Building trust in blockchains among people, businesses and governments. Our crypto compliance and investigation software powers hundreds of top institutions.
We’re excited to announce that our 2024 Crypto Crime Report is now available! You can download your copy here. Want a preview first? Keep reading this thread for one key takeaway from each chapter.
Congrats to
@laurashin
on her new book & reporting into the alleged hacker behind the 2016 DAO attack. This is yet another example of evidence preserved on the blockchain forever. Confirming we helped trace funds despite the attacker's attempts to cover his tracks w/ mixers
EXCLUSIVE:
With the publication of my book today, I can finally announce: in the course of writing my book, my sources and I believe we uncovered the identity of the Ethereum's 2016 DAO hacker.
2022 is likely to surpass 2021 as the biggest year for hacking on record. Check out this session from
@EFDevcon
to learn how:
💻these hackers operate
🔎we investigate the flow of funds to try to disrupt attacks
💪the
#web3
community can help
#Devcon
1/ After four hacks yesterday, October is now the biggest month in the biggest year ever for hacking activity, with more than half the month still to go. So far this month, $718 million has been stolen from
#DeFi
protocols across 11 different hacks.
Announcement: Chainalysis now supports XRP! We're launching with the top 70 XRP exchanges identified and plan to roll out identifications of major XRP scams and hacks in the coming weeks.
In recent days following the horrific terrorist attack by Hamas in Israel, we have seen overstated metrics and flawed analyses of terrorist groups’ use of cryptocurrency, and feel compelled to address some misconceptions. 🧵
1/ 📢PSA: We've received reports that bad actors are impersonating us. If you get any of these messages, don't hesitate to contact local law enforcement and security
@chainalysis
.com.
THREAD: Based on our blockchain analysis, we can confirm reports speculating that DarkSide
#ransomware
group has rebranded to BlackMatter. This is part of a trend in which ransomware groups shut down & reemerge with new names, often after law enforcement actions or media scrutiny
We’re thrilled to announce our partnership with
@cronos_chain
!
This integration will further advance institutional adoption of the Cronos
#blockchain
⛓ and digital assets deployed on Cronos. Read on to learn more.
2/ Reports that the funds stolen from FTX were actually sent to the Securities Commission of The Bahamas are incorrect. Some funds were stolen, and other funds were sent to the regulators.
THREAD: Updates to OFAC’s SDN designation for Lazarus Group confirm that the North Korean cybercriminal group was behind the March hack of Ronin Bridge, in which over $600 million worth of ETH and USDC was stolen.
1/ After four hacks yesterday, October is now the biggest month in the biggest year ever for hacking activity, with more than half the month still to go. So far this month, $718 million has been stolen from
#DeFi
protocols across 11 different hacks.
(1/2) Chainalysis is proud to announce we now support
@Algorand
! Customers can now perform investigations and transaction monitoring for $algo. Check out the link to learn more!
🎧 Episode 79 of the Public Key podcast is all about web3 adoption in traditional finance, with guest
@kelmoujahid
, Chief Product Officer at
@chainlink
.
Our research with
@bloomberg
shows that the amount of
#BitcoinCash
(BCH) used in commerce peaked at only $10.5 million in March and has been declining since.
[THREAD] Here's what we know so far about today’s
#Twitterhack
&
#Bitcoinscam
. As of now, the scam’s main BTC address (bc1...0wlh) received ~$120k in donations in 375 transactions. No funds have been cashed out at exchanges yet.
1/ Big picture: FTX’s collapse has shaken the
#crypto
market. But this is not the first time crypto has faced significant turmoil related to the collapse of an exchange.
THREAD: Here's a quick summary of our blog on on the Bitcoin donation made in December to alt-right groups and figures involved in last week's violence at the Capitol.
Last week, Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol. One month before, alt-right groups and figures involved in the riot received over $500K worth of Bitcoin from a now-deceased French donor. Here’s what we know.
The top 10 countries in our 2023 Global Crypto Adoption Index spanned five continents, but Central & Southern Asia dominated the list. See the rest of the top 20 and gain more insights on global crypto usage here.
1/ The 2022 Geography of Crypto Report is here!
In this 🧵we break down some key trends and insights on global
#crypto
adoption. 🌎
Download the report to get the full insights:
Yesterday, the U.S. Treasury Department announced extensive sanctions against Russian businesses and elites following the country’s invasion of Ukraine. This has prompted many to ask Chainalysis how Russia may attempt to use cryptocurrency to evade sanctions.
