With the fervor surrounding the new year done and dusted, a stark reality has once again emerged, one that has sent ripples across the global market. According to Chainalys’ most recent year-in-review, 2024 witnessed a staggering $2.2 billion in stolen assets , representing a concerning 21.07% increase from the previous year’s figures. This uptick in criminal activity was largely attributed to a rise in hacking incidents, with 303 reported cases compared to 282 in 2023. However, perhaps most concerning was the growing influence of state-sponsored attacks, particularly from North Korean hackers responsible for an astonishing 61% of all stolen funds, amounting to $1.34 billion across 47 incidents. (L) Number of hacks vs value lost (R) Funds stolen by type of attack (source: Chainalysis ) Moreover, the report highlighted that peripheral issues — such as DeFi platform vulnerabilities, private key compromises, and fraudulent investment schemes — also played a major role in investors’ h...