Share this article
FBI Agent Estimates 130 Crypto Investigations Underway
The FBI is currently running 130 different cryptocurrency-related investigations, Bloomberg reported Wednesday.
By Nikhilesh De
Updated Sep 13, 2021, 8:06 a.m. Published Jun 28, 2018, 2:05 a.m.
The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is currently running 130 different cryptocurrency-related investigations, Bloomberg reported Wednesday.
FBI Supervisory Special Agent Kyle Armstrong told the Crypto Evolved conference in New York that the agency is investigating a variety of crimes, including human trafficking, drug transactions, kidnapping and ransomware, which have a cryptocurrency component, according to Bloomberg.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Don't miss another story.Subscribe to the Crypto Daybook Americas Newsletter today. See all newsletters
Further, there has recently been an uptick in cases involving cryptocurrencies, he said, citing opioids as one area where the bureau needs to focus on. Roughly 10 percent of drug users worldwide purchase drugs online in illegal digital marketplaces.
Some parts of the U.S. have also seen an increase in extortion schemes, where the perpetrators wish to use cryptocurrencies.
That being said, these "threat-tagged" investigations only make up a "small sliver" of the thousands of cases the agency has, he said.
And unlike crimes involving cash, Armstrong said the blockchain's immutability makes it easier to track transactions. On the flip side, cryptocurrencies' anonymity or pseudonymity make it more difficult to properly investigate a crime.
FBI logo image via Kristi Blokhin / Shutterstock
More For You
What to know:
- As of October 2025, GoPlus has generated $4.7M in total revenue across its product lines. The GoPlus App is the primary revenue driver, contributing $2.5M (approx. 53%), followed by the SafeToken Protocol at $1.7M.
- GoPlus Intelligence's Token Security API averaged 717 million monthly calls year-to-date in 2025 , with a peak of nearly 1 billion calls in February 2025. Total blockchain-level requests, including transaction simulations, averaged an additional 350 million per month.
- Since its January 2025 launch , the $GPS token has registered over $5B in total spot volume and $10B in derivatives volume in 2025. Monthly spot volume peaked in March 2025 at over $1.1B , while derivatives volume peaked the same month at over $4B.
More For You
Robinhood Stock Slides 8% After Big Decline in November Trading Volumes
Slumps across equity, options and crypto trading in November raised concerns that retail investor momentum may be fading.
What to know:
- Robinhood reported a sharp drop in trading volumes across equities, options and crypto in November.
- The company's total platform assets also fell 5% month-over-month to $325 billion.
- The slowdown in trading activity raised investor concerns that retail engagement may be fading heading into year-end.
Top Stories
