According to the latest report from Chainalysis, activities using cryptocurrencies to circumvent international sanctions have surged in 2025. Sanctioned entities received at least $104 billion in crypto assets, an increase of approximately 700% compared to 2024. This increase contributed to pushing the total value of illicit blockchain transactions in 2025 to approximately $154 billion.
Chainalysis reports that several countries under sanctions from the US and Europe, such as Russia, Iran, and North Korea, are increasingly integrating cryptocurrencies into their national financial strategies to reduce reliance on the traditional banking system.
Stablecoins are becoming the primary instrument.
The report also highlights the growing Vai of stablecoins in circumventing sanctions. Stablecoins currently account for approximately 84% of the total volume on the blockchain. A notable example is the A7A5 stablecoin, Peg to the ruble. According to Chainalysis, this Token has become a primary payment channel for many sanctioned Russian businesses, processing approximately $93.3 billion in transactions in less than a year.
A7A5 is linked to the Grinex and Meer exchanges, and prior to US and EU sanctions, these platforms processed billions of dollars worth of related transactions. Chainalysis states that A7A5 also provides an “instant swap” service, allowing users to quickly convert to popular USD Peg stablecoins with virtually no stringent KYC requirements. To date, these types of conversion transactions have processed over $2.2 billion, giving sanctioned entities access to a broader crypto ecosystem.
Besides Russia, the report also indicates that addresses linked to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) account for over 50% of the total transaction value received by crypto services in Iran, with over $3 billion transferred through these addresses.
Meanwhile, North Korea remains identified as the leading perpetrator of cyberattacks and crypto theft, with the total amount stolen exceeding $2 billion in 2025.
