CipherTrace in the News
Cryptocurrency crime drops in 2020 but ‘DeFi’ breaches rise, study finds
January 28, 2021
Losses from cryptocurrencyA cryptocurrency (or crypto currency) is a digital asset des... More theft, hacks, and fraud fell 57% last year to $1.9 billion, as market participants boosted security systems, but crime in the ‘decentralized finance’ space continued to grow, a report from crypto intelligence company CipherTrace showed...
Crypto Criminals Bagged Nearly $2 Billion in 2020
January 28, 2021
CipherTrace has published its Cryptocurrency Crime and Anti-Money Laundering Report, outlining 2020’s biggest trends in digital crime. CipherTrace's report says that Ponzi schemes and DeFi exit scams stole the most money...
Self-Hosted Bitcoin Wallets Become Front Line in Fight Over Crypto Regulations
December 18, 2020
Regulated crypto is close to crossing the Rubicon – and we’re not talking about the next price breakthrough. The steady creep of know-your-customer (KYC) requirements over firms that touch digital assets is now at the foot of private, self-hosted wallets...
CipherTrace: Bankers worried by inability to detect crypto payments
December 11, 2020
The IRS, FBI and other U.S. law enforcement agencies may be trumpeting their success in breaking up everything from child porn rings to al-Qaeda funders, but bankers are not so confident in their ability to even detect crypto-related transactions...
CipherTrace Warns Over Malicious MetaMask Imposter
December 3, 2020
CipherTrace, a blockchainA blockchain is a shared digital ledger, or a continually up... More intelligence and analytics firm, has reported it had identified a surge of alerts within the cryptocurrency community over a malicious Chrome browser of a cryptocurrency walletA wallet is a device (a hardware device, a program, or servi... More MetaMask. The scam imposter has its own website (maskmeha.io), which redirects to (installmetamask.com).
CipherTrace Developing Methods to Track Monero Transactions, Files Two Patents
November 23, 2020
Blockchain analytics firm CipherTrace is developing tools to track MoneroMonero (XMR) is an open-source cryptocurrency created in Apr... More (XMR) transfers as the company files two patent applications in less than two years. In a press release, CipherTrace reveals that it filed applications for two cryptocurrency tracing patents: “Techniques and Probabilistic Methods for Tracing Monero” and “Systems and Methods for Investigating Monero....
Crypto crime slows in 2020, but ‘DeFi’ hacks rise -CipherTrace report
November 10, 2020
Losses from cryptocurrency thefts, hacks, and fraud declined to $1.8 billion for the first 10 months of the year compared with last year, but crime in the hot “decentralized finance” sector rose, according to a report from crypto intelligence company CipherTrace...
Booming Crypto Market a Potential Haven for Money Laundering
October 1, 2020
The booming world of decentralized finance, which has collected more than $11 billion in cryptocurrencies in a matter of months, is a potential haven for money laundering, according to new research. Globally, 56% of digital currency servicesGeneral services, including non-profits, forums and news sit... More have weak or porous “know your customer” controls, blockchain security firm CipherTrace said Thursday in a report. KYC procedures are meant to confirm...
Banks Must Cast Wider Net in Search for Illicit Bitcoin
September 11, 2020
Financial institutions could be missing up to 90% of cryptocurrency-related transactions because they ignore smaller digital asset exchanges, according to the latest report by blockchain forensics firm CipherTrace. “CipherTrace research has found that a typical name-based system may entirely miss up to 70% or more of the crypto exchanges out there, and up to 90% of the actual transaction volume,” said the researchers...
CipherTrace develops Monero-tracing tool to aid US DHS investigations
August 31, 2020
While there hasn’t previously been a tool capable of tracing Monero transactions, Dave Jevans, the CEO of CipherTrace, mentioned that the firm has developed the first tool for tracking Monero transactions. According to Jevans, the tool, which has been in development for over a year, will be used by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to trace Monero transactions...
Crypto Crimes Rated: From the Twitter Hackers to Not Your Keyser, Not Your Coins
August 18, 2020
The high-profile Twitter hack — which saw malicious actors take over 130 verified accounts including Bill Gates and Elon Musk — managed to be both technically brilliant and incomprehensibly stupid at the same time. It was a multi-person attack, deep inside the company’s infrastructure, using sophisticated social engineering to defeat 2FA-protected accounts...
