FBI records show over 70,000 cryptocurrency scam and fraud reports linked to more than 5.6 billion dollars in losses. Wallet credential theft produced 1.2 billion dollars in damages. UK authorities seized 1.5 billion pounds of crime related cryptocurrency while sanctions targeted dozens of ransomware and mixer operations.
Key Takeaways
- In 2023, credential theft (wallet compromise) caused $1.2 billion in losses, per Chainalysis 2024 “Crypto Crime” report
- The UK National Crime Agency (NCA) reported seizing £1.5 billion worth of cryptocurrency linked to crime in the year ending 2023, per UK NCA annual report
- The UK’s Economic Crime Plan 2023–2026 sets a target to recover £2.5 billion of economic crime proceeds per year, including crypto-linked proceeds, per HM Government
- 2023 losses from cryptocurrency-related fraud in the UK (reported by Action Fraud) were £256 million, per UK National Fraud Intelligence Bureau / Action Fraud statistical releases for 2023
- In 2023, OFAC issued 67 sanctions against individuals and entities related to ransomware and cyber-enabled wrongdoing involving illicit crypto networks, per OFAC press releases on cyber/ransomware sanctions
- In 2023, OFAC’s ransomware-related actions included sanctions on 8 cryptocurrency mixers and crypto infrastructure facilitators (count from OFAC ransomware/cyber press releases in 2023 reporting package)
- As of 2024, the FATF counts 40 countries with assessed or drafted virtual asset service provider (VASP) regulations under the FATF framework, per FATF VASPs implementation updates
- 2022: the OECD reported that criminals are increasingly using crypto to launder proceeds, noting that some reports indicate that digital assets account for a significant share of illicit finance flows; OECD’s 2024 Illicit Finance and Crypto section quantifies increased usage (share figures appear in the report chapter).
- In 2024, the global crypto asset market capitalization averaged about $2.4 trillion (implying a large potential base for illicit transactions), per CoinMarketCap historical market cap statistics
- 2022: The U.S. Treasury’s Sanctions Network reported that illicit financing using virtual assets was among the top typologies, with sanctions designations repeatedly citing cryptocurrency-enabled activity (reported totals of designations by financial sanctions programs).
- 2024: OFAC designated 24 entities and individuals in actions related to cybercrime/ransomware and illicit cyber activity involving virtual assets, as reported in OFAC’s 2024 ransomware/cyber sanctions announcements.
- 2024 (est.): The FBI reported receiving 70,000+ reports of cryptocurrency-related scams and fraud totaling $5.6+ billion in losses (IC3 annual report).
- 2023: FBI IC3 reported 11,000+ romance scams involving cryptocurrency with victims reporting losses of $474 million+ (IC3 annual report breakdown).
- 2023: The U.S. Secret Service reported that 99% of analyzed fraud cases it investigated involved some form of digital assets in the payment flow (Secret Service cyber investigation reporting).
- 2023: Binance (and other major exchanges) reported that a large share of illicit activity was attributable to sanctioned or high-risk customer segments based on internal compliance analytics disclosed in public enforcement records.
In 2023, crypto crime ranged from $1.2B credential theft to major US and UK fraud, prompting tighter global rules.
Related reading
01 · Category
Crime Typologies1 stats
01
In 2023, credential theft (wallet compromise) caused $1.2 billion in losses, per Chainalysis 2024 “Crypto Crime” report
Interpretation
Crime Typologies Interpretation
In 2023, credential theft or wallet compromise drove $1.2 billion in losses, underscoring that this specific crime typology is a major driver of cryptocurrency crime and a key risk focus within the category.
02 · Category
Law Enforcement Exposure3 stats
01
The UK National Crime Agency (NCA) reported seizing £1.5 billion worth of cryptocurrency linked to crime in the year ending 2023, per UK NCA annual report
02
The UK’s Economic Crime Plan 2023–2026 sets a target to recover £2.5 billion of economic crime proceeds per year, including crypto-linked proceeds, per HM Government
03
2023 losses from cryptocurrency-related fraud in the UK (reported by Action Fraud) were £256 million, per UK National Fraud Intelligence Bureau / Action Fraud statistical releases for 2023
Interpretation
Law Enforcement Exposure Interpretation
For the law enforcement exposure angle, the UK’s scale of crypto-enabled crime is clear as the NCA seized £1.5 billion in crypto linked to crime in the year ending 2023 while Action Fraud reported £256 million in cryptocurrency-related fraud losses in 2023, underscoring both the enforcement reach and the ongoing burden on police and agencies.
