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SecurityQuiet 12d · day 12

Binance history recast as hack victim after alleged $6.3B North Korea-linked theft

AP traces Binance and Changpeng Zhao's record of alleged crime-enabling as the exchange becomes target of what may be the largest crypto heist ever.

newest coverage 12d agosummary written 11d ago6 pieces NewswiresGoogle NewsMastodon

What to know

  • An estimated $6.3 billion in bitcoin and other cryptocurrency was allegedly stolen from Binance by a hacking group possibly tied to North Korea.
  • Binance and founder Changpeng Zhao had long been accused of enabling crypto crime, including sanctions violations and failure to report transactions tied to Hamas's Al-Qassam Brigades and al-Qaida.
  • Zhao was sentenced to prison in 2024 after pleading guilty to Bank Secrecy Act violations, then pardoned by President Trump in October 2025.
  • Binance and Zhao have been financial backers of Trump family crypto ventures including World Liberty Financial.

Changpeng ZhaoChangpeng Zhao Binance founderDonald TrumpDonald Trump U.S. PresidentBinance World's largest cryptocurrency exchangeUnnamed hacking group Alleged perpetrator of the Binance hack

Binance history recast as hack victim after alleged $6.3B North Korea-linked theft
Mercury News

How it unfolded 1 development · click the chart to see its coverage articles

Peak 4 pieces in 3h at Oct 30, 5 PM; 6 pieces over 12 days (5 articles · 1 post) Oct 30, 11 AM — 1 piece · 1 article — Newswires 1Oct 30, 2 PM — 1 piece · 1 post — Mastodon 1Oct 30, 5 PM — 4 pieces · 4 articles — Newswires 3, Google News 1Oct 30, 8 PM — quietOct 30, 11 PM — quietOct 31, 2 AM — quietOct 31, 5 AM — quietOct 31, 8 AM — quietOct 31, 11 AM — quietOct 31, 2 PM — quietOct 31, 5 PM — quietOct 31, 8 PM — quietOct 31, 11 PM — quietNov 1, 1 AM — quietNov 1, 4 AM — quietNov 1, 7 AM — quietNov 1, 10 AM — quietNov 1, 1 PM — quietNov 1, 4 PM — quietNov 1, 7 PM — quietNov 1, 10 PM — quietNov 2, 1 AM — quietNov 2, 4 AM — quietNov 2, 7 AM — quietNov 2, 10 AM — quietNov 2, 1 PM — quietNov 2, 4 PM — quietNov 2, 7 PM — quietNov 2, 10 PM — quietNov 3, 1 AM — quietNov 3, 4 AM — quietNov 3, 7 AM — quietNov 3, 10 AM — quietNov 3, 1 PM — quietNov 3, 4 PM — quietNov 3, 7 PM — quietNov 3, 10 PM — quietNov 4, 1 AM — quietNov 4, 4 AM — quietNov 4, 7 AM — quietNov 4, 10 AM — quietNov 4, 1 PM — quietNov 4, 4 PM — quietNov 4, 7 PM — quietNov 4, 10 PM — quietNov 5, 1 AM — quietNov 5, 4 AM — quietNov 5, 7 AM — quietNov 5, 10 AM — quietNov 5, 1 PM — quietNov 5, 4 PM — quietNov 5, 7 PM — quietNov 5, 10 PM — quietNov 6, 1 AM — quietNov 6, 4 AM — quietNov 6, 7 AM — quietNov 6, 10 AM — quietNov 6, 1 PM — quietNov 6, 4 PM — quietNov 6, 7 PM — quietNov 6, 10 PM — quietNov 7, 1 AM — quietNov 7, 4 AM — quietNov 7, 7 AM — quietNov 7, 10 AM — quietNov 7, 1 PM — quietNov 7, 4 PM — quietNov 7, 7 PM — quietNov 7, 10 PM — quietNov 8, 1 AM — quietNov 8, 4 AM — quietNov 8, 7 AM — quietNov 8, 10 AM — quietNov 8, 1 PM — quietNov 8, 4 PM — quietNov 8, 7 PM — quietNov 8, 10 PM — quietNov 9, 1 AM — quietNov 9, 4 AM — quietNov 9, 7 AM — quietNov 9, 10 AM — quietNov 9, 1 PM — quietNov 9, 4 PM — quietNov 9, 7 PM — quietNov 9, 10 PM — quietYesterday, 1 AM — quietYesterday, 4 AM — quietYesterday, 7 AM — quietYesterday, 10 AM — quietYesterday, 1 PM — quietYesterday, 4 PM — quietYesterday, 7 PM — quietYesterday, 10 PM — quietToday, 1 AM — quietToday, 4 AM — quietToday, 7 AM — quietToday, 10 AM — quietToday, 1 PM — quietToday, 4 PM — quietToday, 7 PM — quiet 1
Oct 31Nov 1Nov 2Nov 3Nov 4Nov 5Nov 6Nov 7Nov 8Nov 9yesterdaynow · 8:41 PM ET
  1. 1

    AP recounts Binance's history from alleged enabler to hack victim

    The Associated Press publishes a retrospective detailing Binance's and Zhao's history of accusations over enabling drug traffickers, child abusers, terrorists and money launderers, now recast by the hack as the exchange being the victim.

    “The alleged abettor of crypto crimes has become a target.”
    — Associated Press

    • https://www. europesays.com/unitedstates/80 614/ Long accused of abetting crypto crimes, Binance has now become a victim # a # AsiaPacific # BinanceChangpengZhaoHackNorthKoreaTrumpWorl # Business # Crime # cryptocurrency # f # GeneralNews # p # Politics # Terrorism # theft # USNews

      UnitedStates@pubeurope.comMastodon12d agoview on Mastodon ↗
  2. background

    Hackers allegedly steal $6.3 billion from Binance — A hacking group, possibly from North Korea, allegedly steals an estimated $6.3 billion in bitcoin and other cryptocurrency from Binance customers, in what appears to be the largest crypto heist in history.

  3. background

    Trump pardons Zhao — President Trump pardons Zhao, saying he had been unfairly treated by the prior administration and pledging to end what he calls attacks on the crypto industry; Zhao and Binance had backed Trump family crypto ventures including World Liberty Financial.

  4. background

    Zhao pleads guilty, becomes first person jailed under Bank Secrecy Act — Zhao pleads guilty to violating the Bank Secrecy Act after Binance allegedly allowed sanctioned trades with Iran and failed to report transactions tied to Hamas's Al-Qassam Brigades and al-Qaida; he is sentenced to prison.

  5. background

    FTX collapse intensifies regulatory scrutiny of crypto — The 2022 collapse of FTX, founded by Sam Bankman-Fried, triggers wider scandals and prompts Biden-administration regulators to target Binance and others for allegedly operating unregistered securities exchanges.

  6. background

    Zhao founds Binance — Changpeng Zhao, a former McDonald's worker who moved from China to Canada, founds Binance, which grows into the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange by trade volume.

Also covered reported alongside — the timeline has no entry for these yet

  1. 5 outlets Long accused of abetting crypto crimes, Binance has now become a victim

    first by Orlando Sentinel, 12d ago · also Baltimore Sun, Mercury News, AP News, WTOP News