North Korea's Binance hack faces U.S. crackdown as DOJ targets $1.2 billion in stolen crypto

The U.S. Department of Justice has moved to seize $1.2 billion in stolen crypto tied to North Korean hackers, targeting infrastructure behind the FaceStealer scheme that siphoned as much as $400 million in digital assets. The action escalates Washington's crackdown on Pyongyang-linked theft, which has hit major venues including Binance and drained funds across multiple chains and protocols. The case underscores how state-backed hacking has become a systemic risk for crypto markets, with stolen tokens often laundered through mixers and converted to hard assets. Authorities are now focused on recovering funds and disrupting the wallet and mixing infrastructure the attackers rely on. What to watch next is whether the seizures yield actual recoveries and whether exchanges tighten withdrawal and know-your-customer checks on tainted flows.