North Korea denies role in $6 billion Binance crypto heist and rejects FBI allegations

Summary

North Korea on Tuesday denied involvement in the theft of about $6 billion from the cryptocurrency platform Binance and rejected the FBI's allegations that Pyongyang was responsible. Kim Yo-jong, sister of leader Kim Jong-un, said in a statement released by the KCNA state news agency that the FBI's claim was "absurd rhetoric and nothing new", pointing to earlier US allegations that North Korea was behind last year's Bybit hack, and called it a "grave political provocation". Pyongyang accused Washington of seeking to portray the country as a cybercriminal state and warned that US hostility could affect future diplomatic engagement. North Korea also called the US announcement "a trite provocation" and criticized the FBI probe, and the criticism came as it test-fired strategic cruise missiles in a new display of its weapons capabilities.

Timeline

1. South China Morning Post

   2 Nov 2026, 23:40 UTCSource ↗

   Reports that Kim Yo-jong, sister of Kim Jong-un, called the FBI's allegation that Pyongyang was behind the $6 billion Binance theft a "grave political provocation" and "absurd rhetoric and nothing new" in a statement released by KCNA.

2. France 24

   2 Nov 2026, 23:49 UTCSource ↗

   Reports that North Korea on Tuesday dismissed US allegations that it was behind the $6 billion Binance theft as "absurd rhetoric" and warned that US hostility could affect future diplomatic engagement.

3. ABC News

   3 Nov 2026, 00:56 UTCSource ↗

   Reports that North Korea denied involvement in the Binance hack, calling a US announcement that North Korean hackers were behind it "a trite provocation" and criticizing the FBI probe.

4. RTÉ

   3 Nov 2026, 03:43 UTCSource ↗

   Reports that North Korea called the FBI's Binance hack allegations "absurd" as it test-fired strategic cruise missiles in a new display of its weapons capabilities.