As Crypto Money Laundering Soars, the Law Fights Back
Crypto money laundering has surged at a staggering pace, reaching at least $82 billion last year, up from just $10 billion in 2020. As crypto markets have become more liquid, laundering operations have grown more sophisticated and more brazen, operating openly across messaging platforms and blockchains while governments struggle to keep up.
Much of the growth in crypto laundering has come from Chinese-language money-laundering networks, according to the report from Chainalysis. Those groups processed nearly $40 million worth of crypto per day in 2025. Chainalysis estimates that Chinese networks now launder more than 10% of the funds stolen worldwide in so-called “pig butchering”…
