A survey found that cryptocurrency has become a key payment method in human trafficking networks.

On Feb. 16, CNBC, citing a report by blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis, said cryptocurrency transactions related to human trafficking rose 85 percent in 2025.

The report said criminal networks operating in Southeast Asia in particular are using cryptocurrency to build a complex criminal ecosystem that combines online gambling, money laundering and human trafficking.

Chainalysis said cryptocurrency is being used for international escort and prostitution, recruitment scams and trade in child sexual abuse material (CSAM). It said messaging apps such as Telegram are accelerating the spread of criminal networks.

According to the report, human trafficking groups are rapidly laundering cash through stablecoins and Chinese-language money laundering groups, and illicit cryptocurrency flows totaled $16.1 billion in 2025. CNBC said international escort services using cryptocurrency saw high-value transactions of more than $10,000 account for half of the total, and signs were detected of the involvement of professional criminal organizations.

Chainalysis warned that "the more cryptocurrency spreads, the more it will be used in illicit activity," adding that "in the short term, it is unlikely that the use of cryptocurrency related to human trafficking will decrease."