Highlight clip: Coinbase CEO: North Korean hackers seek remote jobs to infiltrate crypto companies (archive photo).
Recent crypto platform hacks have renewed attention to North Korea's infiltration tactics. In an interview with Stripe on August 20, 2025, Coinbase founder and CEO Brian Armstrong said that many North Korean operatives sought remote jobs at crypto companies, some receiving off-camera training during video interviews. Coinbase responded by requiring personal identification in the US and stronger identity checks for sensitive access to the system. He also revealed that attackers offered support staff hundreds of thousands of dollars to smuggle in phones and take screenshots. Coinbase has tightened access to support staff and offered a $20 million reward for information leading to the arrest or conviction of those responsible.