Ethereum Classic Labs hires law firm, CipherTrace in bid to investigate source of 51% attacks
August 7, 2020
In a Friday press statement, Ethereum Classic (ETC) Labs announced that it had retained the services of two firms — law firm Kobre & Kim and analytics provider CipherTrace — "to assist in the investigation and pursuit of criminal charges against the perpetrators of the recent attacks on ETC," according to ETC Labs Terry Culver.
Why The Travel Rule Is One Of The Most Significant Regulations In Crypto
August 7, 2020
Dave Jevans, CEO of CipherTrace, and Siân Jones, Senior Partner at XReg Consulting, give the lowdown on the Financial Action Task Force’s travel ruleIn October 2018, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the... More and how it applies to businesses in the crypto space. They discuss: what the travel rule is; the consequences for countries that are not compliant; whether the regulation will apply to staking providers in the future...
NetWalker Ransomware Gang Is Storing $7M in Bitcoin in SegWit Cold Storage
August 7, 2020
NetWalker ransomwareA type of malicious program that is designed to encrypt a sy... More, which last week triggered cybersecurity flash warnings from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), has extorted $25 million in bitcoinThe term "Bitcoin" can either refer to Bitcoin the network, ... More from its victims during the months of the pandemic, according to a report by McAfee and CipherTrace.
The Twitter hackers’ Bitcoin shell game
July 23, 2020
Dave Jevens, CEO of CipherTrace, another cryptocurrency-tracking firm, says that the hackers are attempting “to obfuscate the flow of funds” through a process known as “peeling.” This involves sending fractions of the loot, little by little, into mixers and exchanges that multiply the complexity of the transaction chains and make them harder to follow...
Crypto exchanges can now more easily freeze ‘risky’ transactions
July 23, 2020
DARPA-backed blockchain analytics firm CipherTrace today unveiled “predictive capabilities” for its crypto tracing software—a move designed to better help cryptocurrency exchanges and similar businesses flag and freeze transactions that may be linked to criminalA Criminal is an individual or group who has been convicted ... More behavior.
CipherTrace Says It Can Instantly Flag Shady Transactions With Predictive Risk Scores
July 21, 2020
CipherTrace, a blockchain analytics software firm, has deployed a predictive risk-scoring system that the company says provides real-time alerts on suspect crypto transactions for its exchange, investor and investigator clients.
Fake Covid-19 PPE Products Don’t Sell On Dark Net Markets
June 8, 2020
Crypto thefts, hacks, and frauds totaled $1.4 billion in the first five months of 2020, fueled in part by coronavirus-related crypto crimes. The biggest contributor to cryptocurrency crimes in the past five months, however, was not coronavirus related...
Amid pandemic, crypto crime surges in first 5 months – CipherTrace
June 2, 2020
Crypto intelligence company CipherTrace, which started tracking cryptocurrency crime a few years ago, said it has started to see coronavirus-related frauds that require some form of digital currency payment. Losses from cryptocurrency thefts, hacks, and frauds soared to nearly $1.4 billion from the beginning of the year until the end of May, a report from CipherTrace showed...
CipherTrace Wants to Guide Central Banks on Their Digital Currency Projects
May 18, 2020
The crypto investigations firm announced Tuesday it is establishing a central bank digital currency (CBDC) initiative. As described by Chief Financial Analyst John Jefferies, the outreach effort will seek to place CipherTrace in the growing conversation around designing and securing CBDCs...
Central bank digital currency can be safe and private, claims CipherTrace
May 12, 2020
Blockchain forensics firm CipherTrace is launching a new initiative designed to ensure central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) are private, safe to use, and free of money laundering, terrorist funding and other illicit ties...
CipherTrace’s New Crypto Tracing Tool Is Meant for Banks
April 28, 2020
Crypto investigations firm CipherTrace has developed a bank transaction monitoring tool, CipherTrace Armada, that flags payments to high-risk virtual assetThe term "virtual asset" refers to any digital representatio... More service providers (VASPs).
Announced Tuesday, Armada sifts through banking indicators such as routing and account numbers in search of transactions that may present institutional risk including payments to crypto ATMs, which have been tied to money laundering.
