Key Insights from the Crypto Crime Report 2025

The Crypto Crime Report 2025 indicates a rise in sophisticated cryptocurrency crimes, particularly with the emergence of organized laundering networks. Key vulnerabilities involve private key compromises, with rising thefts in stablecoins and recent focus on centralized service attacks, primarily attributed to nation-state actors. Enhanced reporting and compliance tools are needed to address these evolving challenges in the crypto landscape.

The Crypto Crime Report 2025 reveals significant shifts in cryptocurrency-related crime, with criminals now employing more sophisticated methods. These include extensive use of cryptocurrencies in diverse criminal activities such as national security threats and consumer fraud. Notably, organised networks are emerging that offer laundering services on a large scale, complicating the criminal landscape.

The report highlights that the compromise of private keys is now the leading attack vector, with this type of crime accounting for 43.8% of stolen funds. While decentralised finance (DeFi) has historically seen the most significant losses, attacks on centralized services have surged in 2024, particularly after the Bybit breach, escalating criminal targets and capital loss for such platforms.

Despite a perceived reduction in illicit activities in 2024, a conservative estimate indicates total illicit inflows could reach 51 billion dollars, driven by an increase of 25% annually in unlawful activities since 2020. Improved detection and reporting could soon reflect a more alarming picture, representing a challenge for regulators and law enforcement.

Malicious actors sponsored by states, particularly from North Korea, have intensified their efforts. In 2024, North Korean cybercriminals stole more than 1.34 billion dollars from various targets. The Bybit incident alone demonstrates the growing scale of attacks. Interestingly, stablecoins now constitute 63% of all illicit cryptocurrency transactions, reflecting a shift from Bitcoin, which remains prevalent in specific crimes like ransomware.