Overview
- On-chain money laundering reached more than $82 billion in 2025, up from roughly $10 billion in 2020, according to a new Chainalysis analysis.
- Chinese-language money-laundering networks processed about $16.1 billion last year—roughly $44 million per day—across nearly 1,800 active wallets, accounting for about 20% of identified activity.
- Inflows to these networks grew 7,325 times faster than those to centralized exchanges since 2020, outpacing decentralized finance and intra-illicit flows by wide margins.
- Chainalysis outlines six core service types—running-point brokers, money mule networks, OTC/P2P desks, Black U services, gambling venues, and Telegram-based guarantee platforms that serve as escrow and reputation hubs.
- Experts cite demand from capital-control evasion as a liquidity driver, while authorities report prosecutions and disruptions yet note that core networks migrate quickly and remain resilient.