North Korean hackers move $38M through Relay Protocol in 7 hours

What happened

Users send assets on one network and receive them on another. Research compiled on the incident found that approximately $38 million was bridged through Relay within the seven-hour window.

One specific Tron address was identified in connection with the activity observed on October 31. The incident highlights vulnerabilities in cross-chain protocols, potentially prompting stricter regulations and compliance scrutiny in the crypto sector.

The activity took place on October 31, 2026.

Seven hours, $38 million, one bridge Relay Protocol is a cross-chain bridge. The protocol provides support for transfers across more than 85 networks, with a median processing time of approximately 2.7 seconds.

Relay’s know-your-transaction (KYT) system was activated during the episode, yet the illicit transfers reportedly continued without interruption. That detail matters because it gives investigators and compliance teams a concrete thread to pull on as they trace where the funds went next.

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