Darknet marketplaces are embracing cryptocurrency obfuscation techniques such as bitcoin mixers at a blistering pace, according to new research by analytics firm Crystal Blockchain.
BitFury’s intelligence outfit said in its Darknet Activity Report, released Tuesday, that “darknet entities” sent $67 million with of bitcoin to transaction scrambling mixers in Q1 2020. That’s a staggering spike from the $3 million recorded in Q1 2019.
Disclosure
The leader in blockchain news, CoinDesk is a media outlet that strives for the highest journalistic standards and abides by a strict set of editorial policies. CoinDesk is an independent operating subsidiary of Digital Currency Group, which invests in cryptocurrencies and blockchain startups.