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- New Money Laundering Playbook: Go Digital
- Record Drop in AML Enforcement: Led by Sharp U.S. Decline
- Key Drivers Fueling the Surge in Illicit Finance
- Fighting Back: Solutions and Tech Innovations
- Programmable AML: Tomorrow’s Safeguards on the Horizon
Money laundering and terrorist financing surged in 2025, both in the U.S. and globally, with 2026 showing little sign of reprieve. Crypto-linked illicit flows spiked to record levels, reaching an estimated $158 billion in laundered funds worldwide in 2025, an all-time high that more than tripled 2024’s total.1
Traditional channels like cash couriers, shell companies and banks still account for hundreds of billions in dirty money, but cryptocurrency (or “crypto”) networks saw the steepest rise. However, enforcement lagged behind the surge, especially in the U.S., where global anti-money laundering (AML) fines and penalties declined from prior years amid deregulatory trends and regulatory staff reductions.
Longstanding United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimates place annual global money laundering at $800 billion to $2 trillion, equivalent to 2%–5% of global GDP, while a recent 2025 Napier AI analysis estimates broader illicit flows at $5.5 trillion draining approximately 5% of global GDP, a figure that underscores the escalating scale of these threats.2,3
Illicit financial flows in the U.S. are rising sharply, driven by both traditional and digital channels. The U.S. Treasury estimates that up to $300 billion is laundered annually through the U.S. financial system, while illicit cryptocurrency transactions surged to the highest level in five years.4 The 2025 analysis by Napier AI estimated that almost $730 billion is laundered annually in the U.S., equivalent to about 2.5% of U.S. GDP.5
Key factors behind this trend include the exploitation of regulatory gaps and loopholes for digital assets, uneven oversight across jurisdictions and the growing use of advanced technologies. The rapid adoption of cryptocurrency and the increasing sophistication of money laundering techniques, often powered by artificial intelligence (AI) and automation, have made it easier for illicit actors to move funds undetected. According to Daniel Stipano, Head of AML/CFT for Davis Polk, “We are in a time where the global threat environment has never been higher, largely due to AI and other forms of technology.” This article examines the U.S. and global trends in money laundering and terrorist financing in 2025 and early 2026, reviews major enforcement actions, analyzes the drivers behind the rise in illicit finance and outlines potential solutions, including technology-enabled defenses, to combat these evolving threats.

