News Heat Trend
Project Overview
TRM is a provider of crypto compliance and risk management solutions that helps financial institutions, cryptocurrency businesses, and public agencies detect, investigate, and manage crypto-related fraud and financial crime. Its risk management platform includes solutions for cryptocurrency anti-money laundering (AML), transaction monitoring and wallet screening, entity risk scoring including Know-Your-VASP, and transaction tracing for investigations. These tools enable a rapidly growing number of organizations around the world to safely embrace cryptocurrency-related transactions, products, and partnerships.
TRM Labs: Q1 forecasted market transaction volume reached $3.66 billion, surpassing on-chain gambling’s $1.4 billion for the first time
According to CoinTelegraph, blockchain intelligence firm TRM Labs released a report forecasting that the on-chain prediction market’s transaction volume for Q1 2026 will reach $3.66 billion—surpassing on-chain gambling’s $1.4 billion for the first time. On-chain gambling achieved a total annual transaction volume of $5.1 billion in 2025, setting a new quarterly record of $1.5 billion in Q4 2025. TRM Labs noted that despite the broader crypto market correction, transaction volumes in both sectors showed no significant decline—largely sustained by the continued activity of loyal user bases. Regarding user composition, “high rollers” accounted for only 6.3% of individual wallets yet generated 91.8% of total transaction volume. Meanwhile, the monthly transaction volume of average bettors grew from $17 million in January 2022 to $188 million in March 2026; the transaction volume of daily gamblers increased twelvefold over the same period, indicating substantial expansion of incremental user groups. From a risk perspective, TRM Labs highlighted differing financial crime risks across the two platform types: gambling platforms face higher money laundering risks, whereas prediction markets are more likely to draw scrutiny over insider trading.
Bloomberg: AI threats are increasing, with over half of blockchain attacks in 2025 theoretically automatable by AI
in April 2026, two major DeFi attacks on Drift Protocol and Kelp DAO resulted in losses of nearly $600 million, triggering approximately $9 billion in capital outflows from protocols like Aave. TRM Labs investigator Nick Carlsen stated that a hacker group suspected to be linked to North Korea has allegedly used AI to assist in target selection and attack path design. Failsafe CEO Aneirin Flynn said that AI has compressed the time for discovering blockchain vulnerabilities from months to days or even hours. The report noted that Anthropic has not fully opened its AI model Mythos due to cybersecurity risks, claiming the model has the capability to discover large-scale zero-day vulnerabilities. Its research indicates that over half of blockchain attacks in 2025 could theoretically be completed autonomously by AI. (Bloomberg)
T3 Financial Crime Unit Freezes Over $450 Million in Illicit Crypto Assets
According to The Block, the T3 Financial Crime Unit (T3 FCU), jointly established by Tether, TRON, and TRM Labs, announced that since its founding in 2024, it has frozen over $450 million worth of illicit crypto assets globally. In 2025, the unit’s interception of illicit proceeds increased by 43.9% year-on-year, covering 23 jurisdictions including the United States, Spain, and Germany, and has been recognized by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) as “a critical resource for global law enforcement agencies.” The T3 FCU has participated in investigations across multiple crime categories, including exchange hacks, North Korea–related activities, terrorist financing, and violent crimes, and assisted Brazil’s Federal Police in freezing over $5.989 billion in assets—including 4.3 million USDT.
Singapore Police Force Collaborates with Cryptocurrency Platforms to Intercept Over S$2.86 Million in Fraud Proceeds Within a Month
According to the Lianhe Zaobao, Singapore’s Police Anti-Scam Centre and the Cybercrime Investigation Division collaborated with cryptocurrency platforms including Coinbase, Coinhako, StraitsX, and Upbit in a month-long targeted enforcement operation from March 16 to April 15 this year, successfully intercepting over S$2.86 million in scam proceeds. During the operation, authorities used analytical tools from blockchain intelligence firms TRM Labs and Chainalysis to identify victims involved in multiple scam categories—including impersonation of government officials, investment scams, job scams, and online romance scams—and carried out more than 90 direct interventions via telephone and in-person contact. The police stated that the operation’s success stemmed from a rapid information-sharing mechanism between law enforcement agencies and private-sector platforms, and emphasized their continued commitment to deepening public-private collaboration to counter increasingly sophisticated cryptocurrency scams.
