A report by Chainalysis reveals that illicit cryptocurrency addresses received $154 billion in 2025, marking a 162% increase from the previous year. This surge is largely attributed to activities involving sanctioned entities, including state-sponsored actors from North Korea, Russia, and Iran. Despite the increase, illicit transactions still account for less than 1% of all cryptocurrency activity. North Korean hackers reportedly stole $2 billion, while Russia's ruble-backed A7A5 stablecoin facilitated over $93.3 billion in transactions, despite sanctions. Iranian networks engaged in over $2 billion of illicit activities, including money laundering and arms procurement. Stablecoins were involved in 84% of these transactions, highlighting their role in the illicit crypto ecosystem.