TechFlow News, February 12: According to a Chainalysis report, cryptocurrency transaction volumes flowing to services suspected of human trafficking surged 85% year-on-year in 2025, totaling hundreds of millions of dollars. These services are concentrated primarily in Southeast Asia and include Telegram-based “international escort” services, “labor placement” intermediaries, prostitution networks, and child sexual abuse material (CSAM) providers.
The report states that “international escort” services are deeply integrated with cryptocurrency money laundering networks (CMLNs) and escrow platforms, with nearly half of all transactions exceeding $10,000. These services predominantly use stablecoins for transactions, while CSAM providers are increasingly shifting from Bitcoin to privacy-focused cryptocurrencies such as Monero to launder funds.
On-chain data analysis reveals that these Southeast Asian organizations exert global influence, with funds flowing into countries including Brazil, the United States, the United Kingdom, Spain, and Australia. Unlike cash transactions, cryptocurrency’s transparency offers law enforcement agencies and compliance teams an unprecedented opportunity to trace and combat these illicit activities.
