Dirty money flows

Reuters examined court records, statements by law enforcement and blockchain data, compiled for Reuters by two blockchain analysis firms, and found that Binance has processed transactions totalling at least $2.35 billion stemming from hacks, investment frauds and illegal drug sales. Two industry experts reviewed the calculation and agreed with the estimate. Below is a breakdown of how Reuters arrived at this figure:

Darknet Markets

Hydra Market

$781 mln

Russia

2017-April 2022

Other darknet

markets

$58 mln

2017-Feb 2022

Various

Scams

$838 mln

Various

2019-2021

Finiko ponzi scheme

Cyber Storm

fraud case

$100 mln

2021

Pakistan

StableMagnet fraud

$22.3 mln

Hong Kong,

various

2021

Thodex scam

$17 mln

Turkey

2021

European investment

fraud schemes

At least

$10 mln 

2020-2022

Various

Fetch.ai fraud

$2.6 mln

Britain 

2021

Other scams

$110 mln

2017-2022

Various

Hacks

Electrum

$13 mln

2020

Various

Zaif exchange

$10 mln

Japan

2018

Eterbase

$3 mln

Slovakia

2020

Other hacking cases

$1 mln

2018-2021

Various

Other

WazirX foreign

exchange violations

case

$382 mln

India

2020

Sources: Crystal Blockchain, Merkle Science, Coinoxs, Greater Manchester Police, European Funds Recovery Initiative, Pakistan Federal Investigation Agency, U.S., German, British court records, Slovakian National Police, India Directorate of Enforcement, Reuters reporting

Dirty money flows

Reuters examined court records, statements by law enforcement and blockchain data, compiled for Reuters by two blockchain analysis firms, and found that Binance has processed transactions totalling at least $2.35 billion stemming from hacks, investment frauds and illegal drug sales. Two industry experts reviewed the calculation and agreed with the estimate. Below is a breakdown of how Reuters arrived at this figure:

Darknet Markets

Hydra Market

$781 million

Russia

2017-April 2022

Other darknet markets

$58 million

Various

2017-Feb 2022

Scams

Finiko ponzi scheme

$838 million

Various

2019-2021

Cyber Storm fraud case

$100 million

Pakistan

2021

StableMagnet fraud

$22.3 million

Hong Kong, various

2021

Thodex scam

$17 million

2021

Turkey

European investment fraud schemes

At least $10 million 

Various

2020-2022

Fetch.ai fraud

$2.6 million

Britain 

2021

Other scams

$110 million

2017-2022

Various

Hacks

Electrum

$13 million

2020

Various

Zaif exchange

$10 million

2018

Japan

Eterbase

$3 million

Slovakia

2020

Other hacking cases

$1 million

2018-2021

Various

Other

WazirX foreign exchange

violations case

$382 million

India

2020

Sources: Crystal Blockchain, Merkle Science, Coinoxs, Greater Manchester Police, European Funds Recovery Initiative, Pakistan Federal Investigation Agency, U.S., German, British court records, Slovakian National Police, India Directorate of Enforcement, Reuters reporting