Bloomberg: AI threats are increasing, with over half of blockchain attacks in 2025 theoretically automatable by AI
in April 2026, two major DeFi attacks on Drift Protocol and Kelp DAO resulted in losses of nearly $600 million, triggering approximately $9 billion in capital outflows from protocols like Aave. TRM Labs investigator Nick Carlsen stated that a hacker group suspected to be linked to North Korea has allegedly used AI to assist in target selection and attack path design. Failsafe CEO Aneirin Flynn said that AI has compressed the time for discovering blockchain vulnerabilities from months to days or even hours. The report noted that Anthropic has not fully opened its AI model Mythos due to cybersecurity risks, claiming the model has the capability to discover large-scale zero-day vulnerabilities. Its research indicates that over half of blockchain attacks in 2025 could theoretically be completed autonomously by AI. (Bloomberg)
T3 Financial Crime Unit Freezes Over $450 Million in Illicit Crypto Assets
According to The Block, the T3 Financial Crime Unit (T3 FCU), jointly established by Tether, TRON, and TRM Labs, announced that since its founding in 2024, it has frozen over $450 million worth of illicit crypto assets globally. In 2025, the unit’s interception of illicit proceeds increased by 43.9% year-on-year, covering 23 jurisdictions including the United States, Spain, and Germany, and has been recognized by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) as “a critical resource for global law enforcement agencies.” The T3 FCU has participated in investigations across multiple crime categories, including exchange hacks, North Korea–related activities, terrorist financing, and violent crimes, and assisted Brazil’s Federal Police in freezing over $5.989 billion in assets—including 4.3 million USDT.
North Korea denies involvement in crypto theft allegations, accused of stealing over $570 million this year
North Korea has denied allegations of its involvement in cryptocurrency theft, calling the claims "absurd slander" and a "political tool." The statement, issued by state-run media, emphasized that necessary measures will be taken to safeguard national interests. However, data from blockchain analytics firm TRM Labs shows that in the first four months of 2026, hacker groups linked to North Korea have stolen approximately $577 million, accounting for about 76% of global crypto theft losses during the same period. This includes two major attacks on KelpDAO (approximately $292 million) and Drift Protocol (approximately $285 million).TRM pointed out that the attacks are primarily associated with the Lazarus Group and its sub-organizations. Since 2017, the cumulative scale of crypto theft linked to North Korea has exceeded $6 billion.U.S. and international agencies widely believe that such funds are used to support military and missile programs. Meanwhile, the U.S. Treasury Department has recently imposed sanctions on relevant individuals and entities, targeting approximately $800 million in illicit fund flows in 2024. (The Block)
North Korean hackers spent months meeting Drift Protocol employees in person before stealing $285 million
North Korean spies spent months conducting multiple in-person meetings with Drift Protocol employees before executing one of the largest social engineering attacks against a crypto protocol, stealing $285 million. According to TRM Labs data, losses attributed to North Korean hackers accounted for 76% of total crypto hack losses in 2026. (CoinDesk)
North Korean hackers accounted for 76% of cryptocurrency theft losses in 2026, having stolen over $6 billion cumulatively since 2017.
According to The Block, blockchain intelligence firm TRM Labs released a report stating that North Korean hacker groups stole approximately $577 million in crypto assets during the first four months of 2026—accounting for 76% of global hacking losses over the same period. All these losses stemmed from two major incidents that occurred in April: KelpDAO was attacked by the TraderTraitor group, resulting in $292 million in losses; and Drift Protocol was compromised by another North Korean sub-group, suffering $285 million in losses. Preparations for the latter attack began as early as March 11, and funds were fully extracted within 12 minutes. The two incidents employed distinct money-laundering pathways: stolen funds from Drift remain largely dormant on Ethereum, whereas funds stolen from KelpDAO were rapidly swapped into BTC via THORChain, with subsequent laundering facilitated by Chinese intermediaries. TRM Labs noted that since 2017, North Korea’s cumulative crypto theft has exceeded $6 billion—and its share of global losses has risen steadily, from less than 10% in 2020 to 64% in 2025.
