- Binance founder Changpeng Zhao warned that AI is making cyberattacks easier and urged financial firms to strengthen their defences using the same technology.
- CZ called for an industry-wide security alliance to share best practices, conduct cross-audits and coordinate faster responses to stolen funds.
- Binance described the US$6.3 billion hack, attributed by the FBI to North Korean attackers, as a sophisticated campaign involving fake recruitment, compromised software and malware.
- The exchange detailed incidents targeting engineers in June and September 2026 and said it had blocked 57 additional suspected North Korea-linked attacks this year.
Changpeng “CZ” Zhao, the founder of Binance and its former CEO, has warned about a growing number of cyberattacks increasingly fuelled by AI. In an interview with Yahoo Finance, he said there is always a possibility of a hack and that there is “no 100% security”. At the same time, he urges that companies should use AI to boost their defence against potential future attacks.
AI has made hacking so much easier now and the AI so far has not made defence a lot easier. […] And now the industry, the whole global financial system needs to catch up on the AI defence. And we have to use AI as well.
Changpeng “CZ” Zhao, Binance founder
In a separate interview on the Talking Tokens podcast, CZ went even further and called for tighter collaboration. He said the industry should be “forming some kind of industry alliance on security”, which would allow the industry to learn from mistakes made and “share the best practices, cross audits, help each other freeze funds very quickly, etc.”
Zhao pointed to the interconnection of the whole finance industry, stressing that what’s happening in crypto is not happening in isolation.
What’s bad for crypto on this scale has real economic impact elsewhere.
Changpeng “CZ” Zhao, Binance founder
While he said he hadn’t talked to Trump or any other US official, he welcomed government assistance.
Read more: Strive CEO Says Binance Hack Doesn’t Change Bitcoin Investment Case
Sophisticated North Korean Heist
The Binance incident, in which hackers linked to North Korea by the FBI stole US$6.3 billion (AU$9 billion), is still unfolding. In a Tuesday report, Binance revealed how well planned the attack was, describing it as a “sophisticated, multi-stage campaign”.
According to the exchange’s initial report, the attackers ran a layered campaign, using fake recruitment, tampered software, and stealthy malware. In June 2026, while attempting to install an AI coding tool, an engineer downloaded a tampered installer, exposing information about his role and colleagues despite a quick response.
In September, another engineer was lured by fake interviewers into downloading a “test assignment” that contained malware that evaded detection. The company also blocked 57 other suspected North Korea-linked attempts this year.
Richard Teng, co-chief executive officer of Binance, said: “This was not a single mistake or a single breach. It was a campaign built over many months.”
Read more: Strategy and Strive Load Up on Bitcoin as Treasury Rankings Race Heats Up