Soon, Chainalysis will support Lightning Network transaction monitoring in KYT! Staying compliant with regulations will be vital as the second layer protocol is adopted and we’re excited to be the first in the industry to offer this support.
More here:
Last week, Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol. One month before, alt-right groups and figures involved in the riot received over $500K worth of Bitcoin from a now-deceased French donor. Here’s what we know.
The mastermind behind the
@twitter
hack known as "Kirk" has been arrested, along with OG handle fixers "Chaewon" and "Rolex." Law enforcement used Chainalysis Reactor to follow the money and complete the investigation in just 16 days.
#TwitterHack
Our 2021 Crypto Crime Report is here! Get 100+ pages of original data, research, & case studies on the latest trends in cryptocurrency-related crime, such as the ransomware spike, concentration in money laundering, darknet markets' difficulties, and more.
Our 2022 Crypto Crime Report is now available! Get your copy now for brand new data, research, and case studies on the latest trends in cryptocurrency-based crime.
We’re excited to announce Chainalysis has partnered with
@dapperlabs
, the masterminds behind CryptoKitties 🐱 and NBA Top Shot 🏀! Our blockchain data platform will help them streamline their compliance processes so they can focus NFTs 🖼
Discover how Chainalysis contributes to enhanced security in the
#crypto
space through our collaboration with
@wallet_guard
. Learn more about ensuring safer transactions and empowering users with valuable insights 👉
ICYMI: This week on Public Key, we spoke with
@dak_flux
, the co-founder of
@RunOnFlux
, a company on the cutting edge of decentralized cloud infrastructure and building what may be considered the Killer dApp for
#web3
. Tune in:
Last night, a hacker stole 2M BNB worth approx. $560M by exploiting a bug in the Binance Bridge.This theft brings the total amount stolen in hacks this year to just under $2.9 billion worth of cryptocurrency, $1.9 billion of which was stolen from cross-chain bridges.
Other far right figures who received Bitcoin in the donation include Patrick Casey, Vincent Reynouard, and Ethan Ralph, as well as platforms and websites like the Daily Stormer, VDARE, and Gab.
We’re thrilled to announce we’ve raised a $100M Series C at a $1B+ valuation to expand our global regulatory platform for the surging cryptocurrency market led by Addition, with participation from previous investors
@Accel
@benchmark
&
@RibbitCapital
We're excited to announce that we've raised a $100M Series D at a $2B+ valuation to fuel our continued growth!
@Paradigm
led the round, with participation from TIME Ventures, investment firm of
@Benioff
, and previous investors Addition and
@RibbitCapital
.
OFAC has announced sanctions against Russia-based OTC broker Suex for accepting payments from ransomware attackers and other cybercriminals. Learn more about Suex and see the list of cryptocurrency addresses named in the Suex SDN list entry here.
Alt-right personality Nick Fuentes, who was pictured outside the Capitol but denies entering, was by far the biggest beneficiary of the donation, receiving roughly $250K.
Our State of Web3 Report is out now! Download for original data and research into DEXs, DAOs, NFTs, the metaverse, and everything else powering the next phase of innovation in cryptocurrency.
THREAD: [1/6] Today, the EU Parliament voted to pass MiCA - the first comprehensive, EU-wide rules for crypto asset service providers and different crypto assets (including stablecoins).
Today,
@TheJusticeDept
announced they’ve disrupted high-risk crypto exchange Bitzlato and arrested its founder.
Bitzlato has received $32,000 worth of cryptocurrency from pro-Russia paramilitary groups. 🧵
Congratulations to US law enforcement agencies on the seizure of $3.6B worth of
#crypto
connected to the 2016
#Bitfinexhack
– the largest recovery of assets from a theft in history. This shows how the permanent blockchain record can assist in recovery
Huge shoutout to
@consensys
and
@tayvano_
whose prior research on this topic was hugely helpful! Check out their Dune dashboard here, which tracks much of this activity in real time.
We're thrilled to announce a $170 million Series F financing led by GIC, Singapore's sovereign wealth fund, with participation from our existing investors, bringing our valuation to $8.6 billion.
Our 2021 NFT Market Report is here! Download for original research and case studies on the most popular collections, how the best NFT collectors achieve high ROIs, and more!