Zaftr Teams up with CipherTrace to Enhance Crypto Compliance
April 15, 2020
Canadian cryptocurrency firm Zaftr has partnered with blockchain security and analytics provider CipherTrace as the company is embarking on a multi-pronged push to boost compliance procedures across its platform.
Revealed: How North Korea Laundered $100 Million of Stolen Crypto
March 16, 2020
Blockchain forensics firm CipherTrace has published a detailed analysis of how two Chinese nationals, linked to North Korea, laundered tens of millions of dollars worth of stolen cryptocurrency. The pair are believed to be associated with the shadowy Lazarus Group...
Crypto is fueling organized crime in Latin America, claims new report
March 16, 2020
Organized crime and drug cartels in Latin America are increasingly turning to cryptocurrencies to launder money and orchestrate scams, according to the latest collaborative report by threat intelligence firm Intsights and blockchain forensics firm CipherTrace...
Cryptocurrency crime losses more than double to $4.5 billion in 2019, report finds
February 11, 2020
Losses from cryptocurrency crime surged to $4.52 billion last year, as insider theft soared even as hacking losses declined, according to a report from blockchain forensics company CipherTrace seen by Reuters. Last year’s losses were up nearly 160% from 2018’s total of $1.74 billion...
An army of college students will help fight crypto fraud
January 20, 2020
CipherTrace says it will train the students on how to use its software, which it will be providing to the universities, enabling students to track transactions across over 800 currencies, including Bitcoin and Ethereum. In return, "students will provide services to help recover 'small' losses that are typically too small to for law enforcement to investigate."
Privacy Coins in 2019: True Financial Freedom or a Criminal’s Delight?
January 11, 2020
The right to privacy is a fundamental prerequisite for peace of mind and security. The idea that only criminals have something to hide is strange. Contrarily, privacy is sought by almost everyone. Yet, it still gets stigmatized as suspicious — reserved solely for criminals or deviants...
Anti-Human Trafficking Agency Traces Crypto to Fight Modern-Day Slavery
December 20, 2019
Cryptocurrency could be a game-changer for combating crime, a notion illustrated by CipherTrace’s newly formed partnership with the Anti-Human Trafficking Intelligence Initiative (ATII). CipherTrace, a leader in blockchain security, has announced that it will join forces with ATII to use crypto analytics to advance the organization's goal of combatting global human trafficking.
Crypto poses billion-dollar risk for banks, cybersecurity firm claims
December 17, 2019
CipherTrace claims that eight in every 10 banks in the U.S. is currently being utilized to send money between accounts by unregistered money service businesses (MSBs). Some of these MSBs, according to the firm, are cryptocurrency exchanges—and many of these banks are processing as much as $2 billion annually in concealed digital transactions...
Cryptocurrency crime surges, losses hit $4.4 billion by end-September: CipherTrace report
November 27, 2019
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Cryptocurrency theft has surged in 2019 compared with last year, with more money flowing through digital exchanges and criminals looking to carry out bigger heists, according to a report from blockchain forensics company CipherTrace obtained by Reuters.
A Third of Crypto Exchanges Have Little or No KYC, Says CipherTrace
November 26, 2019
Blockchain compliance solutions provider CipherTrace says in its Q3 Cryptocurrency Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Report, published Wednesday, that around one third of the top 120 exchanges are "weak" when it comes to know-your-customer (KYC) verification, while fully two-thirds "lack strong KYC policies."
Crypto Intelligence Firm Ciphertrace Says Privacy Coin Delisting Concerns Are Likely Exaggerated
November 25, 2019
In its Q3 Cryptocurrency Anti-Money Laundering Report, cryptocurrency intelligence firm Ciphertrace says that speculation surrounding the travel rule’s impact on privacy coins, which include cryptocurrencies like Monero, Dash and ZcashZcash is a decentralized and open-source cryptocurrency deve... More, has likely been exaggerated. While the report concedes that the most popular privacy coins have performed poorly against Bitcoin since the release of the FATFThe Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is a global money lau... More guidance in June, the analysts points out that neither FATF or FinCEN have called for a ban on privacy coins.
