The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has released its 2025 Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) report, revealing a staggering escalation in cryptocurrency-related fraud. Americans reported losses of $11.366 billion to crypto scams, marking a 22% increase from the previous year and establishing crypto as the single largest loss category for the IC3.
The report details that the FBI received 181,565 crypto-specific complaints in 2025, a 21% rise from 2024. The data underscores the growing scale and sophistication of these schemes, which accounted for more than half of the total $20.88 billion in reported cyber-enabled financial losses for the year.
Investment fraud was the primary driver, responsible for $7.228 billion in losses. Additionally, recovery scams—where fraudsters pose as officials or lawyers offering to recoup prior losses—added approximately $1.4 billion to the total. The report highlights that tens of thousands of victims suffered individual losses in the six-figure range or higher.
A particularly vulnerable demographic was individuals aged 60 and older, who accounted for both the highest number of complaints and the largest share of financial losses. The findings point to crypto remaining one of the most costly channels for financial crime in the United States.
