Crypto theft has reached alarming levels, with nearly 150,000 Americans filing complaints. The FBI reported that 16,000 seniors lost money to scams, alongside 11,000 victims in their thirties.
Globally, the scale is even more staggering, $2.17 billion worth of cryptocurrency was stolen in the first half of 2025, nearly doubling 2024’s full-year total of $2.2 billion.
In comparison, 46,000 Americans lost over $1 billion in 2021 to crypto scams. North Korean hackers, responsible for 61% of platform thefts in 2024, highlight how state-backed cybercrime dominates this space, making crypto theft an ever-growing global crisis.
Top Picks Of Crypto Theft Statistics
- In the U.S., over 150,000 people have already reported crypto theft complaints.
- Global crypto criminals stole $2.17 billion in H1 2025 alone.
- Among victims, 16,000 seniors aged 60+ were hit hardest by scams.
- Hackers from North Korea were behind $1.34 billion in thefts during 2024, accounting for 61% of platform hacks.
- The Bybit February 2025 hack drained 1.5M ETH, worth $1.5 billion.
- Losses could escalate to $4.5 billion by the end of 2025, setting a record.
- Since 2016, the top 50 DeFi hacks have collectively stolen $5.5 billion, mainly from Ethereum and Solana.
How Many People Lost Money On Crypto In Theft?
- In the USA, nearly 150,000 people have complained about crypto theft cases in 2025. (Coin Ledger)
- More than 16,000 Americans over the age of 60 reported losing money in crypto scams, alongside nearly 11,000 victims in their thirties and over 10,000 in their forties, according to FBI data. (INC)
- Approximately 46,000 Americans reported losing over $1 billion to cryptocurrency scams to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in 2021. (Our Financial Security)
- At least seventy-five distinct Crypto scams, hacks, and exploits have resulted in the theft of approximately $2.17 billion worth of cryptocurrency in the first half of 2025 alone. (Chain Analysis)
- In 2022, when cryptocurrency was still relatively new, it took 214 days to reach $2 billion in stolen value from services. By 2025, similar theft volumes were achieved in just 142 days. (Trading View)
Crypto Robbery Of Funds Stolen From Services
- It is projected that if this trend of crypto hacks and crimes continues, by 2025, $4.3 – $4.5 billion could be stolen from services. (Trading View)
- In 2024, a total of $2.2 billion was stolen from cryptocurrency platforms, highlighting the severity of attacks on various services.
- North Korean hackers alone were responsible for $1.34 billion of those platform thefts, representing a staggering 61% of the total. (Chain Analysis)
- WazirX, a major Indian crypto exchange, lost about $234.9 million after hackers tricked authorized signers into approving a malicious transaction, enabling attackers to bypass security and drain funds. The hack is linked to the Lazarus Group. (Chainalysis 3)
Assets Involved In Cryptocurrency Crime
- Major cryptocurrencies remain primary targets of thieves. For instance, the breach on Bybit in February 2025 resulted in the loss of 1.5 million ETH (approximately $1.5 billion). (Tico Times)
- Notably, stablecoins have now dominated illicit crypto scams since 2024.
- Stablecoins (like USDT) make up about 63% of all illicit on-chain crypto transaction volume as of 2025. (Chain Analysis 2)
- The top 50 DeFi hacks across 2016 to 2022 resulted in cumulative losses of approximately $5.5 billion, emphasizing the sheer financial scale of major DeFi exploitations.
- Ethereum and Solana were the most attacked blockchain platforms among the top 50 DeFi hacks, underscoring that high-profile platforms are particularly vulnerable.
- Approximately 34% of these attacks targeted unaudited smart contracts, highlighting the heightened risks of deploying unaudited code in DeFi environments. (Halborn)
- Private key compromise was the single largest hacking method in 2024, accounting for 43.8% of stolen crypto funds. (Chain Analysis 2)
How Common Is Bitcoin Theft?
- Over the course of time, Bitcoin thieves have absconded with tens of thousands of BTC.
- For example, 50,000 BTC were appropriated in the 2012 Silk Road breach.
- A Japanese crypto exchange, DMM Bitcoin, was a victim of a major hack in 2024 that resulted in the theft of approximately $305 million worth of Bitcoin.
- Here are the 3 major cases that have taken place until 2025:
| Major Bitcoin Theft Events | Year | BTC Stolen | Case Facts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubitex Scam | 2011 | 1,138.98 | The founder of Ubitex absconded with the “invested” funds. |
| Silk Road marketplace | 2012 | 50,000 | James Zhong exploited a glitch to withdraw much more Bitcoin than he deposited. |
| Twitter Account Hijacking | 2020 | 12.22 | Hacked Barack Obama, Joe Biden, and Apple, to post a fake Bitcoin giveaway. |
| DMM Bitcoin exchange hack | 2024 | 4,502.9 | The Lazarus Group, a North Korean-affiliated hacking group, attacked DMM Bitcoin. |
| Social-engineering heist | 2025 | 3,520 | Sophisticated AI-phishing tricks elderly investor into transferring Bitcoin. |
(Coin Ledger, USAO, Chain Analysis)
Crypto Crime By The Year
- The year 2022 saw the highest value stolen at $3.7 billion, while the number of hacking incidents peaked in 2024 at 303.