Cryptocurrency Exchanges Pressured to Collect More Private User Information by FATF
November 13, 2019
The FATF’s recent guidelines have widespread implications on what private information exchanges need to track and collect from customers. Here are some insights on the recent regulation from CipherTrace’s Nov. 5 Cryptocurrency Travel Rule Compliance Conference and Hackathon. An event oriented around the integration of cryptocurrency into the modern financial infrastructure may be at odds with the cypherpunk ethos...
CipherTrace Urges Crypto Companies to Prepare for Anti-Money Laundering Compliance
November 13, 2019
For better or for worse, the cryptocurrency space is coming of age. Since Bitcoin’s rise to mainstream prominence in 2015, there has been increasing recognition of digital assets from government agencies around the world. In turn, new regulations are being imposed to control the way cryptocurrency companies operate and do business globally...
Blockchain forensics firm CipherTrace now tracks Binance Chain
November 7, 2019
CipherTrace has been busy making it harder for folks to flaunt anti-money laundering regulations. And Binance seems onboard...
CipherTrace’s Anti-Money Laundering Tracking Adds Support For Binance DEX and BNB Crypto
November 6, 2019
Binance Exchange will increase its Anti-Money Laundering efficiency following a recent integration with CipherTrace’s platform. Clients will now be able to trace BNB coins and transactions within the Binance decentralized exchange for best practices. CipherTrace which operates within the IT security arena is based in the U.S and currently services over 700 crypto coins...
CipherTrace CEO Dave Jevans at Chamber Of Digital Commerce on Blockchain & AML
October 24, 2019
In 2013, FinCEN issued its initial guidance on the application of the Bank Secrecy ActThe Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) is U.S. legislation aimed toward ... More to virtual currencies. Since then, in only a few short years, the industry has evolved considerably – to the point where central bank officials are discussing augmenting the global financial system with blockchain technology.
FATF’s Regulations to Push Criminals to Privacy Coins: CipherTrace CEO
October 24, 2019
The Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) crypto regulations will trigger a shift of criminal activity from Bitcoin (BTC) to privacy coins, it has been claimed. David Jevans, CEO of major crypto transaction tracking firm CipherTrace, shared his remarks about criminal use of cryptocurrencies at a panel held by blockchain advocacy group, the Chamber of Digital Commerce, on Oct. 21.
CipherTrace now has the technology to track 87% of virtual asset trading
October 16, 2019
Regulators no longer need to worry about lack of transparency in the crypto space thanks to breakthrough technology from CipherTrace. Self-described as the “world’s first blockchain forensics team”, CipherTrace is now also the world’s number one provider of cryptocurrency intelligence. Set up to develop cryptocurrency and blockchain tracing and security capabilities, the company yesterday announced that it had completed its most comprehensive digital asset tracing system to date.
CipherTrace Scout App Takes Crypto Investigations Mobile
September 28, 2019
Blockchain forensics firm CipherTrace has developed a mobile tool for flagging bitcoin and ethereum tokens with a criminal past. Announced today, CipherTrace Scout grants street-level investigators more freedom to identify, track and document illicit crypto transactions from the field, company representatives and law enforcement experts said.
FATF Travel Rule Compliance Gets Easier With New CipherTrace Tools
September 10, 2019
A new framework from blockchain security firm CipherTrace will enable cryptocurrency wallets, exchanges and other projects to comply with the Travel Rule from FATF – the Financial Action Task Force – without having to share private or personal information with one another.
CipherTrace Unveils Travel Rule Protocol for Cryptocurrency Businesses
September 10, 2019
Blockchain security firm CipherTrace has formally announced the release of its Travel Rule Information Sharing Architecture (TRISA); a new way for cryptocurrency businesses to satisfy regulatory pressure to enforce the travel rule, which requires financial institutions to share information of fund transfers.
Japanese exchange BITPoint hacked for $28 million
August 24, 2019
Japanese cryptocurrency exchangeA cryptocurrency exchange is a business that allows customer... More BITpoint lost a grand total of $28 million in July this year. This figure is $4.5 million less than what was originally reported on the day of the theft on July 12.
New Money-Laundering Rules Change Everything for Cryptocurrency Exchanges
August 15, 2019
Complying with regulators could mean the difference between going mainstream and remaining forever on the margins of the global financial system.
