North Korean hackers linked to the reported $6.3 billion theft from Binance could need months to launder the stolen cryptocurrency, according to a Financial Times (FT) report, with roughly $3.3 billion in digital assets still under the attackers' control.

The aftermath of the reported hack could therefore stretch over an extended period as the attackers attempt to move and convert billions of dollars in stolen crypto into funds that are harder to trace. The scale of the incident also underscores the broader challenges of tracing, freezing and recovering stolen cryptocurrency.

According to the FT, the North Korean hackers believed to be responsible for last week's theft may face a lengthy process before they can convert the stolen assets into less traceable funds. The report indicates that approximately $3.3 billion in cryptocurrency remains under the attackers' control — more than half of the reported $6.3 billion taken in the incident.

Controlling cryptocurrency, however, does not necessarily mean the hackers can easily spend or exchange it. In this context, control generally means holding the private keys that authorize transfers — a technical capability that does not by itself provide access to mainstream financial channels. Large stolen balances tend to attract attention from blockchain investigators, exchanges and law enforcement agencies, making the transfer or conversion of substantial amounts particularly difficult.

Why Laundering Stolen Binance Crypto Takes Time

The case highlights a central difficulty facing cryptocurrency thieves: blockchain transactions can leave visible records. On public blockchains, investigators can often track transfers between wallet addresses, and while identifying the individuals behind those addresses can be difficult, suspicious transactions may still be monitored.

Attackers may attempt to move stolen funds through multiple wallets, exchanges or cross-chain services — platforms that convert assets between different blockchains — to obscure the trail. Yet these techniques do not guarantee that the assets become untraceable. Cryptocurrency exchanges and other service providers may restrict accounts or freeze supported assets once suspicious funds are identified.

The sheer size of the reported theft adds another obstacle. Moving billions of dollars without drawing attention or creating market disruption is difficult, particularly when liquidity is limited. According to the FT report, these challenges could extend the laundering process over several months — a timeline that remains an estimate rather than a confirmed outcome.

NEW: North Korean hackers behind last week's $6.3B Binance heist could need months to launder the stolen crypto, with about $3.3B still under their control, per FT. pic.twitter.com/ymMpQkChT8
— Cointelegraph (@Cointelegraph) November 3, 2026

What Happens to the Remaining $3.3 Billion?

The reported $3.3 billion still controlled by the attackers is likely to remain a major focus for investigators. Authorities and blockchain security firms may continue monitoring related wallet activity to identify opportunities for asset recovery.

Tracing stolen cryptocurrency, however, does not automatically mean it can be recovered. Recovery depends on several factors, including the type of digital assets involved, the services used to transfer them and whether the relevant funds can be frozen.

The suspected involvement of North Korean hackers also raises concerns about the growing sophistication of cryptocurrency-related cybercrime, though the attribution should be treated as reported rather than independently established.

For Binance customers, the distinction between stolen assets, funds controlled by the attackers and customer losses is important. These figures describe different aspects of the incident and should not be treated as interchangeable.

For now, the reported Binance theft remains a major security concern, with billions in stolen cryptocurrency said to still be under the attackers' control. The coming months could prove pivotal for tracking the remaining assets and determining whether any additional funds can be recovered. Developments worth watching include any on-chain movement of the funds still under the attackers' control, freezes imposed by exchanges or service providers, and further reporting on the scale and attribution of the incident.