North Korean hackers launder $242 million via Tron and cross-chain bridges

North Korean hackers have laundered $242 million stolen from Binance, moving a significant portion through the Tron network and several major cross-chain bridges, according to a new analysis.

The laundering operation saw approximately $140 million of the stolen funds moved off the Tron blockchain via the bridges Relay, THORChain, Chainflip, and Symbiosis. The Relay bridge processed the largest single share, handling $48 million of the illicit funds.

The report highlights the continued use of cross-chain protocols by state-sponsored hacking groups to obfuscate the trail of stolen cryptocurrency. The laundering activity comes as the FBI has reportedly increased pressure on the THORChain protocol as part of its investigations into North Korean cybercrime.

This case underscores the ongoing challenge for the crypto industry in combating sophisticated laundering techniques employed by well-resourced, state-linked threat actors.