Hackers Stole Over $4 Billion From Crypto Crimes In 2019 So Far, Up From $1.7 Billion In All Of 2018
August 15, 2019
2019 is shaping up as the year of the “exit scam” according to a new study from CipherTrace, a cryptocurrency intelligence firm based in Silicon Valley.
Cryptocurrency Scammers Have Netted $4.26B So Far This Year
August 13, 2019
Cryptocurrency scammers continued to swindle funds throughout Q2 2019, netting approximately $4.26 billion so far this year. According to CipherTrace latest report, insider thefts were by far the largest offenders, netting massive loses on investors and cryptocurrency exchange users. If things carry on the way they are, 2019 could go down in cryptocurrency history as the year of the exit scam.
Cyber Criminals Netted $4.3B From Crypto-Related Crime in 2019
August 12, 2019
Cyber criminals have netted $4.3 billion from digital currency exchanges, investors and users in 2019. Blockchain security company CipherTrace gave its summary crypto-related theft in its Anti-Money Laundering report that it shared with Cointelegraph on Aug. 12. According to CipherTrace, outright thefts, scams and other kinds of misappropriation of funds from digital currency holders and trading platforms resulted in around $4.3 billion in losses throughout 2019.
Blockchain Advocates In Washington DC: Facebook Had “Fabulous” Timing
July 20, 2019
Say what you like about Mark Zuckerberg, but he certainly knows how to get attention. After six years of blank stares and regulatory shrugs, decentralization and privacy are now the talk of the town in Washington, and lawmakers are finally devoting their attention to what was once an obscure technological fad.
Former AT&T SVP CISO Asks CipherTrace about Securing Cryptocurrency
July 19, 2019
In wide-ranging interview with CipherTrace CMO John Jefferies, Ed Amoroso, CEO of TAG Cyber and former AT&T CISO, asks how to secure emerging exchanges, digital wallets, and related offerings.
CipherTrace, Shyft Unveil ID Protecting Solution to FATF Crypto Guidance
July 8, 2019
A new partnership is creating an anonymous identity scheme to meet regulators and users in the middle when complying with KYC/AML regulations.
BBC Interviews CipherTrace CEO on the Topic of Cryptocurrency Risks and Security
June 28, 2019
Dave Jevans discusses cryptocurrency robberies and losses from fraud with the BBC’s Louise Cooper. He also offers tips to users on how to safely trade and hold cryptocurrencies.
CipherTrace Offers Easy AML To Bitcoin ATMs
June 12, 2019
A new framework from blockchain security firm CipherTrace will enable cryptocurrency wallets, exchanges and other projects to comply with the Travel Rule from FATF – the Financial Action Task Force – without having to share private or personal information with one another.
Binance Coin Price Analysis: Binance Coin May Pick Up Pace Post-June 12
June 11, 2019
It has been a good year for Binance Coin traders and investors as the BNB coin has performed at par with the expectations. The recent alliances including ones with CoinFlip and CipherTrace further put a strong prediction on the future of this token in the world of cryptocurrencies, and it seems the coin is only going to move up higher in the next few months as well...
Crypto Cowboy Binance Wants to Play By the Rules
April 18, 2019
The latest sign of Binance’s new focus came last week when the company announced it would hire CipherTrace, a California-based business that helps companies and law enforcement trace suspicious cryptocurrency movements.
CipherTrace CEO Tackles the Rise in Crypto Thefts
April 2, 2019
Cryptocurrencies are still considered a risky investment for the more traditional investors, and only riskier as thefts on crypto exchanges continue to rise. According to security firm CipherTrace, more than $760 million in cryptocurrency was stolen from exchanges so far this year, easily outpacing 2017.
Cryptocurrency thefts, scams hit $1.7 billion in 2018: report
February 1, 2019
Cryptocurrencies stolen from exchanges and scammed from investors surged more than 400 percent in 2018 to around $1.7 billion, according to a report from U.S.-based cyber security firm CipherTrace released on Tuesday.
Crime still plagues cryptocurrencies, as $1.7 billion was stolen from investors last year
February 1, 2019
Bad actors stole $1.7 billion worth of cryptocurrencies from investors last year, according to a new report from CipherTrace Cryptocurrency Intelligence published Tuesday. Of that total, roughly $1 billion was taken from exchanges.
