Crypto is playing a growing role in human trafficking networks, report
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Cryptocurrency payments to suspected human trafficking syndicates surged 85% in 2025, with hundreds of millions of transactions traced on public blockchains, according to a new report by Chainalysis.
The U.S.-based blockchain analytics firm said most of the activity was linked to an expanding criminal ecosystem in Southeast Asia, where scam compounds, illegal online gambling operations and Chinese-language money laundering networks operate in unison.
Chainalysis said in its report that crypto activity by human traffickers largely fell into three categories: International escort and prostitution services; labor placement agents and scam compounds; and child sexual abuse material (CSAM) vendors.
While data on the blockchain shows most services were concentrated in Southeast Asia, customers sent payments from across North and South America, Europe and Australia, highlighting the global reach of the operations.
The report also found that cybercriminals are increasingly relying on messaging platforms such as Telegram to advertise their services, recruit victims, and coordinate payments.
“There’s a broader migration from older darknet forums into messaging apps and semi‑open Telegram ecosystems, which, combined with crypto, let these networks scale faster, run ‘customer services,’ and move money globally with much less friction,” Chainalysis intelligence analyst Tom McLouth told CNBC.
However, Chainalysis adds that the transparency of public blockchains also provides “unprecedented visibility” into criminal financial flows, which watchdogs and authorities rely on to disrupt activities.
“The key takeaway is that the true financial scale is large, at least hundreds of millions of USD worth of crypto transactions, and the physical harm is orders of magnitude greater than any dollar figure,” said McLouth.
Escort and prostitution networks
Blockchain activity suggests that highly organized networks were behind many transactions.
While some escort services and sex work operate legally, the report said potential trafficking operations can be identified through distinct financial behaviors.
In particular, suspected networks are increasingly relying on stablecoins and Chinese‑language money laundering groups to cash out quickly, McLouth said.
These laundering networks operate primarily through Chinese-language Telegram channels, which can help cybercriminals “clean” illicit funds by moving them through cryptocurrency. Chainalysis estimates that those services funneled at least $16.1 billion in illicit funds in 2025.
Data showed that crypto-linked international escort services also accounted for a significant share of higher-value transfers tracked by Chainalysis, with nearly half of transactions exceeding $10,000.
Listings reviewed by researchers advertised cross-border travel packages, multi-day “companionship” services and tiered pricing structures, with VIP packages priced above…
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