
A research by blockchain analytics agency Chainalysis finds that cryptocurrency-related crime has fallen considerably. The legal share of all crypto exercise fell to only 0.34% in 2020. This contradicts current statements by U.S. Treasury Secretary nominee Janet Yellen and ECB President Christine Lagarde that cryptocurrencies are largely used for illicit financing.
Crypto Crime Plummeted in 2020
Chainalysis shared some findings from its 2021 Crypto Crime Report this week. Whereas acknowledging that “cryptocurrency stays interesting for criminals as effectively due primarily to its pseudonymous nature and the benefit with which it permits customers to ship funds wherever on this planet immediately,” the blockchain analytics agency detailed:
The excellent news is that cryptocurrency-related crime fell considerably in 2020 … In 2020, the legal share of all cryptocurrency exercise fell to only 0.34%, or $10.0 billion in transaction quantity.
Compared, the agency defined that in 2019, “legal exercise represented 2.1% of all cryptocurrency transaction quantity, or roughly $21.4 billion value of transfers.” Final yr, “One cause the proportion of legal exercise fell is as a result of general financial exercise almost tripled between 2019 and 2020,” the corporate famous.

Chainalysis famous that darknet markets have been the second-largest crime class. It accounted for $1.7 billion value of cryptocurrency exercise, which was a rise from $1.3 billion within the earlier yr. Ransomware accounted for simply 7% of all funds acquired by legal addresses, which was slightly below $350 million value of cryptocurrency. Whereas small, ransomware noticed a 311% bounce over 2019.
The findings by Chainalysis contradict the current statements made by Joe Biden’s choose for the U.S. Treasury Secretary, Janet Yellen, and ECB President Christine Lagarde. Yellen stated Tuesday that many cryptocurrencies are used “primarily for illicit financing.” In the meantime, Lagarde stated final week that bitcoin “has performed some humorous enterprise” and a few “completely reprehensible cash laundering exercise.”
A number of individuals within the crypto business have identified the error of their statements, together with a widely known economist who known as Lagarde’s assertion “outrageous.” He emphasised, “everyone knows that the overwhelming majority of cash laundering globally is performed in fiat currencies, notably in U.S. {dollars} and euros.”
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