TRM Labs: Q1 forecasted market transaction volume reached $3.66 billion, surpassing on-chain gambling’s $1.4 billion for the first time
According to CoinTelegraph, blockchain intelligence firm TRM Labs released a report forecasting that the on-chain prediction market’s transaction volume for Q1 2026 will reach $3.66 billion—surpassing on-chain gambling’s $1.4 billion for the first time. On-chain gambling achieved a total annual transaction volume of $5.1 billion in 2025, setting a new quarterly record of $1.5 billion in Q4 2025. TRM Labs noted that despite the broader crypto market correction, transaction volumes in both sectors showed no significant decline—largely sustained by the continued activity of loyal user bases. Regarding user composition, “high rollers” accounted for only 6.3% of individual wallets yet generated 91.8% of total transaction volume. Meanwhile, the monthly transaction volume of average bettors grew from $17 million in January 2022 to $188 million in March 2026; the transaction volume of daily gamblers increased twelvefold over the same period, indicating substantial expansion of incremental user groups. From a risk perspective, TRM Labs highlighted differing financial crime risks across the two platform types: gambling platforms face higher money laundering risks, whereas prediction markets are more likely to draw scrutiny over insider trading.
North Korea denies involvement in crypto theft allegations, accused of stealing over $570 million this year
North Korea has denied allegations of its involvement in cryptocurrency theft, calling the claims "absurd slander" and a "political tool." The statement, issued by state-run media, emphasized that necessary measures will be taken to safeguard national interests. However, data from blockchain analytics firm TRM Labs shows that in the first four months of 2026, hacker groups linked to North Korea have stolen approximately $577 million, accounting for about 76% of global crypto theft losses during the same period. This includes two major attacks on KelpDAO (approximately $292 million) and Drift Protocol (approximately $285 million).TRM pointed out that the attacks are primarily associated with the Lazarus Group and its sub-organizations. Since 2017, the cumulative scale of crypto theft linked to North Korea has exceeded $6 billion.U.S. and international agencies widely believe that such funds are used to support military and missile programs. Meanwhile, the U.S. Treasury Department has recently imposed sanctions on relevant individuals and entities, targeting approximately $800 million in illicit fund flows in 2024. (The Block)
North Korean hackers accounted for 76% of cryptocurrency theft losses in 2026, having stolen over $6 billion cumulatively since 2017.
According to The Block, blockchain intelligence firm TRM Labs released a report stating that North Korean hacker groups stole approximately $577 million in crypto assets during the first four months of 2026—accounting for 76% of global hacking losses over the same period. All these losses stemmed from two major incidents that occurred in April: KelpDAO was attacked by the TraderTraitor group, resulting in $292 million in losses; and Drift Protocol was compromised by another North Korean sub-group, suffering $285 million in losses. Preparations for the latter attack began as early as March 11, and funds were fully extracted within 12 minutes. The two incidents employed distinct money-laundering pathways: stolen funds from Drift remain largely dormant on Ethereum, whereas funds stolen from KelpDAO were rapidly swapped into BTC via THORChain, with subsequent laundering facilitated by Chinese intermediaries. TRM Labs noted that since 2017, North Korea’s cumulative crypto theft has exceeded $6 billion—and its share of global losses has risen steadily, from less than 10% in 2020 to 64% in 2025.
South Korea’s National Tax Service Fully Tracks Cryptocurrency Tax Evasion, Including Non-Custodial Wallets
According to ZDNet Korea, South Korea’s National Tax Service (NTS) issued a tender notice on April 15 to introduce cryptocurrency transaction tracking software from firms including Chainalysis and TRM Labs. The system aims to monitor cryptocurrency transactions in real time, trace hidden assets of tax evasion suspects, and combat disguised inheritance, gifting, and offshore tax evasion involving digital assets. It can track approximately 70 million types of cryptocurrencies—including Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, and stablecoins—across 45 blockchain layers. The system also features “de-mixing” capabilities to identify mixing-service-based money laundering techniques and can perform partial identity verification for non-custodial wallets such as MetaMask and Phantom. This marks the NTS’s third deployment of such solutions since 2024; system construction is scheduled for completion in June, with official operation commencing in July.
Related news
TRM Labs: Q1 forecasted market transaction volume reached $3.66 billion, surpassing on-chain gambling’s $1.4 billion for the first time
According to CoinTelegraph, blockchain intelligence firm TRM Labs released a report forecasting that the on-chain prediction market’s transaction volume for Q1 2026 will reach $3.66 billion—surpassing on-chain gambling’s $1.4 billion for the first time. On-chain gambling achieved a total annual transaction volume of $5.1 billion in 2025, setting a new quarterly record of $1.5 billion in Q4 2025. TRM Labs noted that despite the broader crypto market correction, transaction volumes in both sectors showed no significant decline—largely sustained by the continued activity of loyal user bases. Regarding user composition, “high rollers” accounted for only 6.3% of individual wallets yet generated 91.8% of total transaction volume. Meanwhile, the monthly transaction volume of average bettors grew from $17 million in January 2022 to $188 million in March 2026; the transaction volume of daily gamblers increased twelvefold over the same period, indicating substantial expansion of incremental user groups. From a risk perspective, TRM Labs highlighted differing financial crime risks across the two platform types: gambling platforms face higher money laundering risks, whereas prediction markets are more likely to draw scrutiny over insider trading.
