Cryptocurrency payments tied to suspected human trafficking services rose 85% in 2025, reaching hundreds of millions of dollars, according to a new report from Chainalysis.
Much of the activity is linked to groups operating in Southeast Asia, the report said, adding that nearly half of transactions from Telegram-based “international escort” services were for over $10,000.
Researchers also found that most payments in these networks were made using stablecoins, while other categories, such as CSAM vendors, used more Bitcoin or privacy coins (specifically Monero) for laundering. “Instant exchangers, which provide rapid and anonymous cryptocurrency swapping without KYC requirements, play a crucial role in this process,” the report reads.
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