Court-Authorized US Seizure Targets $1.2B Linked to Binance Hack
US authorities have obtained approval to seize $1.2 billion linked to the North Korea-attributed Binance hack, alongside action against a separate deepfake crypto scheme.
US authorities have obtained approval to seize $1.2 billion linked to the North Korea-attributed Binance hack, alongside action against a separate deepfake crypto scheme. This is an original TLT brief synthesising 2 outlets (Blockonomi, The Block), with their figures cross-checked, plus live market data, as of Fri, 13 Nov 2026 00:45:04 UTC.
The action represents a major cross-border recovery effort using court orders, while the parallel infrastructure seizure targets a separate method used to steal crypto through fraudulent video meetings.
- US authorities received court approval to seize $1.2 billion linked to the Binance hack.
- Blockonomi reports more than $2.7 billion was frozen in the broader case.
- The FBI links the attack to North Korean TraderTraitor; North Korea denies involvement.
- Bitcoin fell 3.51% over 24 hours as the market entered extreme fear.
Blockonomi and The Block both report that US authorities obtained court approval covering $1.2 billion in crypto stolen in the Binance attack linked to North Korea’s TraderTraitor. They do not dispute the $1.2 billion figure, although Blockonomi places it within broader reported totals of more than $6 billion in losses and more than $2.7 billion frozen. Their emphasis differs: Blockonomi includes the FBI attribution, North Korea’s denial and figures associated with the separate FaceStealer scheme, while The Block focuses more directly on the DOJ-backed seizure and the takedown of FaceStealer infrastructure.
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- Court-Authorized US Seizure Targets $1.2B Linked to Binance Hack — this brief
US authorities have obtained court approval to seize $1.2 billion in cryptocurrency connected to the Binance hack, according to The Block and Blockonomi. The Block identifies the legal action as a Department of Justice initiative, while Blockonomi reports that the amount is covered by court orders as part of a wider enforcement effort involving the Binance theft.
Blockonomi says the FBI attributes the attack to North Korean hackers operating under the name TraderTraitor. North Korea has denied any involvement, leaving the attribution disputed publicly even as US authorities pursue the assets through the court system. The authorized seizure targets stolen crypto rather than representing a newly reported theft.
The outlets agree on the central $1.2 billion figure but provide different levels of context. Blockonomi reports cumulative Binance hack losses above $6 billion and says more than $2.7 billion was frozen, including the amount covered by court orders. The Block narrows its summary to the $1.2 billion seizure and the parallel action against FaceStealer infrastructure.
That parallel action concerns a separate fake-meeting and deepfake scam, The Block reports. Blockonomi says authorities seized infrastructure used by the FaceStealer operation, which was responsible for taking more than $400 million in the scheme. It also says the operation was distinct from the Binance attack and TraderTraitor activity.
The broader market backdrop was weak when the enforcement news emerged. Total crypto market capitalization was $2.45 trillion, the overall market was broadly lower, 
Bitcoin had declined 3.51% over 24 hours, and the Fear & Greed index stood at 20, labeled Extreme Fear. The court-backed seizure is significant as a recovery mechanism, while execution of the orders and the status of the seized FaceStealer infrastructure remain the next operational points to monitor.
1 key figure independently matched across 2 outlets reporting this story.
TLT extracts the figures each outlet reports and flags the ones that agree. Numbers cited by only one outlet are attributed in the brief, not shown as corroborated.
Court-Authorized US Seizure Targets $1.2B Linked to Binance — questions & answers
How much crypto did US authorities approve for seizure?
Both Blockonomi and The Block report a court-approved amount of $1.2 billion connected to the Binance hack.
Who is blamed for the Binance attack?
The FBI attributes the attack to North Korean hackers known as TraderTraitor, according to Blockonomi. North Korea has denied involvement.
What was the separate FaceStealer operation?
It was a fake-meeting and deepfake scam described as distinct from the Binance attack. Blockonomi reports that more than $400 million was stolen.
Which outlets reported this story?
This is an original TLT brief that synthesises reporting from Blockonomi, The Block, with the key figures cross-checked for agreement across them. It is not a copy of any one article — follow the source links above for the original reporting.
Original summary — not financial advice. This is an original TLT brief that summarises a development reported elsewhere and adds live market data for context; it is not the original article and reproduces no part of it. Follow the source link above for full details. Crypto is volatile and high-risk — always do your own research.