Chainalysis
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.
Cryptocurrency transactions linked to suspected human trafficking operations reached hundreds of millions of dollars in 2025, an 85% increase from 2024, as detailed in Chainalysis's 2026 Crypto Crime Report—which documented a record $154 billion in overall illicit crypto activity. The surge is linked to Southeast Asia-based scam compounds, online gambling sites, and Chinese-language money laundering networks. Blockchain transparency aids detection amid these rising threats.
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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.