- Since individual victims can’t be counted, the scale and frequency of crypto hacks reveal the growing risk. Here is a full breakdown of all the Crypto hacks:
| Year | Total Value Stolen In Crypto Thefts | Total Number of Crypto Hacks |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $2.2 Billion | 303 |
| 2023 | $1.8 Billion | 282 |
| 2022 | $3.7 Billion | 231 |
| 2021 | $3.3 Billion | 279 |
| 2020 | $531 Million | 119 |
| 2019 | $543 Million | 35 |
| 2018 | $1.5 Billion | 35 |
| 2017 | $249 Million | 19 |
| 2016 | $132 Million | 12 |
| 2015 | $25 Million | 4 |
Crypto Crime In Various Countries
- North Korea was the world’s largest crypto crime hub, with approximately $1.59 billion in stolen crypto, equal to more than 10% of the country’s GDP, highlighting the scale of state-sponsored hacking activity.
- The United States ranked second, recording $2.05 billion in crypto-related fraud losses in 2022, though this represented only 0.01% of its GDP, given the size of its economy.
- Russia followed closely, with more than $1.45 billion in crypto crime volume, amounting to 0.09% of its GDP, largely driven by ransomware and sanctions evasion.
| Rank | Country | Fraud Cases | Total Fraud (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Korea | 30 | 1,597,365,000 |
| 2 | United States | 15 | 2,045,349,000 |
| 3 | Russia | 8 | 1,456,900,000 |
| 4 | China | 9 | 2,269,521,000 |
| 5 | United Kingdom | 13 | 602,011,000 |
| 6 | Japan | 6 | 1,241,044,000 |
| 7 | Hong Kong | 5 | 586,002,000 |
| 8 | Canada | 5 | 169,729,000 |
| 9 | British Virgin Islands | 3 | 103,332,000 |
| 10 | Seychelles | 4 | 65,066,000 |
| 11 | South Korea | 2 | 71,000,000 |
| 12 | Singapore | 5 | 45,123,000 |
| 13 | Vanuatu | 2 | 45,253,000 |
| 14 | Poland | 5 | 29,352,000 |
| 15 | New Zealand | 4 | 12,439,000 |
| 16 | Italy | 2 | 195,303,000 |
| 17 | Marshall Islands | 2 | 6,167,000 |
| 18 | Switzerland | 2 | 32,000,000 |
| 19 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 2 | 687,000 |
| 20 | Australia | 2 | 135,000 |
Source: Coincub
Cryptocurrency Crime Leading To Physical Violence
- Between 2022 and 2025, there were 231 documented physical incidents linked to cryptocurrency crimes worldwide. (Crisis 24)
- These incidents resulted in 6 recorded deaths over the same period.
- The total value stolen through physical attacks reached $166 million, with the majority involving kidnappings.
- Kidnapping-related cases accounted for $128 million in losses, representing 77% of all physically stolen funds.
- In 2025, wrench attacks are on pace to double the previous annual record, marking an unprecedented trend.
- ISKP operations span from Afghanistan globally, with documented crypto-financed attacks in Moscow, Germany, Turkey, and the UK.
- ISKP’s transaction range is from USD 100 to USD 15,000 per transaction.
- Cryptocurrency has been used to finance or partially finance terrorist attacks in several locations in 2024, including Moscow, Germany, Turkey, and the UK.
- In May 2025, a French crypto-millionaire’s father was kidnapped and mutilated, with suspects demanding €5–7 million; his finger was severed before seven arrests were made.
- That same month, the CEO of Paymium’s daughter and grandson were targeted in Paris, but a passerby foiled the attempted kidnapping.
- Also in May, an unnamed Italian investor was tortured and held captive for 17 days, losing $28 million in Bitcoin before managing to escape.
- In London, a trader was drugged by a fake Uber driver, leading to a theft of $123,000 in Bitcoin and XRP.
- Finally, in Las Vegas, a crypto entrepreneur was abducted at gunpoint, forced to pay $4.8 million, and later dumped in the desert after the payment.
(Crisis 24, TRM, Fintech News)
Tips For Avoiding Cryptocurrency Theft
- Be Skeptical: Never trust strangers, especially online, with your money or personal information.
- Do Your Research: Verify all investment opportunities, apps, and websites independently.
- Recognize Red Flags: Be wary of get-rich-quick promises, suspicious URLs, and requests for payment to recover lost funds.
- Protect Your Information: Do not send money or PII, and never pay additional fees to withdraw money you’ve already invested.
What Do You Do If You’re A Victim?
- Document & Report: Gather all details and file a complaint with authorities like the FBI’s IC3.
- Notify Institutions: Alert the exchange and your bank.
- Be Cautious: Avoid paying upfront fees for recovery services.
- Boost Security: Use MFA, non-custodial wallets, and cold storage for protection.
