Three Types of Saboteurs in the Crypto World

First Type: External Influence
Representatives include Trump and Musk. The main business of these saboteurs is not in the crypto space; they just use their own influence and, as a bonus, make some money in the crypto market.
These saboteurs have a lot of influence, but they don’t only create negative news; sometimes they can also create some positive news.
Second Type: Internal Influence
Such as ZachXBT and major media outlets—whether intentionally or unintentionally, they release certain messages, so-called investigations, and from short-term news flow there’s a chance to gain opportunities.
These saboteurs mainly spread negative news, and occasionally release some fake news to create an instant positive sentiment. But it’s not certain whether it’s intentional or unintentional, and their influence is moderate.
Third Type: North Korean Hackers
Hackers who steal crypto assets often eventually get investigated through centralized institutions such as exchanges. Most of the stolen funds are likely to be returned, and part of the remainder is rewarded as if they were white-hat. So, the attack strength and negative impact of ordinary hackers are relatively limited.
But North Korean hackers are the exception. Because of their technical skills and identity, North Korean hackers are even more brazen about stealing crypto assets from the crypto industry.
I asked Grok, and Grok replied: "By the end of 2025, North Korea–linked hackers have stolen about $6.75 billion worth of cryptocurrency (lower-bound estimate)." This is still a conservative estimate. "In 2025: record-breaking theft of $2.02 billion in a single year."
Since 2025, North Korean hackers have been getting greedier and greedier. I sincerely advise all project teams not to harbor any luck or wishful thinking—any tiny vulnerability could be exploited.
North Korean hackers directly steal funds from crypto and continuously undermine confidence in the crypto market, and they have never brought any positive effects to the industry.
Honestly, my advice is for North Korean hackers to leave some room—if they crush this industry, what if they don’t have anywhere else to steal crypto from? $BTC ‌