Crypto Crime Surges to $2.47B in 2025 as Hackers Target Personal Wallets and AI Scams

Crypto-related crime has surged to a record $2.47 billion in the first half of 2025, already eclipsing the total for all of 2024. Hackers are pivoting from centralized exchanges to individual wallets, exploiting decentralized targets with fewer defenses. North Korea-linked attacks dominate, marking not just the largest theft in crypto history but also signaling the industrialization of digital asset cybercrime.

Personal wallets now account for the majority of breaches, a stark shift from earlier smart contract exploits. Security experts highlight the vulnerability of self-custody solutions, which lack institutional-grade SOC infrastructure. Phishing, SIM swaps, and social engineering have become the tools of choice—directly targeting users rather than protocol flaws.

The bull market has magnified losses, with rising asset prices inflating the value of every stolen private key. Chainalysis notes a direct correlation between market capitalization and theft scale, as each hack yields greater dollar-denominated gains. CertiK’s data includes large-scale wallet drains and bridge exploits, underscoring the sector’s urgent need for enhanced security frameworks.