Payments to suspected human trafficking networks using cryptocurrency surged by 85 percent in 2025, according to a Chainalysis report analyzing hundreds of millions of blockchain transactions. The majority of this activity is linked to a growing criminal ecosystem in Southeast Asia, encompassing scams, illegal online gambling, and Chinese money laundering networks. These networks exploit cryptocurrency for international escort and prostitution services, fraudulent labor recruitment, and the trade of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Cybercriminals are increasingly using messaging platforms like Telegram to advertise services and coordinate payments, enabling faster scaling and global money movement with reduced friction. Despite the transparency of public blockchains offering insights into criminal flows, these networks are leveraging stablecoins and Chinese money laundering groups to quickly move illicit funds, with at least $16.1 billion laundered last year.