Bloomberg: AI threats are increasing, with over half of blockchain attacks in 2025 theoretically automatable by AI
in April 2026, two major DeFi attacks on Drift Protocol and Kelp DAO resulted in losses of nearly $600 million, triggering approximately $9 billion in capital outflows from protocols like Aave. TRM Labs investigator Nick Carlsen stated that a hacker group suspected to be linked to North Korea has allegedly used AI to assist in target selection and attack path design. Failsafe CEO Aneirin Flynn said that AI has compressed the time for discovering blockchain vulnerabilities from months to days or even hours. The report noted that Anthropic has not fully opened its AI model Mythos due to cybersecurity risks, claiming the model has the capability to discover large-scale zero-day vulnerabilities. Its research indicates that over half of blockchain attacks in 2025 could theoretically be completed autonomously by AI. (Bloomberg)
T3 Financial Crime Unit Freezes Over $450 Million in Illicit Crypto Assets
According to The Block, the T3 Financial Crime Unit (T3 FCU), jointly established by Tether, TRON, and TRM Labs, announced that since its founding in 2024, it has frozen over $450 million worth of illicit crypto assets globally. In 2025, the unit’s interception of illicit proceeds increased by 43.9% year-on-year, covering 23 jurisdictions including the United States, Spain, and Germany, and has been recognized by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) as “a critical resource for global law enforcement agencies.” The T3 FCU has participated in investigations across multiple crime categories, including exchange hacks, North Korea–related activities, terrorist financing, and violent crimes, and assisted Brazil’s Federal Police in freezing over $5.989 billion in assets—including 4.3 million USDT.
North Korea denies involvement in crypto theft allegations, accused of stealing over $570 million this year
North Korea has denied allegations of its involvement in cryptocurrency theft, calling the claims "absurd slander" and a "political tool." The statement, issued by state-run media, emphasized that necessary measures will be taken to safeguard national interests. However, data from blockchain analytics firm TRM Labs shows that in the first four months of 2026, hacker groups linked to North Korea have stolen approximately $577 million, accounting for about 76% of global crypto theft losses during the same period. This includes two major attacks on KelpDAO (approximately $292 million) and Drift Protocol (approximately $285 million).TRM pointed out that the attacks are primarily associated with the Lazarus Group and its sub-organizations. Since 2017, the cumulative scale of crypto theft linked to North Korea has exceeded $6 billion.U.S. and international agencies widely believe that such funds are used to support military and missile programs. Meanwhile, the U.S. Treasury Department has recently imposed sanctions on relevant individuals and entities, targeting approximately $800 million in illicit fund flows in 2024. (The Block)
North Korean hackers spent months meeting Drift Protocol employees in person before stealing $285 million
North Korean spies spent months conducting multiple in-person meetings with Drift Protocol employees before executing one of the largest social engineering attacks against a crypto protocol, stealing $285 million. According to TRM Labs data, losses attributed to North Korean hackers accounted for 76% of total crypto hack losses in 2026. (CoinDesk)
North Korean hackers accounted for 76% of cryptocurrency theft losses in 2026, having stolen over $6 billion cumulatively since 2017.
According to The Block, blockchain intelligence firm TRM Labs released a report stating that North Korean hacker groups stole approximately $577 million in crypto assets during the first four months of 2026—accounting for 76% of global hacking losses over the same period. All these losses stemmed from two major incidents that occurred in April: KelpDAO was attacked by the TraderTraitor group, resulting in $292 million in losses; and Drift Protocol was compromised by another North Korean sub-group, suffering $285 million in losses. Preparations for the latter attack began as early as March 11, and funds were fully extracted within 12 minutes. The two incidents employed distinct money-laundering pathways: stolen funds from Drift remain largely dormant on Ethereum, whereas funds stolen from KelpDAO were rapidly swapped into BTC via THORChain, with subsequent laundering facilitated by Chinese intermediaries. TRM Labs noted that since 2017, North Korea’s cumulative crypto theft has exceeded $6 billion—and its share of global losses has risen steadily, from less than 10% in 2020 to 64% in 2025.