Despite 2024 being a year of major milestones for crypto, with institutions increasingly adopting digital assets, крипто-преступность remained a significant concern. A report from Chainalysis, a leading blockchain security firm, reveals a staggering $40 billion landed in the hands of illicit crypto addresses.

That $40 billion figure is just an early estimate, and experts expect it to climb throughout 2025 as more details about past crypto crimes come to light. This illicit cryptocurrency is linked to a range of illegal activities, from scams and malware to fraud and operations on the darknet.

While 2023 saw a total of $46.1 billion in illicit crypto, Chainalysis predicts 2024’s final count will unfortunately surpass this, potentially reaching an estimated $51.3 billion once all criminal activity is fully accounted for.

It’s important to note that this total focuses specifically on crypto-related crimes. It doesn’t include revenue from more traditional illegal activities like drug trafficking or money laundering, even when cryptocurrency is used as the payment method, according to the report.

Interestingly, the approval of spot Bitcoin ETFs in 2024 spurred a massive influx of institutional investment. This surge in legitimate crypto volume actually reduced the proportion of criminal activity in the overall market. Illicit transactions now represent just 0.14% of all crypto transactions, a significant drop from 0.61% in 2023.

Criminals are also evolving their methods for moving illicit funds. Back in 2021, Bitcoin (BTC) was involved in around 70% of all illicit transactions. Now, the tables have turned dramatically, with stablecoins taking the lead. Bitcoin now accounts for roughly 20% of illicit transactions, while stablecoins dominate at 63%.

Privacy coins like Monero (XMR) are also worth highlighting, largely due to their popularity within darknet markets. Overall, altcoins (cryptocurrencies other than Bitcoin and Ether) represent approximately 10% of all illicit transaction volume.

Finally, it’s crucial to consider that the 2025 crime figures might be skewed upwards due to February’s massive $1.5 billion hack of the Bybit exchange – the largest single crypto theft recorded to date – which primarily involved Ether (ETH).