Cryptocurrency flows to suspected trafficking services jumped 85% in 2025.

Cryptocurrency payments to suppliers of fentanyl precursor chemicals began falling in mid-2023, months before overdose deaths declined.

This pattern suggests that blockchain data may provide an early signal of disruptions in the illicit drug supply, according to a new report from Chainalysis.

Early Disruption in Fentanyl Supply

The blockchain data company observed a measurable drop in on-chain payments linked to vendors of chemicals commonly used in fentanyl production well before official mortality statistics reflected a reduction in fatalities. Because overdose data is typically released with…