A growing share of global crypto crime is being driven by Chinese-language money laundering networks, which have processed an estimated 20% of illicit digital funds over the past five years, according to blockchain analysis firm Chainalysis.
Illicit cryptocurrency laundering climbed above $82 billion in 2025, according to a Chainalysis report released Tuesday, with Chinese-language money laundering networks accounting for $16.1 billion of that total. Their footprint has widened from a handful of active wallets a few years ago to nearly 1,800 in 2025, marking the emergence of a full-service underground ecosystem.
“These are groups that are growing exponentially,” Andrew Fierman, ...