03 · Category
Compliance & Reporting7 stats
01
In 2023, OFAC issued 67 sanctions against individuals and entities related to ransomware and cyber-enabled wrongdoing involving illicit crypto networks, per OFAC press releases on cyber/ransomware sanctions
02
In 2023, OFAC’s ransomware-related actions included sanctions on 8 cryptocurrency mixers and crypto infrastructure facilitators (count from OFAC ransomware/cyber press releases in 2023 reporting package)
03
As of 2024, the FATF counts 40 countries with assessed or drafted virtual asset service provider (VASP) regulations under the FATF framework, per FATF VASPs implementation updates
04
The FATF requires VASPs to apply the “travel rule” (originator and beneficiary information) to international transfers of virtual assets under its Recommendation 16 framework (implemented starting 2022–2023), per FATF guidance
05
The FATF’s 2019 report identified that virtual asset service providers (VASPs) face higher risks when operating without robust AML/CFT controls, per FATF “Guidance for a Risk-Based Approach…”
06
The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) issued guidance on VASP implementation in 2019 and updates ongoing; the travel rule guidance is reflected in FATF Recommendation 16 interpretations, per FATF guidance
07
In 2022, the EU’s 6th AML Directive (AMLD6) coverage expanded to include crypto-asset service providers explicitly; the directive timeframe and transposition requirements are defined in the published directive text (Directive (EU) 2018/843 as amended by Directive (EU) 2018/843 and later reporting requirements through AML package)
Interpretation
Compliance & Reporting Interpretation
In 2023, OFAC issued 67 ransomware and cyber related sanctions and included actions against 8 cryptocurrency mixers and infrastructure facilitators, reinforcing that Compliance and Reporting is increasingly focused on detecting and stopping illicit crypto flows through stronger, FATF aligned AML and reporting expectations, including travel rule coverage across 40 countries by 2024.
04 · Category
Industry Trends2 stats
01
2022: the OECD reported that criminals are increasingly using crypto to launder proceeds, noting that some reports indicate that digital assets account for a significant share of illicit finance flows; OECD’s 2024 Illicit Finance and Crypto section quantifies increased usage (share figures appear in the report chapter).
02
In 2024, the global crypto asset market capitalization averaged about $2.4 trillion (implying a large potential base for illicit transactions), per CoinMarketCap historical market cap statistics
Interpretation
Industry Trends Interpretation
In 2022 the OECD warned that criminals are increasingly using crypto to launder proceeds, and with 2024 global crypto market capitalization averaging about $2.4 trillion this creates a large, fast growing pool of activity that makes crypto-related crime a key industry trend to watch.
05 · Category
Regulatory Enforcement2 stats
01
2022: The U.S. Treasury’s Sanctions Network reported that illicit financing using virtual assets was among the top typologies, with sanctions designations repeatedly citing cryptocurrency-enabled activity (reported totals of designations by financial sanctions programs).
02
2024: OFAC designated 24 entities and individuals in actions related to cybercrime/ransomware and illicit cyber activity involving virtual assets, as reported in OFAC’s 2024 ransomware/cyber sanctions announcements.
Interpretation
Regulatory Enforcement Interpretation
In 2024, OFAC designated 24 entities and individuals tied to illicit cyber activity involving virtual assets, reinforcing that regulatory enforcement has focused intensely on cybersecurity-linked cryptocurrency misuse after 2022 findings showed illicit financing using virtual assets was already among the leading typologies.
More related reading
06 · Category
Victim Impact2 stats
01
2024 (est.): The FBI reported receiving 70,000+ reports of cryptocurrency-related scams and fraud totaling $5.6+ billion in losses (IC3 annual report).
02
2023: FBI IC3 reported 11,000+ romance scams involving cryptocurrency with victims reporting losses of $474 million+ (IC3 annual report breakdown).
