Report: The use of cryptocurrency to evade sanctions surged by 700% in 2025

According to CoinDesk, Chainalysis' latest report shows that in 2025, cryptocurrency-related illegal activities linked to sanctions surged, with sanctioned entities receiving at least $104 billion in cryptocurrency, a 700% increase from 2024, driving the total illegal on-chain transaction volume for the year to $154 billion.

Countries like Russia, Iran, and North Korea, which are under U.S. and European sanctions, are integrating cryptocurrency into their national financial strategies to circumvent the traditional banking system. The report specifically notes that the ruble-pegged stablecoin A7A5 is a primary channel for sanctioned Russian enterprises, processing $93.3 billion in transactions in less than a year, serving as a settlement avenue for cross-border trade by sanctioned Russian companies.

This token is associated with the exchanges Grinex and Meer, having processed billions of dollars in transactions before being sanctioned by the U.S. and Europe. A7A5 also offers "instant exchange" services, allowing tokens to be converted into mainstream U.S. dollar stablecoins with minimal KYC checks, having processed over $2.2 billion in transactions to date, effectively enabling sanctioned entities to enter the broader crypto economy.

Addresses linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of Iran account for over 50% of the value received by Iranian services, transferring over $3 billion in funds. North Korea remains the largest actor in cyber theft, stealing over $2 billion in cryptocurrency in 2025. Stablecoins currently account for about 84% of illegal transaction volume.