Annual Report
The 2026 Crypto Crime Report
The definitive annual analysis of cryptocurrency-based crime. Our most comprehensive edition yet, covering ransomware, darknet markets, scams, sanctions evasion, and the rise of AI-enabled fraud.
Key findings
Based on on-chain analysis of billions of transactions across hundreds of blockchains, the 2026 Crypto Crime Report reveals the full scope of illicit activity in the digital asset ecosystem.
Down 14% from the prior year peak as law enforcement actions disrupted major threat actors.
Despite a record number of incidents, actual payments declined as more victims refused to pay.
Pig butchering and investment fraud remained the dominant threat category by volume.
Smart contract vulnerabilities and access control failures drove the majority of protocol losses.
What's inside
The State of Crypto Crime in 2025
An overview of the overall illicit crypto landscape, key trends, and what changed from prior years.
Ransomware
Record attack volume but declining payments: how victim resistance and international cooperation reshaped the threat.
Scams and Social Engineering
Pig butchering, investment fraud, and the rise of AI-generated deepfake scams targeting high-net-worth individuals.
Darknet Markets
Fragmentation of the darknet after major takedowns, and the emergence of new decentralized drug markets.
Sanctions Evasion
How sanctioned entities adapted to blockchain analytics and the jurisdictions enabling state-sponsored evasion.
DeFi Hacks and Exploits
A deep dive into the most significant protocol exploits of 2025 and the security lessons for builders and auditors.
AI-Enabled Crypto Crime
The emerging intersection of large language models, deepfakes, and blockchain-based fraud at scale.
Policy and Regulatory Responses
How regulators around the world responded to the evolving threat landscape and what's coming in 2026.
Download the full report
Over 200 pages of data, analysis, and actionable insights for compliance teams, law enforcement, and security researchers.
- 200+ pages of original research
- Exclusive on-chain data
- Country and sector breakdowns
- Practitioner case studies
- Policy recommendations