Crypto Crime vs. Reality: 99% of Activity Is Lawful — StarkWare & Cointelegraph Podcast Recap

[AIcash]

Crypto headlines often focus on hacks and scams, but that’s only part of the story. In this week’s Clear Crypto Podcast, brought to you by StarkWare and Cointelegraph, host Nathan sat down with Ari Redbord, global head of policy at TRM Labs and former U.S. federal prosecutor, to dig into what really drives crypto crime — and why the bigger picture is far more encouraging.

Key Takeaways from the Episode

1. Crime exists, but it’s a small slice of the pie

“We’ve seen about $50 billion in scams and fraud over the last two years,” Redbord explained. “But illicit activity still makes up about 1% of all activity within the crypto ecosystem. That means 99% is lawful.”

Bad actors may grab headlines, but they are not the norm.

2. Criminals may be early adopters — but the blockchain fights back

“Bad actors are always early adopters of transformative technology,” Redbord said.
“But every transaction is traceable, trackable, and immutable on a public ledger. That means we can investigate and enforce better than ever before.”

The very openness of blockchain gives compliance teams and law enforcement the data they need to catch criminals faster.

3. Privacy and security can coexist
   Far from being a zero-sum game, privacy and security can reinforce each other through cryptography.

Zero-knowledge proofs (zk-proofs)

Privacy pools

Digital identity frameworks

These tools help guarantee privacy for lawful users while shutting out actors like state-sponsored hackers.

A Community Built on Optimism

Despite high-profile breaches, Redbord sees a strong foundation:

“What keeps me so positive is the incredible community of builders, compliance professionals, and law enforcement working together every day.”

This collaboration is key to crypto’s long-term legitimacy and safety.

Listen to the full conversation
Catch the entire episode of the Clear Crypto Podcast on:

Cointelegraph Podcasts