US Court Allows Bybit to Pursue Records in $1.5B North Korea Hack Probe

A US court has backed Bybit’s request for expedited discovery in its effort to trace funds connected to a $1.5 billion hack linked to North Korea. The order allows the crypto exchange to seek account identities, balances and transaction histories from platforms that have US operations.

The development matters because it gives Bybit a faster legal path to gather information that could help identify where the funds moved after the hack. For crypto companies, the case highlights how exchanges may use US court processes when stolen assets pass through or interact with platforms tied to the United States.

Expedited discovery is typically used when a party needs information quickly, and in this case the requested records focus on accounts, balances and transactions. Those details could help map the movement of assets and identify entities that may have handled the funds.

The court’s decision does not itself determine who is responsible for the hack or whether funds will be recovered. It gives Bybit permission to request information from relevant platforms as part of its tracing effort.

The case adds to the crypto sector’s ongoing focus on exchange security, asset tracing and cross-platform cooperation after major hacks. It also shows the role courts can play when crypto firms pursue information across services with US operations.