Stolen Funds Disappear Before Victims Notice

Blockchain analytics firm Global Ledger's latest research reveals a startling trend - cybercriminals now launder stolen cryptocurrency within minutes of theft, often before exchanges or victims become aware of the breach. During the first six months of 2025, hackers stole 【$3.01 billion】 across 119 incidents, exceeding 2024's total losses.

The Race Against Time

The report documents cases where laundering began within seconds of exploitation, with complete fund obfuscation achieved in under three minutes. On average, attackers move stolen assets 15 hours post-breach, while public disclosure typically takes 37 hours. This 20-hour window gives criminals significant advantage, with 【68.1%】 of funds already in motion before public reporting.

——"The speed of these operations renders traditional compliance processes obsolete," states the report——

Centralized Exchanges: Weakest Link

Centralized platforms accounted for 【54.26%】 of total losses, processing 15.1% of all laundered funds. Current anti-money laundering systems struggle with the 10-15 minute response window needed to intercept suspicious transactions before irreversible laundering occurs.

Regulatory Response Intensifies

New legislation like the U.S. Genius Act imposes stricter requirements on virtual asset service providers. The ongoing trial of Tornado Cash developer Roman Storm further highlights increasing regulatory expectations for proactive crime prevention in cryptocurrency ecosystems.

Global Ledger's findings suggest exchanges must implement real-time monitoring systems matching criminals' operational speed. With only 【4.2%】 of stolen funds recovered in 2025, the report underscores the urgent need for security upgrades across the industry.