North Korea-linked hackers are ramping up attacks on the cryptocurrency sector, with recent investigations pointing to the Lazarus Group’s evolving methods.
On-chain analyst ZachXBT has revealed a string of incidents tied to the regime’s cyber operations. These incidents include the use of fake developer profiles and complex laundering strategies.
Lazarus Hackers Steal Millions as North Korea Intensifies Crypto Attacks
On June 29, Zachxbt reported that the Lazarus Group scammed a user out of $3.2 million in digital assets on May 16.
1/ Multiple projects tied to Pepe creator Matt Furie & ChainSaw as well as another project Favrr were exploited in the past week which resulted in ~$1M stolen
My analysis links both attacks to the same cluster of DPRK IT workers who were likely accidentally hired as developers. pic.twitter.com/85JRm5kLQO
This series of attacks, which began on June 18, allowed the hackers to take control of several NFT contracts. They then minted and dumped NFTs, stealing an estimated $1 million from these projects.
ZachXBT’s investigation revealed that the hackers moved the stolen funds across three wallets. Eventually, they converted some of the ETH into stablecoins and transferred them to MEXC, a centralized exchange.
Meanwhile, the pattern of stablecoin transfers, tied to a specific MEXC deposit address, suggests that the attackers engaged in multiple crypto projects.
Moreover, the analysis uncovered links to GitHub accounts with Korean language settings and time zones consistent with North Korean activity.
“Other indicators revealed from internal logs point out irregularities in a suspected DPRK IT workers resume. Why would a developer who claims to be living in the US have a Korean language setting, Astral VPN usage, and have an Asia/Russia time zone?,” ZachXBT wondered.
In Favrr’s case, investigators suspect the project’s chief technology officer, Alex Hong, of being a North Korean IT worker. ZachXBT also reported that Hong’s LinkedIn profile was recently deleted, and his work history could not be verified.
Indeed, these incidents highlight North Korea’s ongoing role in cryptocurrency theft. Blockchain analysis firm TRM Labs recently linked the country’s hackers to nearly $1.6 billion in stolen funds, accounting for about 70% of all stolen crypto assets this year.
Bitcoin (BTC) is up 9% over the past week and is currently trying to establish support above the key $88,000 level. Momentum indicators like the DMI and Ichimoku Cloud are showing clear bullish signals, with buyers firmly in control.
If this trajectory continues, BTC could soon test higher resistances near $88,000 and potentially aim for $90,000 and beyond. However, analysts warn that renewed uncertainty around Trump’s trade tariffs could disrupt the rally and trigger a pullback toward the $81,000 support zone.
Bitcoin DMI Show Buyers In Full Control
Bitcoin’s DMI chart shows a notable rise in trend strength, with the ADX climbing to 29.54 from 24.07 yesterday.
This increase suggests growing momentum behind the current move, pushing the ADX close to the 30 threshold—widely seen as confirmation of a strong, sustained trend.
A rising ADX doesn’t indicate direction on its own, but when paired with directional indicators, it helps identify the prevailing force in the market.
Looking at those directional indicators, the +DI is currently at 23.47 and has remained steady between 21 and 23 over the past two days.
Meanwhile, the -DI has dropped sharply to 9.45 from 16.65, signaling a significant decline in bearish pressure.
This widening gap between bullish and bearish momentum points to buyers taking control, and if the ADX continues to rise above 30, it could validate a new bullish phase for BTC.
BTC Ichimoku Cloud Shows A Clear Bullish Structure
Bitcoin’s Ichimoku Cloud chart continues to lean bullish, with price holding firmly above both the Tenkan-sen (blue line) and Kijun-sen (red line).
Looking ahead, the Kumo (cloud) is green and steadily rising, which reinforces a positive outlook for the coming sessions. The price is well above the cloud, indicating the trend is bullish and also firmly established.
There’s also a clear gap between the current candle and the cloud, suggesting that the market has room to retrace without shifting the overall structure.
As long as the price stays above the Kijun-sen and the cloud remains green, the bullish trend remains technically intact.
Will Bitcoin Break Above $90,000 Soon?
If Bitcoin price maintains its current momentum, it could soon challenge the resistance at $88,839, with $90,000 as a psychological milestone.
Should the uptrend remain strong, further targets lie at $92,920 and potentially $98,484, marking a continuation of the bullish structure.
However, crypto analyst and Coin Bureau founder Nic Puckrin warns that this momentum could be short-lived. He notes that renewed uncertainty around Trump’s trade tariffs might weigh on BTC:
“The caveat here is that all this positive momentum could disappear in a puff of smoke if there’s any backpedalling on tariffs or an unexpected shock announcement – which we all know is always a possibility. In fact, we continue to have constant back-and-forth on tariffs: exemptions on electronics turned out to be temporary, the details of when tariffs will come in are lacking, and so on,” Puckrin told BeInCrypto.
He also defends that the $81,000 support could be tested again:
“This, perhaps, explains why Bitcoin is, once again, in a “wait and see” pattern, with low liquidations at under $200 million pointing to uncertainty in the market. If we don’t see any external shocks, $88,000-$90,000 is the next range to watch, with liquidity pool clusters at this level suggesting we will see an uptick of volatility here. However, a short-term correction to re-test support at $81,000 would be healthy and, as long as BTC remains above this threshold, would even point to a sustainable price recovery,”
Overall, it looks like the current macroeconomic factors are priced in. Yet, the market is cautious about sudden surprises, as Trump’s recent tariffs went beyond any conventional economic trend and disrupted almost every global financial market.
TradFi’s relationship with Bitcoin continues to evolve, with 34 public corporations now holding a combined 699,387 BTC—worth over $72 billion. MicroStrategy remains the undisputed leader, holding 555,450 BTC alone.
While some view Bitcoin treasury strategies as bullish catalysts, the data tells a more nuanced story: adding BTC to a balance sheet isn’t a guaranteed stock booster. Outliers like Metaplanet have surged over 3,000% since their BTC entry, but many others have seen far more modest gains, or even declines.
Metaplanet Inc.
Metaplanet is a Japanese public company that has quickly transformed from a traditional business—formerly involved in hotel operations—into one of Asia’s most aggressive Bitcoin-focused firms. Its transformation shows how some TradFi players are reshaping their models around digital assets.
Since launching its Bitcoin Income Generation strategy in late 2024, the company has pivoted sharply toward crypto, with 88% of its Q1 FY2025 revenue—¥770 million ($5.2 million)—coming from Bitcoin option premium harvesting.
Metaplanet first added Bitcoin to its balance sheet in April 2024 and now holds 5,555 BTC worth approximately $576.8 million. Since that initial move, the company’s stock has soared over 3,000%, with recent filings showing a 15x increase in share price year-to-date.
The firm’s aggressive BTC accumulation strategy—targeting 10,000 BTC by year-end—has drawn growing investor interest, expanding its shareholder base by 500% in a year.
Despite short-term valuation losses due to Bitcoin price fluctuations, Metaplanet reported ¥13.5 billion in unrealized BTC gains as of May 12, signaling strong confidence in its long-term crypto positioning.
NEXON
Nexon, a major Japanese gaming company behind global hits like Dungeon&Fighter and MapleStory, added Bitcoin to its balance sheet in April 2021 and currently holds 1,717 BTC—worth approximately $178.3 million.
Despite this sizable allocation, the move hasn’t paid off in terms of market performance, as Nexon’s stock is down nearly 29% since the purchase, showing how, for many TradFi firms, crypto exposure doesn’t necessarily translate into equity gains.
Unlike other firms that saw major investor enthusiasm from Bitcoin exposure, Nexon’s value remains more closely tied to the performance of its gaming franchises.
In its Q1 2025 earnings report, Nexon reported revenue of ¥113.9 billion, up 5% year over year, and operating income jumping 43% to ¥41.6 billion, driven by strong performance from core titles and lower costs.
Semler Scientific (SMLR)
Semler Scientific made its first Bitcoin purchase in May 2024 and currently holds 1,273 BTC, valued at approximately $132.2 million.
Since adopting Bitcoin as its primary treasury reserve asset, the company’s stock has climbed over 55%.
While smaller in scale compared to top crypto treasury holders, Semler’s aggressive accumulation and performance have positioned it as a notable player in the Bitcoin corporate adoption narrative.
In its Q1 2025 earnings call, Semler Scientific reported a mixed performance. Revenue dropped 44% year-over-year to $8.8 million, driven by declines in its healthcare segment, while operating losses widened to $31.1 million amid $39.9 million in expenses.
A net loss of $64.7 million was largely due to an unrealized loss of $41.8 million from Bitcoin price fluctuations.
Despite these setbacks, the company reaffirmed its commitment to expanding its BTC holdings through a $500 million ATM program and a $100 million convertible note.
Tesla (TSLA)
Tesla, led by Elon Musk, has had a complex and headline-grabbing relationship with Bitcoin since adding it to its balance sheet in January 2021.
Musk, a long-time crypto enthusiast, has influenced market sentiment through both Tesla’s actions and his personal commentary on digital assets like BTC and Dogecoin. Tesla’s stock is up 34% since that initial Bitcoin buy, but the path has been volatile—peaking near $480 in late 2024 before collapsing below $107 in early 2023.
Despite the swings, Musk’s Bitcoin advocacy and Tesla’s early crypto exposure helped position the company as a bellwether for institutional adoption of crypto. Its journey reflects the volatility and complexity of crypto exposure within large TradFi companies, as BTC is up 212% in the same period.
In its latest Q1 2025 earnings, however, Tesla posted disappointing results. Automotive revenue dropped 20% year-over-year to $14 billion, dragging total revenue down 9% to $19.34 billion, well below Wall Street estimates.
Net income plummeted 71% to $409 million, and operating margin collapsed to 2.1% as production upgrades, price cuts, and political uncertainty—including rising tariffs—weighed heavily on performance.
Amid declining deliveries and intensifying global competition, Tesla highlighted progress in energy storage and AI infrastructure.
Still, with shares down 41% year-to-date and Musk’s growing political involvement drawing further scrutiny, investors remain cautious as the company prepares for a potential robotaxi launch in June.
Block Inc. (Formerly Square)
Block Inc., co-founded by Jack Dorsey, added Bitcoin to its balance sheet in October 2022 and currently holds 8,485 BTC, worth approximately $881 million.
Known for its early embrace of Bitcoin and crypto integration through Cash App, Block has positioned itself as one of the most prominent corporate Bitcoin holders.
Since its initial BTC acquisition, the stock has risen just 3.8%, reflecting a turbulent journey, peaking above $100 in December 2024, but also dropping to around $38.5 in November 2023 amid broader tech sector volatility and macroeconomic headwinds for TradFi.
Block’s Q1 2025 earnings revealed a mixed picture. The company missed both revenue and profit expectations, posting $5.77 billion in revenue versus the $6.2 billion expected.
Despite a 9% rise in gross profit to $2.29 billion, guidance for the rest of the year was cut due to macro uncertainty, including the impact of new tariffs.
Cash App’s gross profit rose 10% to $1.38 billion, thanks to the launch of Afterpay’s buy-now-pay-later feature and the expansion of its lending program under FDIC approval.
However, gross payment volume increased, and international exposure now accounts for 18% of the total volume.
While Block posted its most profitable quarter to date, shares are down 31% year-to-date, and investors remain cautious as the company prepares to deliver its first Bitcoin mining chips later this year.