1/🚨Harmony Hack Update🚨
From 7:28 GMT to *right now*, the hacker has sent 13.5k ETH to . The attack vector & high velocity of structured payments to a mixer is similar to previous attacks that were attributed to DPRK-linked actors
1/ As we head into a holiday weekend in the US, our Crypto Incident Response team is continuing to work 24/7 with the team at Harmony. We still cannot confirm DPRK is behind the hack, and our teams will continue to provide updates as appropriate.
1/🚨Harmony Hack Update🚨
From 7:28 GMT to *right now*, the hacker has sent 13.5k ETH to . The attack vector & high velocity of structured payments to a mixer is similar to previous attacks that were attributed to DPRK-linked actors
We're excited to announce that our Geography of Cryptocurrency report is now available! Download for 100+ pages of data-driven research into regional differences in cryptocurrency adoption and usage, plus interviews from experts!
3/ And the number one country on our 2022 Global Crypto Adoption Index is…🥁🥇Vietnam!
👉Philippines is 2nd
👉Ukraine is 3rd
👉India is 4th
👉US is 5th
Check out the blog to use our interactive map to see where your country ranks.
The DOJ cited Bitzlato’s role as a money laundering destination for ransomware attackers and administrators of the notorious Hydra Market, as well as other cybercriminals, as the impetus for the takedown.
More on Hydra:
Chainalysis has acquired Transpose, a blockchain data & infrastructure company that makes building applications using web3 data fast and simple. Together we're working toward a more efficient, transparent financial system. Learn more:
Today’s takedown includes the seizure of Bitzlato’s servers and the arrest of its founder, Russian national Anatoly Legkodymov, by FBI agents. More from the DOJ:
Excited to announce our latest funding round of $30m led by
@Accel
to support strategic product development of new cryptocurrency use cases and a new office in London! Read more:
Many companies are still struggling to build the infrastructure needed to enter the world of decentralization. That’s where
@RunOnFlux
comes in. Flux co-founder
@dak_flux
joins host
@IanAndrewsDC
on Public Key to discuss infrastructure for
#web3
.
This week on Public Key, we talk with
@Nahmii_io
CEO
@jacobotoll
who's on the front lines of CBDCs & ETH layer-2 protocols. Jacobo walks us through building a decentralized & non-custodial platform that's attractive to governments & financial institutions.
Our 2021 Geography of Cryptocurrency Report is here! Download now for region-by-region analysis of cryptocurrency trends around the world, plus the full country rankings of our Global Crypto Adoption Index and DeFi Adoption Index.
Learn how our research and development team accounted for Solana’s defining characteristics to build out a robust knowledge graph of the
#blockchain
and make investigation and
#compliance
workflows more intuitive and fundamentally trusted.
Introducing ⛓ Cross-Chain Investigations to Reactor—the best way to follow cryptocurrencies across
#blockchains
.
With this intuitive graphing solution, cross-chain investigations are more efficient than ever. Let’s see it in action.
<<A THREAD🧵>>
In July 2022, we shared that Bitzlato is a cashout destination for Project Terricon, a pro-Russia group soliciting cryptocurrency donations in support of Russian militia groups operating in the Donbas region.
4/ Unsurprisingly, the hackers used some of the funds from the different scam addresses to pay into their main collection address to make it seem like more people are participating and benefiting from the scam.
ICYMI: On the latest episode of the Public Podcast,
@IanAndrewsDC
is joined by the Head of Marketing of
@TzApac
,
@JivTulsiani25
, to discuss Tezos’ focus on
#NFTs
, gaming, and
#DeFi
solutions. Tune in to hear more:
It's a common misconception that
#crypto
is unregulated & opaque. It's been regulated under the BSA since 2013 and operates on transparent public blockchains. With the right tools, government agencies can have better visibility into illicit activity in crypto than traditional $
It also shows that domestic extremism isn’t strictly domestic, as this donation came from overseas. Cryptocurrency makes cross-border payments easier and more private, so this is another area for law enforcement to watch.
👋 Allow us to reintroduce ourselves.
We're Chainalysis, building trust in
#blockchains
. Crypto has come a long way & so have we. 🚀
@gronager
&
@jony_levin
set out to help investigate
#crypto
hacks. Now, our mission has expanded to realizing complete
#blockchain
awareness.
