Three key stories are shaping the crypto space today as the U.S. Senate Banking Committee prepares to mark up the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act (CLARITY), a new report reveals North Korea-linked hackers stole over $2 billion in crypto last year, and Ether treasury firm Bitmine has slowed its aggressive accumulation strategy.
CLARITY Act markup faces ethics concerns and unrelated housing provisions
The latest version of the CLARITY Act, released Monday by three Republican lawmakers, is drawing scrutiny ahead of a scheduled Thursday markup. While the bill aims to establish a federal framework for crypto market structure, the new text includes a housing provision called the Build Now Act — a pilot program to incentivize development in Community Development Block Grant jurisdictions. Critics argue the addition is unrelated to digital assets and could complicate bipartisan support.
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Democratic lawmakers are pushing for an ethics provision to be included, warning that without it, the bill may fail to secure the necessary votes for a Senate floor passage. The inclusion of non-crypto language has raised eyebrows among industry experts who expected a more focused approach following drafts released in July and September 2025. The bill also builds on earlier discussions between crypto and banking representatives over stablecoin yield regulation.
CertiK report: North Korea industrialized crypto theft into state revenue stream
A new report from blockchain security firm CertiK, shared with Cointelegraph on Tuesday, reveals that North Korea-linked hackers stole approximately $2.06 billion of the $3.4 billion lost to crypto hacks in 2025 — roughly 60% of all stolen value. The findings, part of CertiK’s Skynet report, attribute these losses to 79 incidents out of 656 documented that year, highlighting a shift toward fewer but higher-value operations targeting the largest capital pools.
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According to the report, between 2016 and early 2026, DPRK-linked actors stole an estimated $6.75 billion across 263 incidents, citing data from independent onchain researcher Taylor Monahan. CertiK concludes that North Korea has “industrialized” crypto theft as a core state revenue mechanism, with proceeds funding nuclear and ballistic missile programs. The report notes that while DPRK groups were behind only 12% of total incidents in 2025, they accounted for 60% of stolen value — a pattern CertiK describes as a focus on “precision and scale.”
What this means for the crypto industry
The scale of state-sponsored hacking underscores ongoing security vulnerabilities in the crypto ecosystem. For exchanges, DeFi protocols, and custodians, the report reinforces the need for reliable security measures, particularly against sophisticated, well-funded adversaries. For regulators, the findings may accelerate calls for stricter cybersecurity standards and international cooperation to track and recover stolen assets.
Bitmine slows Ether accumulation pace but maintains 5% supply target
Ether treasury company Bitmine Immersion Technologies announced Monday that it is slowing its weekly Ether purchases after a period of aggressive accumulation. The firm purchased 26,659 ETH over the past week, down from the more than 100,000 tokens per week it had been buying. Despite the reduced pace, Bitmine chairman Tom Lee reaffirmed the company’s goal of acquiring 5% of Ether’s 120.7 million circulating supply by the end of 2026.
“We have decided to slow down our pace of weekly accumulation from >100,000 per week as we originally targeted reaching the ‘alchemy of 5%’ target in late 2026,” Lee said in a statement. “Our previous pace of >100k weekly buys would have us reach 5% by mid-July.” Lee also expressed confidence that a “crypto spring” has begun, citing Ether’s price correlation with software stocks as evidence of a broader market recovery.
Conclusion
Today’s developments reflect a maturing crypto environment where regulatory progress, security threats, and institutional strategy converge. The CLARITY Act markup will test bipartisan willingness to advance crypto legislation, the CertiK report highlights persistent security risks from state actors, and Bitmine’s tempered accumulation strategy signals a more measured approach to institutional Ether exposure. Each story carries implications for market participants, policymakers, and the broader digital asset ecosystem.
FAQs
Q1: What is the CLARITY Act?
The Digital Asset Market Clarity Act (CLARITY) is a proposed U.S. federal bill aimed at establishing a regulatory framework for crypto market structure, including rules for digital asset classification, exchange oversight, and stablecoin regulation. The latest version includes an unrelated housing provision called the Build Now Act.
Q2: How much did North Korea-linked hackers steal in 2025?
According to CertiK’s Skynet report, North Korea-linked hackers stole approximately $2.06 billion of the $3.4 billion lost to crypto hacks in 2025, accounting for about 60% of all stolen value across 79 documented incidents.
Q3: Why is Bitmine slowing its Ether purchases?
Bitmine chairman Tom Lee said the company decided to reduce its weekly accumulation pace from over 100,000 ETH to around 26,659 ETH to align with a revised timeline for reaching its 5% supply target by the end of 2026, rather than mid-2026.
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