Bybit, the world's second-largest cryptocurrency exchange, has filed a civil lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, alleging that North Korea and its affiliated hacking group, Lazarus Group, stole approximately $1.5 billion in Ethereum (over 400,000 ETH and stETH) on February 21, 2025. Bybit stated that it has obtained a preliminary injunction to freeze a portion of the allegedly stolen digital assets for preservation during the litigation. North Korea is accused of using the illicit proceeds to fund its weapons programs.