Chainalysis Reports $75B in Illicit Crypto Amid Government Seizure Plans
Chainalysis reports over $75 billion in illicit crypto remains untouched on public blockchains.
- Criminal-linked wallets hold nearly $15 billion in digital assets, with $60 billion linked to scams, hacks, or darknet markets.
- Darknet administrators control over $46 billion in crypto.
- Bitcoin is the dominant asset held by criminals, but Ethereum and stablecoin holdings are increasing.
Government Seizures and Strategic Reserves
- Since 2020, $14 billion annually from illicit sources hit centralized exchanges (CEXs), with a declining trend noted in 2025.
- Direct transfers to exchanges dropped from 40% in July 2022 to 15% in 2025.
- Stablecoins are less concentrated among criminals due to potential asset freezes.
- The US established the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile to manage seized crypto funds.
- Coordination of crypto seizures could enhance national treasuries, as seen in El Salvador and Bhutan.
- Chainalysis has aided authorities like Spain and the US in seizing $12.6 billion in illegal funds.
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