Chainalysis Reports 440% Surge in Malicious Use of Crypto Networks

Malicious activity on cryptocurrency networks has increased by 440% over the past year, according to a Chainalysis report. The rise is largely attributed to state-sponsored actors from North Korea and Iran, who now account for approximately two-thirds of new quarterly activity and half of all detected "clandestine deposits" as of Q2 2026. These groups use public blockchain networks to store encrypted instructions for malware, a technique that has evolved significantly since mid-2025. Chainalysis identified over 15 active campaigns across five networks, including instances where North Korean-linked groups utilize TRON and Aptos to coordinate attacks on BNB Chain.