On October 31, 2026, hackers linked to North Korea transferred approximately $38 million through the Relay Protocol. The entire operation was completed within a seven-hour window, according to on-chain analysis.
Relay Protocol functions as a cross-chain bridge supporting over 85 networks with a median processing time of 2.7 seconds. Despite the activation of the platform's know-your-transaction system, the illicit transfers proceeded without interruption.
Investigators identified a specific Tron address associated with the activity. This discovery provides a starting point for tracking the movement of the stolen assets following the bridge transaction.
The protocol has seen significant growth, with cumulative volume exceeding $8.5 billion across more than 75 chains by early 2026. The incident has raised questions regarding the effectiveness of its current compliance mechanisms.
