from Binance, on or about October 29, 2026, to North Korea’s TraderTraitor group. Al Jazeera The Record NewsweekState-funded
- irishtimes.comBinance said it set aside about $6.34 billion, covered roughly 90–95% of losses with company funds, and would not pass the loss to users. Al Jazeera Irish TimesState-funded
- lecoin.newsOn November 1, Binance reported about $4.649 billion withdrawn and about $1.01 billion deposited, a net outflow of about $3.64 billion, or about 2.1% of prior assets. Irish Times lecoin.newsIndependent
- CBS News (independent)TRM Labs and Chainalysis each assigned high confidence to a TraderTraitor attribution, and partners including Tether and Circle froze about $3 billion. CBS News CNN Washington PostState-funded · United States
- CNN (independent)TRM Labs and Chainalysis each assigned high confidence to a TraderTraitor attribution, and partners including Tether and Circle froze about $3 billion. CBS News CNN Washington PostState-funded · United States
- Washington Post (independent)TRM Labs and Chainalysis each assigned high confidence to a TraderTraitor attribution, and partners including Tether and Circle froze about $3 billion. CBS News CNN Washington PostState-funded · United States
- BBC (independent/public)Sources: FBI via Al Jazeera, The Record, Newsweek; TRM Labs via CBS News; Chainalysis via CNN; Washington Post; BBCState-funded · United Kingdom
- Korea Times (independent)Quote: “We don't know if it's North Korea, but if it is, we'll talk to North Korea about it.” — President Donald Trump.State-funded · South Korea
- thenextweb.comSources: President Donald Trump (US official voice) [Korea Times ]; Binance (company, no attribution made) [multiple reports, e.g., Al Jazeera ]; historical context of NK denials [The Next Web ]; PBS/AP (independent).State-funded · Netherlands
- pbs.orgSources: President Donald Trump (US official voice) [Korea Times ]; Binance (company, no attribution made) [multiple reports, e.g., Al Jazeera ]; historical context of NK denials [The Next Web ]; PBS/AP (independent).State-funded · United States
- @cz_binance@cz_binance: “Scammers on over drive now. Be careful.” (supports scam warnings post-hack; context of View A reporting) (View A context)X / on the ground
- @DAR_crypto@DAR_crypto: Roundup noting “FBI Blames North Korea for $6B Binance Crypto Hack” (supports attribution reporting) (View A)X / on the ground