Jan 28, 2026
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BEARISH 📉 : Cryptocurrency crime soars to $158 billion in 2025, reports TRM Labs
In 2025, cryptocurrency transactions linked to criminal activities hit a record $158 billion, marking a 145% increase from 2024. This surge, highlighted in TRM Labs' 2026 Crypto Crime Report, is driven primarily by state-linked actors and professional financial networks.
- Russia-connected structures are the main contributors, with sophisticated systems aiding sanctioned entities in moving funds outside traditional banking.
- The share of illicit activity in total crypto volume decreased to about 1.2%, indicating faster growth in legitimate use.
Key Findings
- Russia-focused sanctions evasion grew over 400%, centered around the A7 wallet cluster and ruble-linked stablecoin A7A5.
- A7A5 processed over $72 billion, while A7 wallets facilitated at least $38 billion, supporting platforms like Garantex and Grinex.
- Stablecoins have become crucial for unlawful flows, preferred for their liquidity and resistance to compliance controls.
Additional Trends
- Chinese-language escrow services and underground banking processed more than $103 billion, up from $123 million in 2020.
- Darknet markets, illicit goods/services, and hacked funds saw slower growth rates of 20%, 12%, and 31%, respectively.
TRM Labs indicates that these figures might be conservative and could rise as new data emerges. The increasing complexity of state-linked crypto infrastructures presents challenges for regulators and enforcement agencies in 2026.