Crypto Flows to Human Trafficking Networks Surge 85% in 2025

[cryptohog]

Crypto transactions linked to suspected human trafficking networks rose 85% year over year in 2025, according to a new report from Chainalysis. The firm said transaction volumes reached hundreds of millions of dollars, with much of the activity concentrated in Southeast Asia and closely connected to scam compounds, online casinos, and Chinese-language money-laundering networks.

The report found that payment methods varied widely, though international escort services and prostitution networks operated almost exclusively using stablecoins. Investigators also tracked Telegram-based escort services, labor agents allegedly kidnapping individuals into scam operations, and vendors tied to child exploitation material — highlighting how digital assets are being used across multiple layers of criminal infrastructure.

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damn 85% increase in crypto used for trafficking is terrifying