More Southeast Asian human trafficking gangs use crypto to move illegal funds

Human trafficking syndicates operating across Southeast Asia are increasingly laundering their profits through cryptocurrency, a shift that reflects how swiftly these networks are scaling up and exploiting the ease of moving funds across borders, according to findings by a US blockchain analysis firm.Crypto transactions linked to suspected trafficking operations surged 85 per cent in 2025 to US$260 million, Chainalysis said in its 2026 report on crypto crimes, which tracked illicit activity on public blockchains.The firm said the transactions reflected a range of trafficking activities, from forced labour linked to online scam compounds to international escort services and child sexual abuse material.“We’re seeing the adoption of the new usage of cryptocurrency over the past decade or so because it’s so fast,” Tom McLouth, an intelligence analyst at Chainalysis, told This Week in Asia. “Transactions can be done within seconds, and funds can flow across borders.”The report found that crypto flows linked to suspected trafficking activities mirrored the expansion of Southeast Asia’s scam compounds, online casinos and digital gambling sites.Yet even as syndicates’ outreach becomes global and organised, their reliance on the blockchain, a transparent technology by design, is offering law enforcement new tools for detection and disruption. Unlike cash transactions that often leave no trace, blockchain’s transparency provides visibility into illicit operations, according to the report released on Thursday.