Tracing Illegal Activity Through The Bitcoin Blockchain To Combat Cryptocurrency Related…

While cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin have the potential to break traditional financial barriers, there are a number of growing concerns about digital currencies being used to fund illegal activities.

According to a study conducted earlier this year, approximately one-quarter of Bitcoin users and one-half of Bitcoin transactions are associated with illicit activity. Around $72 billion of unlawful activity per year involves Bitcoin, which is close to the scale of the U.S. and European markets for illegal drugs.

Moreover, a 2018 study conducted by blockchain analysis startup, Elliptic, and the Center on Sanctions and Illicit Finance, found a fivefold increase in the number of large-scale illegal operations working on the Bitcoin blockchain between 2013 and 2016. By analyzing the history of more than 500,000 bitcoins, the organizations identified 102 criminal entities, which included dark-web marketplaces, ponzi schemes and ransomware/malware attackers.

Tracing Criminal Activity…