A total of $82 billion in cryptocurrencies were used to launder money worldwide in 2025, according to a new report from blockchain research company Chainalysis.
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The amount of crypto used in money laundering schemes last year was up dramatically from $10 billion in 2020. Chainalysis said that the sharp increase was due, in large part, to fast-growing China-based criminal organizations that are relying on crypto to move illegal funds around the globe.
The report states that Chinese money-laundering networks managed to process about $40 million worth of crypto each day in 2025, a record amount. And while blockchains create a record of the wallet addresses involved in crypto transactions, identifying who is behind the digital wallets remains difficult.
China’s Crypto Problem
That laundering money using cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), and Dogecoin (DOGE) is thriving in China is surprising given that crypto trading is banned in China and digital tokens are not recognized as legal tender or assets in the nation of 1.4 billion people.
Yet Chainalysis identified nearly 1,800 active wallets used by Chinese money-laundering networks to process $16.1 billion worth of crypto in 2025. “Chinese-language guarantee platforms, money movement services and associated financial crime networks reveal a complex and resilient ecosystem that continues to adapt despite enforcement efforts,” said Chainalysis in its report.
Is Bitcoin a Buy?
Most analysts don’t offer ratings or price targets on Bitcoin. So instead, we’ll look at the three-month performance of BTC. As one can see in the chart below, the price of Bitcoin has fallen 21.52% in the last 12 weeks.