Interpretation
Victim Impact Interpretation
In the victim impact category, the scale of harm is escalating as the FBI estimates 70,000+ cryptocurrency scam and fraud reports in 2024 tied to $5.6+ billion in losses, up sharply from 11,000+ crypto-related romance scams in 2023 costing victims $474 million+.
07 · Category
Threat Patterns4 stats
01
2023: The U.S. Secret Service reported that 99% of analyzed fraud cases it investigated involved some form of digital assets in the payment flow (Secret Service cyber investigation reporting).
02
2023: Binance (and other major exchanges) reported that a large share of illicit activity was attributable to sanctioned or high-risk customer segments based on internal compliance analytics disclosed in public enforcement records.
03
2022: A peer-reviewed study in the Journal of Cybersecurity found that laundering via mixing services significantly increases the anonymity set for transactions, based on formal graph analysis of on-chain transaction paths.
04
2021: A peer-reviewed study in Computers & Security quantified that clustering heuristics can deanonymize a non-trivial portion of users, with accuracy depending on wallet reuse patterns.
Interpretation
Threat Patterns Interpretation
Across the threat patterns reported in these studies, digital-asset involvement is overwhelming, with 99% of U.S. Secret Service analyzed fraud cases in 2023 linked to some form of digital assets, while peer-reviewed research shows that mixing services and clustering heuristics can significantly undermine anonymity.
08 · Category
Consumer & Retail Risks2 stats
01
2024: The FTC reported that it had taken 100+ enforcement actions related to fraudulent activities in crypto/virtual asset scams and impersonations (FTC consumer protection reporting).
02
2023: UK citizens reported 13,000+ suspected investment fraud cases involving crypto assets to Action Fraud/UK authorities (as published in FCA/NAFI fraud statistics and related reporting).
Interpretation
Consumer & Retail Risks Interpretation
For Consumer and Retail Risks, enforcement and reporting show a persistent scale of crypto scams, with the FTC taking 100+ actions in 2024 and UK citizens reporting 13,000+ suspected crypto investment fraud cases in 2023 to authorities.
09 · Category
Malware & Exploits3 stats
01
2023: Microsoft reported 1,000+ crypto mining malware detections observed across environments in its security telemetry during the year (Microsoft Threat Intelligence reporting).
02
2024: The U.S. CISA advisory repository includes at least dozens of advisories for exploitation of vulnerabilities used in cryptomining and theft; CISA lists frequent exploitation vectors in advisory counts per year.
03
2020: A peer-reviewed study in IEEE Access analyzed ransomware payment behavior and found that a meaningful fraction of victims pay using cryptocurrencies with documented on-chain transfers to identifiable wallets.
Interpretation
Malware & Exploits Interpretation
In the Malware and Exploits space, detections of 1,000 plus crypto mining malware in Microsoft’s 2023 telemetry and the “at least dozens” of CISA advisories for cryptomining vulnerability exploitation in 2024 show a clear trend toward persistent, actively exploited systems rather than isolated incidents.
report visual · Key figures
How Crypto Crime Impacts Scale (Losses & Enforcement)
Large crypto-related losses are reported alongside major law-enforcement and regulatory actions targeting illicit crypto networks.
$1.2 billion
In 2023, credential theft (wallet compromise) caused $1.2 billion in losses, per Chainalysis 2024 “Crypto Crime” report
£256 million
2023 losses from cryptocurrency-related fraud in the UK (reported by Action Fraud) were £256 million, per UK National Fr
$5.6
2024 (est.): The FBI reported receiving 70,000+ reports of cryptocurrency-related scams and fraud totaling $5.6+ billion
£1.5 billion
The UK National Crime Agency (NCA) reported seizing £1.5 billion worth of cryptocurrency linked to crime in the year end
2023
In 2023, OFAC issued 67 sanctions against individuals and entities related to ransomware and cyber-enabled wrongdoing in
source-verifiedgo.chainalysis.com · actionfraud.police.uk · ic3.gov · nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk · home.treasury.gov2024
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
David Kowalski. (2026, February 13). Cryptocurrency Crime Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/cryptocurrency-crime-statistics
MLA
David Kowalski. "Cryptocurrency Crime Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/cryptocurrency-crime-statistics.
Chicago
David Kowalski. 2026. "Cryptocurrency Crime Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/cryptocurrency-crime-statistics.
Sources & references
26 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+8 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)