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BTCC / BTCC Square / Global Cryptocurrency /
Crypto Crime Wave Peaks in 2025 with $154B in Illicit Transactions

Crypto Crime Wave Peaks in 2025 with $154B in Illicit Transactions

Author:
Global Cryptocurrency
Published:
2026-01-08 17:56:02
9
3
BTCCSquare news:

Illicit cryptocurrency addresses absorbed a staggering $154 billion in 2025, marking the third wave of cybercrime evolution according to Chainalysis. The first wave (2009-2019) featured niche hackers, while the second (2020-2024) saw professionalized criminal networks building on-chain infrastructure. The current phase involves nation-states exploiting crypto to evade sanctions at scale, driving a 162% YoY surge in illicit activity.

Sanctioned entities alone accounted for a 694% annual increase in transaction volume. North Korean hackers set a grim record with $2 billion stolen—$1.5 billion from February’s Bybit exploit, now the largest crypto heist in history. Their preference for liquid stablecoins (USDT, USDC, BUSD) underscores the asset class’s role in global cybercrime.

Russia’s ruble-backed A7A5 stablecoin facilitated $93 million in illicit flows, highlighting state-sponsored crypto weaponization. Stablecoins dominated criminal transactions with 84% market share.

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