★ Deployer linked within 3 hops to DPRK/Lazarus
Axelar Network's assessment for RD-F-125 — scored green on the v1.7.0 rubric. The evidence below is the curator's reasoning for this score.
Evidence summary #
No OFAC SDN-listed address in the deployer funding chain (AscendEX Hot Wallet at 2-hop). No Chainalysis-labeled or publicly-documented Lazarus cluster address identified in any search. Multiple explicit searches ('Axelar Network Interop Labs Sergey Gorbunov DPRK OR Lazarus OR North Korea') return zero adverse results. Axelar bridge used as a passive cross-chain venue by potentially-DPRK-linked funds does NOT constitute team-level cluster proximity per rubric — that is a Cat 11 (realtime-intel) finding. No F125 red trigger applicable. DPRK-confirmed escalation: NOT required.
Sources #
- EtherscanAxelar: Deployer | EtherscanDeployer funding chain: 0xa57adce1 <- 0xE7bc267a (AscendEX Hot Wallet) — 2-hop is a CEX, not DPRK-cluster; clean chainretrieved 2026-05-17
- Circle acquires Interop Labs team, initial developer of Axelar Network | The BlockWebSearch 'Axelar Network Interop Labs Sergey Gorbunov DPRK OR Lazarus OR North Korea' — zero adverse results; all results are routine business/acquisition newsretrieved 2026-05-17
- OFAC SDN: Lazarus Group (reference) — Axelar not listedOFAC SDN list search — Axelar Network and Interop Labs not listed; no Axelar-related entries foundretrieved 2026-05-17
Methodology #
Determine whether the deployer address has an on-chain path of ≤3 hops to a Chainalysis/OFAC DPRK-labeled cluster address.
See the full factor methodology and distribution across all protocols →