Crypto Crime
Chinese-language networks laundered $16.1 billion in crypto in 2025
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A new report from blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis reveals that Chinese-language money laundering networks processed $16.1 billion in illicit cryptocurrency funds last year, accounting for about 20% of all known crypto laundering activity. These Telegram-based operations have grown dramatically since 2020, outpacing other laundering channels by thousands of times. The findings highlight the networks' role in facilitating global crime while evading enforcement efforts.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg outlined his second-term priorities during a speech at New York Law School, emphasizing guns, shoplifting, and cryptocurrency enforcement. He highlighted crypto's role in enabling other crimes and called for stronger regulations. Bragg stressed a systemic approach to prosecution beyond individual offenders.
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Building on late-2025 reports of record $2.7 billion in cryptocurrency heists, illicit addresses received at least $154 billion in 2025—a 162% year-over-year increase—according to the introduction to Chainalysis's 2026 Crypto Crime Report, published January 8, 2026. The surge was driven by a 694% rise in funds to sanctioned entities, with growth across most illicit categories even excluding that factor. The report emphasizes the professionalization of crypto crime, including nation-state involvement and specialized laundering services.