Will Bitcoin lose control over money laundering?

[WhoYouCantKill]

One mistake I think people shouldn’t make is thinking or believing that merely using Bitcoin automatically makes their money safe from legal or financial problems. That’s why it’s crucial to always very every single payment details and also keep transaction histories, especially when trading with people on P2P. These are essential security habits that can help you protect your funds from scams or misunderstandings without giving up control of your funds.

[Sticky Bomb]

Bitcoin is actually the last thing a criminal trying to launder money will think of .. every on-chain transaction is transparent. Do you think it’s just like convert to BTC then send the BTC out and boom! the money is clean

I'm afraid you're wrong lol... Bitcoin is pretty much the first step to launder money. It's stable enough has enough value and is decentralized. Come to think about it? What else could they ever use? Yeah yeah you can say privacy coins but in reality they come after it has been successfully stolen via bitcoin.

Stables can be frozen, at least most if em'. privacy coins on the other hand can be very difficult to get actually. We barely have enough trusted DEX providers.

No Mia, He actually knows what he's saying. Money laundering is done more via fiat, and it is mostly carried out by governmental bodies. 95% of government contracts has embezzlement embedded in it of which is made clean through the contract terms, contracts are surface, how the money is distributed after the contractors is mobilized is the main laundering game and since fiat transactions isn't public, its easier done through awarding contracts, the only percentage for the contractor is 10 - 30%, the rest is money laundering. I talk from experience.

Bitcoin is the last option, unless it is money stolen through crypto institutional hacks and others, but the main laundering of money is neatly done with fiat through contracts, sponsorships and ambassadorial deals, e.t.c. Let me give you one example:
Odogwu bitters which was launched 4 years ago: Here are the Ambassadorial deals-
Portable: ₦50 million (approximately $120,000 at the time).
Zubby Michael : Undisclosed amount
Late Alex Ekubo: Undisclosed amount
Broda Shaggi : Undisclosed amount
Mr Jollof : Undisclosed amount

Now why did you think the others chose not to disclose? It is not just for security purpose, but because the money would raise eyebrows.

Now ask yourself how many packets of that bitters were sold and can you still see them promoting it or the bitters selling in nearby stores?
Do you think they launched their bitters for it to fade away in a little timeframe?
This is what money laundering is, bitcoin na less, the government knows what they're doing and fighting bitcoin because they cannot control it. Money laundering on bitcoin is harder and very negligible compared to fiat

[Zigabel]

You need understand one thing first before you talk about this Bitcoin mata, one of the primary fight wey we dey see government dey fight well well for Bitcoin mata na the fight to gain control, dem know say if dem fit get control over am, e go benefit dem in some ways and some of dia selfish interest too dem go fit fulfil am, but Bitcoin na something wey be say one person or group of persons no fit control am, and na where the hate for Bitcoin by some governments start. so if you first understand this thing, e go help you understand how the whole hate and alleged allegations on Bitcoin use come about.

No doubts, e get pipo dem wey dey use Bitcoin run some kain dirties, but not all of the accusation on Bitcoin really dey true, infact actual stat get am say dem launder moni in fiat pass crypto sef, but because e get one kain hatred for crypto, dem go wan push everything put for crypto. Bitcoin on its own no get any issues with illegality, rather na pipo dem dey use am run matas, so i think say e better to focus more attention on the said culprits dem dan to den blame d asset wey  be  like just tools wey fit dey used for every and any thing. Bitcoin here no be the problem, i think the launders dem naim be d issue to face and not the means.

[Coyster]

It may also happen that the government can take Bitcoin under its control like banks.

Lol, how is that going to happen bro. Bitcoin is decentralized, it is not something any entity can just take under its control at its whim.

