Cryptocurrency flows to suspected human trafficking services surged 85% in 2025, reaching hundreds of millions of dollars across identified services, Chainalysis said. 

The spike is linked to a broader, Telegram-centered illicit ecosystem in Southeast Asia that includes scam compounds, online gambling, and “guarantee” networks, alongside Chinese-language money laundering networks that help convert dollar-pegged stablecoins into local currency, the blockchain analytics firm said. 

The report breaks suspected crypto-facilitated trafficking into four categories: Telegram-based “international escort” services, “labor placement” agents tied to kidnapping and forced labor for scam compounds, prostitution networks, and child sexual abuse material (CSAM) vendors. 

“This is the continuation of a story of industrialized exploitation,” Chainalysis analyst Tom McLouth told WIRED in a report on the findings. “The emergence of borderless, low-fee payments has created the opportunity for human trafficking to scale faster.”

Chainalysis said “international escort” services and prostitution networks operate almost exclusively in stablecoins, while CSAM vendors have historically relied more on Bitcoin, though Bitcoin’s dominance has weakened as alternative networks emerge. 

Transaction-size patterns point to highly organized operations, Chainalysis said. Nearly 48.8% of transfers tied to Telegram-based “international escort” services exceeded $10,000, while prostitution-network payments were concentrated in mid-range amounts, with about 62% between $1,000 and $10,000. 

Chainalysis said trafficking-related Telegram services show “deep integration” with mainstream exchanges, institutional platforms, and guarantee services such as Tudou and Xinbi, creating “critical chokepoints” where compliance teams can detect suspicious patterns. 

The firm also reported a global footprint for Southeast Asia–linked trafficking services, with significant crypto flows tied to “international escort” services originating from Brazil, the United States, the United Kingdom, Spain, Australia and other nations. 

On CSAM, Chainalysis said marketplaces have shifted toward subscription-based models, typically under $100 per month, and increasingly use Monero to launder proceeds, with “instant exchangers” playing a key role by enabling rapid swaps without Know-Your-Customer checks.  

Read more at Chainalysis

Read more at WIRED