ACAMS Partners with Chainalysis to Combat Cryptocurrency Crime
In a significant move to enhance cryptocurrency crime prevention efforts, ACAMS has partnered with Chainalysis to update their financial crime training program in light of alarming statistics. Chainalysis revealed that a staggering $17 billion in cryptocurrency was taken through frauds and scams throughout 2025, prompting ACAMS to take action.
Revamped Certification Program
On October 8, ACAMS announced the revamp of its Certified Cryptoasset Anti-Financial Crime (AFC) Specialist certification, making it the first major certification to feature material from a global collaborator, Chainalysis. This updated program aims to equip professionals with essential skills for investigating transactions, monitoring suspicious activities, and evaluating risks related to cryptocurrency crimes. Pre-sales for the new certification, which will be available starting November 19, have already begun.
Curriculum Enhancements
As part of the curriculum enhancements, ACAMS has refreshed its Cryptoassets and Blockchain course and introduced three additional modules that focus on various aspects of financial crime risks, regulatory compliance, and investigative practices. With contributions from Chainalysis, these courses reflect current regulatory trends, criminal tactics, and industry dynamics. Participants will engage in practical exercises and case studies, specifically designed to address blockchain-related investigations.
Identifying Training Needs
ACAMS identified a notable training need among participants at their conferences, particularly highlighted during The Assembly Las Vegas 2026, where 79% of anti-financial crime professionals indicated that knowledge gaps in crypto and digital assets were a significant concern. The curriculum is tailored to a diverse array of professionals engaged in anti-money laundering, sanctions, and fraud detection, with an increasing focus on understanding blockchain transactions and identifying illicit flows.
Insights from Chainalysis
ACAMS CEO, Neil Sternthal, emphasized the importance of ongoing skill development in the face of evolving financial crime threats. He noted that it is crucial for practitioners to adapt to current and future challenges presented by blockchain technology.
In addition to the estimates of lost funds due to scams, Chainalysis provided further insights. Their analysis estimated that illicit cryptocurrency addresses received over $154 billion in 2025. ACAMS’s briefing pointed towards advanced scams, international money laundering operations, and violations of sanctions instituted by governmental bodies. The organization highlighted the necessity for professionals to be knowledgeable about blockchain operations and equipped with advanced tools to keep up with the rapid tactics employed by criminals.
Emerging Threats
Amid various threats, Chainalysis’s latest findings underscore concerning trends, including physical attacks on cryptocurrency holders, with estimates suggesting that over $30 million was lost due to kidnappings and other violent criminal activities during the first half of 2026. The company’s reports detailed the complexity of these issues, which involve criminals leveraging technology such as artificial intelligence to facilitate rounds of scams and conduct nefarious transactions almost instantaneously across different blockchains.
Jonathan Levin, co-founder and CEO of Chainalysis, stressed that while blockchain technology offers valuable transparency, practitioners must possess the requisite data, expertise, and operational tools to effectively utilize it in combating crime. He urged that compliance teams need robust capabilities to proactively counteract automated threats effectively and in real time.
Advancements in Investigative Methodologies
Citing advancements in investigative methodologies, it was highlighted that Chainalysis used AI to streamline the labor-intensive process of transaction matching during an investigation into the Bitget hack from September 24, with the timeframe for such tasks significantly reduced, thereby enhancing investigative efficiency.
Regulatory Developments
Meanwhile, the U.S. Treasury is in the process of establishing anti-money laundering regulations specific to approved payment stablecoin issuers, as outlined in the proposed GENIUS Act. This sets forth that permitted issuers will be held to the same compliance standards as financial institutions.
FBI Training and Cryptocurrency Complaints
At a recent FBI training forum in San Antonio, discussions centered on tracing illicit funds, understanding scams, and the role of North Korean interventions in crypto crimes. The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center reported more than 181,000 cryptocurrency-related complaints in 2025, resulting in losses that exceeded $11 billion, including substantial figures attributed to investment frauds. However, these figures only represent reported incidents, indicating a broader, unaccounted scope of cryptocurrency criminal activity.
