Why Crypto Mixer Usage Has Reached All-time Highs in 2022

Why Crypto Mixer Usage Has Reached All-time Highs in 2022

In this episode of Public Key, our host, Ian Andrews (CMO at Chainalysis) sets a new podcast first, by recording live in the New York Studio.  Ian is joined by podcast favorite, Kim Grauer (Director of Research, Chainalysis), who is the lead researcher on the recent blog, Crypto Mixer Usage Reaches All-time Highs in 2022…

Funds going to mixers in 2022 have doubled over last year and Ian and Kim cover how mixers are used in the crypto ecosystem and the large amount of illicit funds that are being received by them. They also discuss recent law enforcement action against mixers and the surge in smart contract mixers correlated with recent DeFi hacks. 

Minute-by-minute episode breakdown

• (2:05) – Highlighting the year over year increase of cryptocurrency being sent to mixers 
• (5:01) –Understanding the legitimate uses of utilizing cryptocurrency mixers and how mixers could be more compliant
• (7:25) – Breaking down the stats of how much illicit activity is connected to crypto mixers
• (8:45) – The sudden rise in scrutiny and law enforcement action on mixers
• (12:05) – The strategy behind crypto mixers issuing their own tokens
• (14:20) - Identifying and describing the differences between the 3 main types of crypto mixers
• (16:10) - How the surge in hacking has changed the landscape in money laundering using mixers

Related resources

Check out more resources provided by Chainalysis that perfectly complement this episode of the Public Key.

• Blog: Crypto Mixer Usage Reaches All-time Highs in 2022 With Nation State Actors and Cybercriminals Contributing Significant Volume

• Report:The Chainalysis State of Web3 Report

• Webinar: The State of Web: Watch On Demand (with Ethan McMahon and Kim Grauer)

• Blog: Defi Hacks Are on the Rise
• Blog: How the Crypto Industry Can Leverage Blockchains’ Transparency to Understand and Prevent Market Contagion
• Video: Chainalysis Links New York 2022 (Video Replays) 

Speakers on today’s episode

• Ian Andrews * Host * (Chief Marketing Officer, Chainalysis) https://www.linkedin.com/in/ianhandrews
• Kim Grauer (Director of Research, Chainalysis) https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberly-grauer-a9501144

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