Catenaa, Sunday, March 23, 2025 – Crypto exchange OKX has temporarily suspended its decentralized exchange (DEX) aggregator following European regulatory scrutiny over allegations that North Korean hackers laundered stolen funds through the platform.
In a March 17 statement, OKX confirmed that its DeFi services were targeted by the Lazarus Group, a hacking collective accused of multiple crypto heists. The exchange said the move would allow it to implement security upgrades to prevent further misuse.
“After consulting with regulators, we made the proactive decision to temporarily suspend our DEX aggregator services,” OKX stated, adding that wallet functionalities would remain active.
The suspension follows reports that nearly $100 million from the $1.5 billion Bybit hack was funneled through OKX’s Web3 DEX. European financial authorities have since launched an investigation into the platform’s role.
OKX dismissed the allegations as misleading, arguing that its aggregater merely provides liquidity and does not facilitate illicit transactions. The exchange also claimed it took swift action after the Bybit hack, freezing suspicious funds on its centralized exchange.
To bolster security, OKX has introduced new safeguards, including real-time tracking of hacker addresses and improvements in blockchain transaction tagging. The company maintains that its Web3 DEX does not act as a custodian and has called media reports on the issue inaccurate.
