The post Chainalysis: Crypto Money Laundering Surged to $82 Billion in 2025 appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com.

Key Notes Chinese-language money laundering networks now handle 20% of all known illicit crypto activity, operating through six distinct service types. Wealthy individuals circumventing China’s capital controls provide liquidity that services organized crime groups across Europe and North America. Authorities face challenges combating these resilient operations despite China’s 2021 crypto ban and prosecution of over 3,000 individuals in 2024. Illicit cryptocurrency money laundering activity climbed to over $82 billion in 2025, marking an eightfold increase from $10 billion in 2020, according to blockchain analysis firm Chainalysis. The considerable growth reflects increased accessibility and liquidity of cryptocurrencies, associated with significant changes in laundering operations. Chinese-language money laundering networks (CMLNs) have surged to become dominant players, processing $16.1 billion—approximately $44 million daily across more than 1,799 active wallets—and now account for roughly 20% of known illicit laundering activity, according to the firm’s report. This represents growth 7,325 times faster than inflows to centralized exchanges since 2020. A graphic showing the value of money laundering from different sources and how CMLN dominates | Source: Chainalysis How CMLNs Operate: Six Service Types Fueling Illicit Transfers Chainalysis identified six distinct service types within the CMLN ecosystem: running point brokers, money mules, informal over-the-counter desks, Black U services, gambling platforms, and money movement services. Tom Keatinge, Director at Centre for Finance & Security at RUSI, told Chainalysis, “Very rapidly, these networks have developed into multi-billion dollar cross-border operations offering efficient, value-for-money laundering services that suit the needs of transnational organized crime groups across Europe and North America.” The networks primarily exploit China’s capital controls, with wealthy individuals seeking to move money out of China providing the liquidity pool to service organized crime groups. Chris Urben, Managing Director at Nardello & Co, explained that “the biggest change in Chinese money laundering networks in recent years is a…

---

Filed under: News - @ January 27, 2026 9:29 pm