More Southeast Asian human trafficking gangs use crypto to move illegal funds

Human trafficking syndicates operating across Southeast Asia are increasingly laundering their profits through cryptocurrency, a shift that reflects how swiftly these networks are scaling up and exploiting the ease of moving funds across borders, according to findings by a US blockchain analysis firm. Crypto transactions linked to suspected trafficking operations surged 85 per cent in 2025 to US$260 million, Chainalysis said in its 2026 report on crypto crimes, which tracked illicit activity on...

By Biman Mukherji