CipherTrace Report: Bad Actors Scammed and Stole $1.7 Billion in Cryptocurrency in 2018
February 1, 2019
CipherTrace is out with a report on cryptocurrency scams and fraud. It is widely known that crypto suffers from rampant acts of theft and cons as these digital assets have become the targets of global criminals seeking an easy payday or simply to launder illicit funds.
Crypto Crime Mooned In 2018
February 1, 2019
Crypto-related crime spiked massively last year, according to the latest report from AML firm CipherTrace. Digital crooks made off with some $1.7 billion worth of crypto assets in 2018.
Webinar: Shining a Light on the Dark Side of Blockchain
October 25, 2018
Cryptocurrency Anti-Money Laundering and Financial Investigations
Strong AML Regulations Deterrence to Cryptocurrency Linked Crimes: Finds Study
October 11, 2018
In the first nine months of 2018, theft from exchanges of cryptocurrencies through sophisticated hacking techniques has hit nearly $927 million, showing an increase of about 250 per cent compared to the level seen in 2017.
Cryptocurrency theft hits nearly $1 billion in first nine months: report
October 10, 2018
Theft of cryptocurrencies through hacking of exchanges and trading platforms soared to $927 million in the first nine months of the year, up nearly 250 percent from the level seen in 2017.
Criminals used Bitcoin to launder $2.5B in dirty money, data shows
October 10, 2018
New data shows criminals have laundered $2.5 billion worth dirty Bitcoin through cryptocurrency exchanges, and almost all of it ends up in countries with lax Anti-Money-Laundering (AML) regulations.
$731 Million Stolen from Crypto Exchanges in 2018: Can Hacks be Prevented?
July 4, 2018
Last year, crypto exchanges recorded around $266 million in losses from security breaches and heists. The first half of 2018 recorded triple the amount stolen from crypto exchanges in 2017, triggering investors in the cryptocurrency space to develop concerns regarding the standard of security measures implemented by crypto trading platforms.
CipherTrace Launches Crypto-Currency Anti-Money Laundering Service
July 3, 2018
Using advanced analytic techniques and multiple data sources, CipherTrace aims to help financial services organizations detect and limit crypto-currency money laundering.
Cryptocurrency Laundering’s Explosive Growth
July 3, 2018
Cryptocurrency money laundering is increasing dramatically, being already three times greater than in 2017. And we’re only half way through the year, observes Dave Jevans, Founder and CEO of CipherTrace, and chairman of the Anti-Phishing Working Group
Crypto money laundering up threefold in 2018: Report
July 3, 2018
Bitcoin supporters argue cryptocurrency is not anonymous, that their transactions can be connected to the addresses at which they receive bitcoins. If those addresses are ever tied to their personal identity, their cryptocurrency movements can be fully visible.
Cryptocurrency Theft Drives 3x Increase in Money Laundering
July 3, 2018
The first half of 2018 saw more cryptocurrency theft than all of 2017 combined, driving a rise in digital money laundering as criminals elude authorities.
$1.2 Bln in Crypto Stolen Since 2017, GDPR Will Hinder Cybercrime Enforcement, Report Shows
May 25, 2018
"So what we’re going to see is that not only the European market goes dark for all of us; so all the bad guys will flow to Europe because you can actually access the world from Europe and there’s no way you can get the data anymore.”
Report: Criminals Have Stolen $1.2 Billion in Cryptocurrencies Since 2017
May 25, 2018
“GDPR will negatively impact the overall security of the internet and will also inadvertently aid cybercriminals. By restricting access to critical information, the new law will significantly hinder investigations into cybercrime, cryptocurrency theft, phishing, ransomware, malware, fraud and crypto-jacking.”
$1.2 billion in cryptocurrency has been stolen since 2017, says report
May 24, 2018
Cryptocurrency has skyrocketed in value over the past year, so it shouldn't be too surprising that thieves want a piece of the pie.
About $1.2 billion in cryptocurrency stolen since 2017: cybercrime group
May 24, 2018
Since the beginning of 2017, as bitcoin’s popularity and the emergence of more than 1,500 digital tokens have put the spotlight on the unregulated sector, according to APWG estimates