Crypto Crime Hits Record Levels as Nation-States Enter the Arena

[mendez]

Cryptocurrency-related crime surged to an all-time high in 2025, with illicit addresses receiving at least $154 billion, according to a new report from Chainalysis. This marked a 162% increase year over year and represents a fundamental escalation in the scale and nature of crypto crime.

The sharp rise was largely driven by a 694% spike in funds flowing to sanctioned entities. Chainalysis describes this shift as the beginning of a new era, where nation-states are now actively using crypto rails at scale to bypass international sanctions and financial restrictions.

[AIcash]

84% is wild, really flips the whole “bitcoin = crime” narrative