Wondering how money laundering via cryptocurrency is possible? Here's a complete guide on crypto money laundering risks & best methods to prevent it. Click here to read!
Identifying, monitoring, and preventing money laundering via cryptocurrencies are turning out to be a colossal nightmare for governments across the world. As per an estimate, approximately USD 2tn is laundered every year. Cryptocurrencies, if left unchecked, can take a significant share of this laundered money.
Today, cryptocurrencies often get misused; cases range from activities such as purchasing illicit products off the dark web to moving unaccounted money (black money) from one person to another anywhere in the world. Governments across the world and regulators are still understanding/evaluating various implications of blockchain technologies that are often leading to poor governance and a fledgling money laundering business.
A digital or virtual currency secured by cryptography makes its ownership immutable. This solves the problem of counterfeit or double-spending. But, along with benefits, it brings certain challenges that need to be addressed. Most cryptocurrencies use a decentralized network of computers running on an underlying technology called blockchain. This network of decentralized computers maintains the distributed ledger. The currencies can either be purchased on a crypto exchange or mined by crypto miners (running on powerful computers) since most cryptocurrencies are not issued by governments or central banks. Therefore, they are theoretically immune to government intervention and interference making them a safe route for laundering money. As a digital asset and keeper of value, a lot of mainstream investors are now investing in cryptocurrencies. This makes it easier for wrongdoers to hide within the crowd and make oversight difficult.
It involves a distributed database that is shared among a network of computers (nodes) spread across the world. It consists of tranches of immutable information held by it securely, known as ‘blocks’ that link together to form the blockchain. This network of computers maintains a secure, immutable, and decentralized record of cryptocurrencies. This network makes the system dependable and promises fidelity. It is this network that ensures that there is no external manipulation and that there is high fidelity within the system of record keeping it follows. The blockchain keeps on updating itself, in blocks, based on transactions/new data of the cryptocurrencies it is running. Given that each block is immutable, it records every transaction occurring on the network and connects with another block like a chain once the capacity to hold information of one block is full.
The act of obtaining and moving illicit money, acquired from illegal activities in order to conceal the source of such money and legitimize its existence, is money laundering. The movement of funds has been the foundation of our economies and businesses since time immemorial.
Historically, as a society, lawmakers and governments have identified and legislated on activities that are deemed to be illicit and outlawed from time to time. Money generated from such activities is often considered black or illegally obtained, and is kept hidden from regulators, fearing identification and action. Earlier, couriers were used to move money or the Hawala network was used to handle these types of transactions. With access to more sophisticated technologies like cryptocurrencies, it has become simpler to move large tranches of money. Some reports claim that as much as USD 2.8bn was laundered using crypto exchanges in 2019. In 2021, a report said that approximately USD 8.6bn was laundered, and the number is only growing.
Money laundering involves significant sophistication and complexities. Launderers are very careful avoiding tax authorities and the government bodies to be able to pass through the system undetected. The process of washing dirty money and making it clean has certain standard steps. They can be performed via any vehicle, cryptocurrencies in this case. It requires a series of actions:
The inherently anonymous nature of cryptocurrencies, ease of cross-border transactions, and decentralized peer-to-peer payments make them an ideal choice for laundering money. Imagine this, you can buy any amount of bitcoin (or any other crypto) in one country via an exchange/casinos, online gambling, and encash it anywhere in the world. While many nations have introduced anti-money laundering acts and regulations, their implementation and on-ground compliance remain a challenge. Anti-money laundering compliance is crucial for preventing money laundering, and blockchain offers solutions. Some good practices can make life difficult for wrongdoers, like:
