Summary
- It was reported that North Korean hacking group holds 13,441 Bitcoins, about 16% more than Tesla's 11,509.
- It was revealed that North Korea is accumulating Bitcoin through exchange hacking, which could significantly impact future Bitcoin value and security issues.
- The U.S. government holds 198,109 Bitcoins, which were seized on money laundering charges.
North Korean Hacking Group Holds 13,441
Tesla Holds 11,509…16% Difference
On the 23rd (local time), it was reported by the cryptocurrency (virtual currency) specialized media CoinDesk that North Korea holds more Bitcoin than Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla.
According to data from the cryptocurrency information company Arkham Intelligence, the hacking group Lazarus, which is closely related to North Korea, currently holds 13,441 Bitcoins worth approximately $1.14 billion (about 1.67 trillion KRW).
Tesla holds 11,509 Bitcoins. North Korea holds about 16% more Bitcoin than Tesla. Tesla is a publicly traded company and holds the fourth most Bitcoin in the world.
North Korea has been accumulating Bitcoin by hacking exchanges. For example, last month the Lazarus group attacked the cryptocurrency exchange Bybit and stole $1.4 billion worth of Ethereum, some of which was converted into Bitcoin.
Last week, President Trump reaffirmed his promise to make the United States the undisputed Bitcoin superpower and the world's cryptocurrency capital. CoinDesk reported that with this declaration, there is interest in how North Korean hackers will be dealt with.
Meanwhile, the U.S. government holds 198,109 Bitcoins worth over $16 billion (about 23 trillion KRW), which were seized on charges of money laundering. Trump is pushing for a cryptocurrency strategy reserve based on this.
Reporter Subin Park, Hankyung.com waterbean@hankyung.com
Korea Economic Daily
hankyung@bloomingbit.ioThe Korea Economic Daily Global is a digital media where latest news on Korean companies, industries, and financial markets.
