I noticed an interesting trend in the crypto community — more and more discussions about dirty coins and exchange bans. Turns out, this is no longer just theory but a real headache for active traders.

The fact is, in 2025-2026, regulators really stepped up their oversight. Major platforms are required to comply with AML rules, and they do so very seriously — sometimes even too seriously. I've seen stories where people were blocked over a single suspicious transaction they didn't even notice.

According to statistics, about 5% of all stablecoin transactions are linked to suspicious addresses. In Russia, in the first half of 2025, out of 2.3 trillion rubles in crypto turnover, around 112 billion fell into the dirty category. The numbers are impressive.

What exactly is considered dirty crypto? Assets associated with hacking, laundering through mixers, darknet activities, scam projects, or sanctions. For example, after the EU blockade on Garantex, Tether simply froze $2.5 billion in the exchange's wallets. People couldn't withdraw their funds. Horrible.

When I started digging deeper, I understood the main point: AML checks trigger for several reasons. First, if you received crypto from a red address — hacked exchange or sanctioned mixer. Second, if you made P2P transactions with unverified users. And third, there's an interesting effect — retroactive tagging. Hackers are marked a month later, and suddenly all their old transactions become dirty.

How to protect yourself? I started using specialized services for verification. CoinKyt provides in-depth analysis, and Scorechain Bot can be used directly in a bot — you enter the address, and in 10 seconds, you get a report. If the risk is above 70%, it's better not to accept payments from that address.

If it already happened and you received dirty crypto, don't panic. The main thing — don't return the funds, as this will only worsen your rating. Create a new address, gather evidence — (messages, screenshots), contact exchange support. But be prepared for a block — it can happen.

The simple conclusion: 1 in 20 USDT transactions may be suspicious. Exchanges block without warning, even for old transactions. Check addresses before transferring, not after account freezes. It's like hygiene — if you don't do it regularly, problems will come later. Use AML tools, stay vigilant, and crypto will remain what it was meant to be — freedom in finance without headaches.