Crypto transactions linked to suspected human trafficking and child sexual abuse material (CSAM) networks surged by 85% in 2025, reaching "hundreds of millions of dollars," according to the 2026 Crypto Crime Report from blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis. The report, released on February 13, 2026, details the flow of funds to services involved in international escort networks, labor trafficking for Southeast Asian scam compounds, and CSAM vendors.
The analysis reveals distinct transaction patterns. For Telegram-based international escort services, nearly half (48.8%) of transfers exceeded $10,000 in 2025. Approximately 62% of prostitution network transactions fell between $1,000 and $10,000, while recruitment payments for labor trafficking typically ranged from $1,000 to $10,000. In contrast, CSAM transactions were generally small, with about half being under $100.
"I haven’t seen anyone talk about human trafficking holistically within the current crypto ecosystem and how it’s being leveraged," said Tom McLouth, a Chainalysis intelligence analyst. "I think one of the primary reasons is that this is a relatively taboo subject. People don’t like to sit at the dinner table and talk about CSAM and industrialized exploitation."
The report notes a shift in payment methods. While Bitcoin remains in use, prostitution and labor trafficking networks are increasingly relying on stablecoins, which are converted into local currency via Chinese-language money laundering networks. CSAM vendors are turning more to privacy-focused coins like Monero to obscure transaction details.
Chainalysis traced fund flows primarily from the U.S., UK, Brazil, Spain, and Australia into Southeast Asian hubs. The report also found that many publicly accessible CSAM sites rely on U.S.-based hosting infrastructure. "The largest opportunity for funds may be from English-speaking Westerners, so they leverage infrastructure in those states," McLouth explained.
Despite the alarming growth, Chainalysis emphasizes that blockchain's transparency provides a unique tool for law enforcement. "Unlike cash transactions that leave no trace, the transparency of blockchain technology provides unprecedented visibility into these operations," the report states. The firm advocates for monitoring large, regular payments to labor services, wallet clusters with cross-category illicit activity, and stablecoin conversion patterns.
McLouth stressed that the scale of the problem underscores a need for broader enforcement discussions, noting that the human cost is immense. "This is real human trafficking, real sex trafficking, real labor trafficking. These are real people being affected," he said.