Bitcoin is just a tool, a great and useful one at that. If some people use it for illicit purposes, then it is on the perpetrators and not the coin in itself. Talking about money laundering my friend, what better tool to use for that purpose than cash, why are you not kicking up a fuss about fiat then, i guess it's because bitcoin is the easy target and is not printed by the money printers

[Shadiq]

Money laundering has happened before and is still happening, so there is no point in blaming Bitcoin. Is money laundering not happening with fiat? Of course it is. Despite central or government control, money laundering is happening, criminals are conducting criminal activities, yet we cannot blame them for it. Because, the failure is not of money or financial management, but here the government is failing, the regulatory agency is failing. You can blame those who are laundering money or abusing the financial system.

Since Bitcoin or crypto is decentralized and supports pseudonymity, it is relatively difficult to reveal the identity of the launderer. So money launderers and criminals are trying to turn to crypto, especially Bitcoin. This is not a problem with Bitcoin or crypto, but the fault of those who abuse the system. There is no system in the world that is not abused.

[Cryptomultiplier]

It may also happen that the government can take Bitcoin under its control like banks.

Lol, how is that going to happen bro. Bitcoin is decentralized, it is not something any entity can just take under its control at its whim.

Bitcoin is just a tool, a great and useful one at that. If some people use it for illicit purposes, then it is on the perpetrators and not the coin in itself. Talking about money laundering my friend, what better tool to use for that purpose than cash, why are you not kicking up a fuss about fiat then, i guess it's because bitcoin is the easy target and is not printed by the money printers

We have been led to believe by the government how Bitcoin is the main tool for money laundering and that's why CEX exist with AML policies and kYC requirements to track and monitor most activities, but I doubt they really understand that money laundering has different methods to be achieved, instead all that this fear is geared at is to control Bitcoin.

Since Bitcoin is decentralized, other systems or most times accumulation can become most effective with it because even hackers who steal Bitcoin find it hard to easily swap it to other currency to spend due to monitoring tools and government eyes that's everywhere. So how can money laundering with Bitcoin thrive when it is the most watched coin on the network?

[devouring-DARKNESS]

Just recently there were talks about how during the end sars movement people paid to support through bitcoin to make sure their identities were safe while they were still able to be a part of the end SARS movement, I understand that No-KYC doesn't automatically mean the money has been successfully laundered but if you are saying you don't see t e possibilities then you are clearly lying to yourself.
I believe making use of Mixers will aid alot in laundering money through bitcoin though I do not fully understand how Mixers work, then there is also converting bitcoin to other cryptocurrencies that make use of different Blockchain across multiple wallet addresses, at the end you might not be successful in laundering the money but that doesn't mean it's impossible.

[Odogwu-Blockchain]

Let me make it clear for everyone, Easybuy is a money laundering scheme in Nigeria, so many loan apps are money laundering scheme, they launder money and use it as if they are helping people for loans. The real dirty back door information is loans from a stolen money.

Now, many Bitcoin and Gift card apps too in Nigeria are operated from a money laundered, hacked, scammed, embezzled and from many illegal activities too.

If you don't know, you may not know, that's me personally, if I take loan from loan apps, I don't pay back, even taking phone from Easybuy, I don't pay back the remaining. They all laundered the money and wash it into doing legit business.

[Mia Chloe]

~snip

The main premise of this discussion was actually crypto. Anyways lemme deviate a little. The illustrations you gave are more of laundering via politics and government and to be frank if you exclude corruption it's easy as ABC to trace everyone back. Fiat is the most centralized currency and thinking it's difficult to track is wild honestly.

Over 50% of totally successful scams these days are through crypto like bitcoin. Use fiat they get a name automatically from the bank and the rest is history. There's a difference between them ignoring and not being able to trace.

[The Founding Titan]

~snip

The main premise of this discussion was actually crypto. Anyways lemme deviate a little. The illustrations you gave are more of laundering via politics and government and to be frank if you exclude corruption it's easy as ABC to trace everyone back. Fiat is the most centralized currency and thinking it's difficult to track is wild honestly.

Over 50% of totally successful scams these days are through crypto like bitcoin. Use fiat they get a name automatically from the bank and the rest is history. There's a difference between them ignoring and not being able to trace.

