European Authorities Seize $29M in Bitcoin, Shut Down Cryptomixer

European authorities have dismantled a significant crypto mixing service and seized $29 million in Bitcoin. The joint operation, involving Europol, Swiss, and German authorities, occurred between November 24 and November 28, 2025.

Key Actions

Seized three servers in Switzerland.
Disabled the domain Cryptomixer.io.
Recovered approximately 12 terabytes of data.

The service, operational since 2016, was reportedly linked to €1.3 billion in laundered Bitcoin. It functioned as a hybrid mixer, complicating the traceability of funds by pooling, jumbling, and redistributing coins.

Implications

Criminals used the service for activities like drug sales, ransomware attacks, and fraud.
The seized data could reveal additional illicit transactions and identities involved.
Despite the takedown, tracing all tainted coins remains challenging due to transaction scrambling.

While seen as a significant action against money laundering, the broader issue persists as criminals may shift to other services or tools. Continued efforts and legal measures are needed to address ongoing challenges in crypto crime.