Chainalysis: Illegal Cryptocurrency Transactions Hit $154 Billion Last Year, Sanctioned Entity Funds Flow Surge 694%

BlockBeats News, January 8th, Chainalysis released a report showing that in 2025, the tracking of national activities in the cryptocurrency field has significantly increased. Illegal organizations now operate large-scale on-chain infrastructure to help transnational criminal networks access goods and services and launder their illegally obtained cryptocurrency. Furthermore, stablecoins dominate the illicit transaction space, currently accounting for 84% of all illicit transaction volume.

The data shows that in 2025, illicit cryptocurrency transactions reached at least $154 billion. This is a 162% increase from the previous year, mainly due to a 694% surge in funds received by sanctioned entities. Even if the funds received by sanctioned entities remain unchanged from the previous year, 2025 will still be a record year for cryptocurrency crime, as activities in most illicit crime categories have seen an increase.