Terrorist orgs have historically used and will likely continue to use traditional, fiat-based methods like financial institutions, hawalas, and shell companies as their primary financing vehicles. But some terrorist orgs raise, store, and transfer funds using cryptocurrency.
(2/2) The technical foundation of Algorand's protocol combined with Chainalysis's data and products provides the trust required for decentralized finance and major digital currencies!
Today, Treasury sanctioned virtual currency mixer Tornado Cash, which has been used to launder more than $7 billion worth of virtual currency since its creation in 2019. Virtual currency mixers that assist criminals are a threat to U.S. national security.
We’re excited to release our fourth annual Global Crypto Adoption Index! Check out our blog to see 2023’s top countries for grassroots crypto adoption along with some key takeaways.
How concentrated is
#bitcoin
wealth? Our latest research combines money supply analysis and proprietary blockchain data to evaluate the recent $30bn
#crypto
sell-off, as reported by
@FinancialTimes
. Read our original post:
Chainalysis is honored to be one of the
@TIME
100 Most Influential Companies of 2023!
Thank you to our incredible colleagues and partners who work tirelessly to build trust in blockchains; your impact is felt around the world.
#TIME100Companies
Suex is one of the most prolific money laundering crypto services operating, so today’s sanctions represent a positive step in the fight against cybercrime. We commend OFAC for this designation and are proud to have assisted in the investigation.
We’re excited to announce the launch of two sanctions screening tools – an API and an on-chain oracle available free of charge!
These lightweight tools will help DEXs,
#DeFi
,
#DAOs
, and DApp devs comply with sanctions policies.
1/ 🚨$90M stolen funds on the move: After 6 years of hodling, the “Blockchain Bandit” has awoken. In this 🧵 we cover how the Blockchain Bandit amassed this treasure trove and where the funds are currently held.
We used blockchain analysis to provide a comprehensive view of how Bitcoin flows through the cryptocurrency ecosystem. Read to learn who accounts for Bitcoin movements, which types of exchanges dominate, and why Bitcoin lives up to its liquid gold moniker.
Co-founder and COO
@jony_levin
joins
@jchatterleyCNN
on
@firstmove
to discuss how the private and public sectors can work together to manage the threat from hacking groups.
The NFT gaming-focused
@Ronin_Network
announced today a loss of over $625M in USDC & ETH, making it the largest-ever DeFi exploit. We can confirm Chainalysis is tracking the funds on their behalf.
NEW: U.S.-based
@BittrexExchange
has adopted real-time transaction-monitoring software from blockchain compliance firm
@Chainalysis
.
Danny Nelson reports
Yesterday, we sent our formal response to
@USTreasury
regarding newly proposed regulations around cryptocurrency transactions involving unhosted wallets. In this blog, you'll find a summary of our concerns as well as a link to our full response.
We're proud to announce the launch of our new cryptocurrency compliance suite, multicurrency support and a $16MM Series-A fundraise led by Benchmark. Join our growing team and help us build
#trust
in
#blockchains
!
We're excited to share that our work to build trust in the industry has made us the first
#blockchain
company to land on the Forbes Next Billion-Dollar Startups list
With that in mind, here are the top 20 countries on this year’s index. While mainstays like the U.S. and China are highly ranked, emerging markets like Vietnam, India, and Pakistan lead the way.
We’ve partnered with
@RobinhoodApp
Crypto! Chainalysis will help their team meet compliance requirements and provide confidence to customers that they can trade crypto safely on the platform. Check out our blog post to learn more!
Learn how the Dutch National Police were able to fool Deadbolt ransomware strain into handing decryption keys 🔑 for hundreds of victims, enabling them to recover their data at no cost.
1/ Just 0.24% of all
#crypto
tx volume in 2022 was associated with illicit activity. The share has risen for the first time since 2019, from 0.12% in 2021 to 0.24% in 2022. Here we break down illicit
#crypto
volumes. 🧵
As is true in traditional finance, some may use crypto for sanctions evasion. But the inherent transparency of blockchains combined with Chainalysis data & tools gives governments and crypto businesses the ability to identify transactions by sanctioned entities and take action.
THREAD: Since we put out our Global Crypto Adoption Index last week, we’ve been getting questions about what’s going on in Afghanistan, which ascended from being among the lowest in grassroots crypto adoption last year to number 20 this year.