LayerZero cites North Korea in $290M crypto theft

April 21, 2026

Summary

LayerZero said signs pointed to North Korea after hackers stole more than $290 million from Kelp DAO.

Why this matters

The theft adds to a growing record of crypto attacks attributed to North Korean groups, underscoring security risks in cross-chain systems. It also highlights how disputes over responsibility can emerge after major breaches.

Hackers stole more than $290 million in cryptocurrency from Kelp DAO over the weekend, making it the largest crypto theft reported this year.

By Monday, LayerZero, one of the projects affected, said “preliminary indicators” pointed to North Korea, specifically the group known as TraderTraitor.

In a post on X, LayerZero said the attackers exploited Kelp DAO through its LayerZero bridge, which lets blockchains send instructions to each other. It said the attackers then took advantage of Kelp DAO’s security setup, which did not require multiple verifications before transactions were approved. LayerZero said that allowed the hackers to drain funds through fraudulent transactions.

Kelp DAO disputed that account and blamed LayerZero for the theft.

The theft surpassed an earlier hack at crypto exchange Drift in April that stole about $285 million.

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LayerZero cites North Korea in $290M crypto theft

North Korean hacking operations have become a major source of crypto theft in recent years. Last year, North Korean hackers stole more than $2 billion in cryptocurrency. Since 2017, the total linked to North Korea has reached about $6 billion.

Full story +

Hackers stole more than $290 million in cryptocurrency from Kelp DAO over the weekend, making it the largest crypto theft reported this year.

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Kelp DAO disputed that account and blamed LayerZero for the theft.

The theft surpassed an earlier hack at crypto exchange Drift in April that stole about $285 million.