Core Insights - The 2025 Blockchain Security and Anti-Money Laundering Annual Report by SlowMist highlights the rapid development of the blockchain industry, which faces complex security and compliance challenges. Although the number of security incidents decreased compared to 2024, the total losses increased significantly, indicating a shift in the nature of threats and regulatory responses [1][10]. Group 1: Security Landscape - In 2025, there were 200 security incidents in the blockchain sector, resulting in approximately $2.935 billion in losses, a 46% increase in loss amount compared to 2024, despite a reduction in incident count [12][13]. - Ethereum, BSC, and Solana were the most attacked ecosystems, with losses of approximately $254 million, $21.93 million, and $17.45 million respectively [18]. - DeFi projects accounted for 63% of all security incidents, with 126 events leading to losses of about $649 million, while centralized exchanges experienced only 12 incidents but incurred losses of $1.809 billion, primarily due to the Bybit incident, which alone accounted for $1.46 billion [22][28]. Group 2: Fraud Techniques - Fraud techniques have evolved to become more complex and hidden, with phishing attacks now incorporating system commands and wallet permissions. New methods include Clickfix phishing, wallet owner permission tampering, and EIP-7702 authorization abuse [2][39]. - Social engineering attacks have become more frequent, utilizing tactics such as fake job interviews and selling counterfeit hardware wallets to manipulate victims [2]. - The use of AI technology has lowered the barrier for attackers, enabling deep forgery and the generation of deceptive content, which increases the effectiveness of scams [2][39]. Group 3: Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Developments - The global regulatory landscape for anti-money laundering has shifted from exploratory to more defined rules, with many countries accelerating the implementation of AML/CFT frameworks and conducting cross-border enforcement actions [2][10]. - Significant progress has been made in freezing and recovering funds, with Tether and Circle freezing substantial amounts of assets linked to criminal activities. A total of 18 incidents resulted in the recovery or freezing of funds, amounting to 13.2% of total losses [2][10]. Group 4: Cybercrime Ecosystem - The cybercrime ecosystem has become more organized, with groups like North Korean hackers and others employing sophisticated methods to create complex money laundering networks [3][10]. - Ransomware and information-stealing malware have proliferated through MaaS/RaaS models, with LockBit and LummaC2 being notable examples [3]. - Regulatory clarity around privacy tools and mixing services is increasing, with authorities differentiating between technical attributes and criminal uses, leading to intensified enforcement against operators that facilitate money laundering [3]. Group 5: Future Outlook - The report emphasizes that the security capabilities, compliance systems, and on-chain monitoring response capabilities will be critical for the sustainable development of the blockchain industry. Balancing technological innovation with compliance and security will remain a significant challenge for the industry in the long term [3][10].