FBI hosts annual crypto crime forum to target scams and North Korean threats

The FBI held its annual Virtual Asset Technical Exchange in San Antonio, an invite-only forum that has been running for nine years. The event brought together hundreds of participants, including senior FBI officials, frontline investigators, overseas law enforcement officers, and blockchain forensics specialists.

Private-sector participation was limited to approximately 50 vendors and partners. Attendees included representatives from firms such as TRM Labs and Chainalysis, as well as officials from the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network. Discussion topics focused on the intersection of cryptocurrency and violent crime, including terrorist financing, human trafficking, cartel activity, and cyber-enabled fraud.

Data highlighted during the discussions underscored the scale of the issue. FBI records indicate that cryptocurrency-related complaints resulted in more than $11 billion in reported annual losses in 2025. Additionally, reports noted significant threats from North Korean-linked actors, with TRM Labs attributing $643 million in crypto thefts in the first half of 2026 to these entities.