The US has frozen $1.2 billion following a record-breaking hack of Binance - UkrMedia News
The US Department of Justice has obtained a court order to seize or freeze cryptocurrency worth over $1.2 billion stolen from Binance in what authorities call the largest cryptocurrency theft in history.
On 12 November 2026, the US Department of Justice announced the seizure of cryptocurrency worth over $1.2 billion stolen from the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange, Binance. The total amount stolen, which US investigators link to North Korean hackers, stands at approximately $6.3 billion. Through joint efforts between government agencies and private companies, over $2.7 billion of the stolen assets have already been frozen.
The massive cyberattack occurred on 29 October 2026, marking what authorities describe as the largest cryptocurrency theft in history. Just two days later, on 31 October, the FBI officially attributed responsibility to the TraderTraitor group, which US law enforcement agencies have linked to North Korea.
Following the theft, hackers began transferring the funds predominantly to Ethereum. To conceal the origin of the stolen assets, the attackers are utilizing or planning to use decentralized financial services, cryptocurrency bridges, exchange platforms, and specialized transaction mixing services.
Recovery efforts
Collaboration between government bodies and the private cryptocurrency sector has enabled the freezing of assets worth over $2.7 billion. Of this amount, the court has authorized the seizure or freezing of more than $1.2 billion. However, this does not mean all funds have been definitively confiscated and returned to their owners.
The next stage could be legal proceedings for confiscation. It will be the court that determines the legal rights to the seized cryptocurrency and the procedure for its subsequent return.
US law enforcement agencies continue to track down the remaining stolen assets as hackers attempt to move them through various cryptocurrency platforms. The operation involves the FBI, the US Secret Service, tax authorities, and private companies specializing in digital assets.
FaceStealer campaign
Separately, the US Department of Justice announced that part of the infrastructure behind the FaceStealer hacking campaign had been dismantled. According to investigators, over the past 18 months, perpetrators have stolen cryptocurrency worth more than $400 million through this scheme.
The hackers used stolen messaging app accounts to invite victims to video conferences, where they showed pre-recorded videos of people the victims knew or deepfakes of well-known figures in the cryptocurrency industry. After gaining victims' trust, the cybercriminals simulated technical faults and offered to install malware disguised as repair programs.
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