A new research by the leading blockchain analytics company reveals that crypto transactions for human trafficking grew explosively in 2025.
Crypto-linked Trafficking Transactions Up by 85%
In a new analysis published on Thursday, Chainalysis says that the volume of crypto assets that were funneled to suspected human trafficking services surged by 85% last year, with total transactions reaching hundreds of millions of dollars.
“Unlike cash transactions that leave no trace, the transparency of blockchain technology provides unprecedented visibility into these operations, creating unique opportunities for detection and disruption that would be impossible with traditional payment methods,” Chainlink explains of the rising use of cryptocurrency in trafficking transactions.
The report says the increase in crypto flows to these illicit services coincides with the growth of Southeast Asian scam compounds, online casinos, gambling sites and Chinese-language money laundering (CMLN) and guarantee networks that largely operate using the Telegram messaging app.
Payment Methods Vary Across Trafficking Services
Chainalysis tracked four primary categories of crypto-facilitated human trafficking—international escort services, labor placement agents that facilitate kidnapping and forced labor for scam compounds, prostitution networks and child sexual abuse material (CSAM) vendors.
The report says that payment methods vary significantly across these categories with international escort services and prostitution networks operating almost exclusively using Bitcoin. CSAM vendors, on the other hand, traditionally relied heavily on the flagship cryptocurrency but is gradually veering away from the asset following the emergence of new altcoins.
The networks operate in mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and several Southeast Asian countries. Analysis also shows that large-scale crypto transactions received significant flows from the US, UK, Brazil, Spain, and Australia,
“These Southeast Asian services exemplify how cryptocurrency technology enables trafficking operations to facilitate payments and obscure money flows across borders more efficiently than ever before. The diversity of destination countries suggests these networks have developed sophisticated infrastructure for global operations.”
