empty
26.01.2022 05:35 PM
Crypto reputation tarnished by money laundering

More than $8.6 billion in cryptocurrencies were laundered by cybercriminals in 2021 - up by 30% from 2020, a report by Chainalysys said.

According to the report, which was released on January 26, more than $33 billion worth of crypto were laundered since 2017. Due to rising crypto prices, most of the total laundered money was moved to centralized exchanges over time.

The sharp rise in money laundering activity in 2021 is not surprising, given the significant growth of both legal and illegal crypto activity last year, Chainalysis said.

Furthermore, rising stock prices could have led to speculative traders using the crypto market crypto to convert their gains into cash or vice versa.

During money laundering, cash that was acquired from illegal activities is being legalized and transferred to accounts of legal institutions, and its true origin is concealed.

According to Chainalysis, only 17% of the laundered $8.6 billion went to decentralized finance applications (DeFi, DAO, etc.), referring to the sector which facilitates crypto-denominated financial transactions outside traditional banks. This was up from 2% in 2020

In theory, the rising amount of DeFi transactions should have led to an increased inflow of illegally-acquired cash. However, a sizeable portion of the laundered money was likely moved to more popular market sectors.

Mining pools, high-risk exchanges, and mixers also saw substantial increases in value received from illicit addresses, the report said. Mixers typically combine potentially identifiable or tainted cryptocurrency funds with others, in order to conceal the trail to the fund's original source.

Wallet addresses associated with theft sent just under half of their stolen funds, or more than $750 million worth of crypto in total, to decentralized finance platforms. Legalizing laundered funds via DeFi could probably be easier compared to other means. Furthermore, it could also serve as a profitable yet risky investment, with yield higher than those offered by bonds or deposits in regular banks.

Chainalysis also clarified that the $8.6 billion laundered last year represents funds derived from crypto-native crime such as darknet market sales or ransomware attacks in which profits are in crypto instead of fiat currencies.

"It's more difficult to measure how much fiat currency derived from off-line crime — traditional drug trafficking, for example — is converted into cryptocurrency to be laundered. However, we know anecdotally this is happening," Chainalysis said.

Crypto tokens could be used for both legitimate and illegal purposes. However, increased government regulation could be necessary to minimize the crypto's misuse by cybercriminals. Otherwise, the resulting scrutiny and accusations could severely undermine the crypto industry.

Egor Danilov,
Especialista em análise na InstaForex
© 2007-2025
Selecionar intervalo de tempo
5
min
15
min
30
min
1
hora
4
horas
1
dia
1
s.
Ganhe com as variações das taxas das criptomoedas com a InstaForex.
Baixe o MetaTrader 4 e abra a sua primeira operação.
  • Grand Choice
    Contest by
    InstaForex
    InstaForex always strives to help you
    fulfill your biggest dreams.
    PARTICIPE DO CONCURSO

Recommended Stories

Recomendações de negociação para o mercado de criptomoedas em 14 de março

Atualmente, o Bitcoin e o Ethereum estão se consolidando dentro de canais, criando condições que podem levar a novas quedas. Embora muitos especialistas concordem que as baixas já foram atingidas

Miroslaw Bawulski 17:04 2025-03-14 UTC+2

Análise técnica do movimento intradiário de preços da criptomoeda Uniswap, sexta-feira, 14 de março de 2025

Pelo que é observado no gráfico de 4 horas da criptomoeda Uniswap, embora ainda esteja sob pressão, como indicado pelo movimento de preço abaixo da EMA (21) inclinada para baixo

Arief Makmur 14:59 2025-03-14 UTC+2

Análise técnica do movimento intradiário de preços da criptomoeda Doge, sexta-feira, 14 de março de 2025

Com o aparecimento da convergência entre o movimento de preços da criptomoeda Doge e o indicador Oscilador Estocástico, há uma indicação de que, no futuro próximo, o Doge

Arief Makmur 14:51 2025-03-14 UTC+2

Outra consolidação antes de uma queda

O Bitcoin e o Ethereum continuam tentando avançar, mas enfrentam obstáculos a cada movimento, indicando que essa alta pode ser apenas uma fase de consolidação dentro de uma correção baixista

Jakub Novak 13:14 2025-03-14 UTC+2

Bitcoin se prepara para um retorno

Com o Bitcoin e o Ether se recuperando fortemente de suas mínimas anuais, o mercado em alta ainda não parece ter chegado ao fim. Nesse contexto, a senadora Cynthia Lummis

Jakub Novak 20:32 2025-03-13 UTC+2

Trading Recommendations for the Cryptocurrency Market on March 13

Bitcoin and Ethereum are locked within new channels. On the positive side, the intense selling pressure observed at the beginning of the week has subsided. However, there are concerns about

Miroslaw Bawulski 17:30 2025-03-13 UTC+2

Compradores de Bitcoin e Ethereum lutam para obter o controle

O Bitcoin continua sua recuperação após a grande liquidação no início da semana. Entretanto, o fracasso de ontem em romper a alta semanal lança dúvidas sobre a perspectiva de alta

Jakub Novak 14:35 2025-03-13 UTC+2

Bitcoin depende do sentimento do mercado de ações dos EUA

O mercado de criptomoedas teve uma leve recuperação após outra liquidação no início desta semana. No entanto, a situação continua tensa, e a pressão de venda pode retornar a qualquer

Jakub Novak 14:15 2025-03-12 UTC+2
Não pode falar agora?
Faça sua pergunta no chat.
Widget callback
 

Dear visitor,

Your IP address shows that you are currently located in the USA. If you are a resident of the United States, you are prohibited from using the services of InstaFintech Group including online trading, online transfers, deposit/withdrawal of funds, etc.

If you think you are seeing this message by mistake and your location is not the US, kindly proceed to the website. Otherwise, you must leave the website in order to comply with government restrictions.

Why does your IP address show your location as the USA?

  • - you are using a VPN provided by a hosting company based in the United States;
  • - your IP does not have proper WHOIS records;
  • - an error occurred in the WHOIS geolocation database.

Please confirm whether you are a US resident or not by clicking the relevant button below. If you choose the wrong option, being a US resident, you will not be able to open an account with InstaForex anyway.

We are sorry for any inconvenience caused by this message.