💰 “Lazarus’ Shadow”: Stolen Millions from Bybit Funneled Through ThorChain
Hackers behind the recent attack on the Bybit exchange continue to move stolen assets — more than 209,000 ETH (~$480 million) have already been converted into Bitcoin, according to MetaMask Head of Security Taylor Monahan.
$240 million passed through ThorChain — a decentralized cross-chain protocol that enables direct crypto asset swaps without intermediaries. This involved more than 3,900 individual transactions, at an average rate of $3.2 million per hour.
According to the FBI and on-chain analysts, the attack was perpetrated by the North Korean Lazarus Group, previously linked to similar DeFi exploits.
ThorChain recorded an all-time high in swap volume that day — over $737 million. Attempts by validators to block the wallet addresses failed: decentralization left no room for consensus.
Bybit has intensified its efforts to track the hackers: 5% of the total amount will go to anyone who helps freeze the assets. 10% will be awarded for the voluntary return of funds.
This case illustrates a hard truth: even open-source DeFi protocols can become a “laundromat” for global cyberattacks. Stopping hackers now requires entirely new approaches.
