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Story summary
- Chainalysis reports that cryptocurrency transactions linked to trafficking rose 85% in Southeast Asia in 2025, mainly from sex trafficking.
- Criminal groups, often Chinese-speaking, advertise on Telegram and offer forced labor and prostitution.
- Many transactions use stablecoins like Tether to launder profits via Telegram-based guarantee markets.
- These operations are concentrated in Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos and involve tens of billions annually and many transactions over $10,000.
