The court granted a preliminary injunction on August 7, 2026, the same day as the filing. The order freezes identified stolen digital assets and prohibits any transfer or sale while the case proceeds.
By early August 2026, Bybit had recovered $48.4 million and frozen another $30.5 million across more than 28 crypto exchanges and custodians through coordinated efforts.
According to Chainalysis, North Korea-linked hackers stole approximately $2.02 billion in crypto during 2025. The Bybit breach accounts for the majority of this total.
This is one of the largest and most direct legal actions against a nation-state for cryptocurrency theft, setting potential precedent for how stolen digital assets can be recovered through US courts.
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