Most people actually assume that because no major cases are made against these people that it isn't obvious that they are laundering their illegal money, if it wasn't for how corrupt this country is most of our BIG MEN and CELEBRITIES would have been arrested for money laundering, but the seeming lack of arrests have made people believe it's difficult to catch money laundering through fiat forgetting that their names and identities are tied to their banks and businesses generating unreal revenue aren't being audited or at least are paying their way through the process.
Crypto is one of the easiest ways to launder money, the fact that crypto related scams are harder to pin down should be enough to prove this much.

[Mia Chloe]

~snip

Actually, money laundering is a world problem not necessarily a Nigerian only problem but the actual difference here is some countries are more corrupt than others and as a result it's easier to pull it off. The more corrupt the system the easier money laundering via fiat especially becomes.

Asian countries that don't jeopardise public funds have over 80% o their laundering Via crypto like bitcoin. The bigger the amount the more the risks with stuff like USDT.

[Donk1]

​Well Bitcoin can't lose control because it's not a single currency and perhaps, do you think if a single country was to step out and claim to take control over Bitcoin, the other countries would allow? The world cannot run together no matter how united it is or no matter the relationship each country has with the other it would be hard to come to terms on who would take control. That's why Bitcoin must remain decentralized. The issue with money laundering isn't new and perhaps this has been happening even long before Bitcoin existed. So yeah I'm not saying that we shouldn't be careful as investors or something like that, because yeah the responsibility of being a crypto enthusiast is to be in charge of your assets. Still criminals making use of Bitcoin to do illegal transactions is wrong, but the same way weapons were created to bring peace, still those weapons end up in the hands of criminals. So if you think about it individuals who make use of Bitcoin have to be careful, but that doesn't give the government any rights over Bitcoin. So that's all......

[Jegileman]

Even before bitcoin was created money laundering have always been in existence.  People do money laundering in different way and different things are being used as a tool it doesn't mean things that are been associated to money laundering are bad. Even if bitcoin seize to exist today their will still be money laundering.  Bitcoin doesn't not promote money laundering or any illegal activity, even the bank and cash that is being controlled by the government has something to do with money laundering and this doesn't make them bad.

Since it is government owned and issued means of legal tender, then there in nothing bad about the fiat system. It is clean even though it is being used to launder money. Bitcoin came as a an alternative to the fiat currency but since the government are not comfortable seeing a decentralized entity around, they’ll have to label it with anything possible in order not to find a reason to legalize it. Bitcoin transactions on-chain are traceable and I bet you that Bitcoin is not one of the safest option or means to actually launder money through.

[osasshem]

The use of Bitcoin for money laundering will be used by a tech savvy person, and those who knows third party platforms that renders services of hiding traces, otherwise any money laundering activities carried out through Bitcoin is a mistake for personally exposing yourself.

So it would be wise to keep a record of our p2p transactions and to avoid any mishaps with those who are involved in these illegal activities, a document of the transaction must be kept.

When it comes to transactions record keeping, apart from those sent to the linked email address, the platform deletes it's transactions history over time, and I don't know if this is supposed to be right. I noticed this when I wanted to do some checks of my previous transactions, I observed I could not get the transaction history. I don't know if there is a way it can be regained and if anybody else has had same experience.

[ColdLava40]

There are still many countries in the world where the government considers Bitcoin illegal. In the current scenario, our transactions should actually be kept clear and the government is getting stricter for such illegal activities and is trying to bring Bitcoin under their control. So it would be wise to keep a record of our p2p transactions and to avoid any mishaps with those who are involved in these illegal activities, a document of the transaction must be kept. Moreover, fraudsters have also become a bigger problem, they are snatching their invested money from new investors. Which has become a huge problem at present. So to stay free from such fraud, an investor has to be more careful and not fall victim to fraud. And his seed phrase should be stored in a safe place.

The worse the government can is is ban the use of cryptocurrency in the country. They cannot control it.

And even if it's banned or termed illegal, people will still be able to use cryptocurrency but in the dark.

Investing into it won't be a problem the only problem would be to spend it and such cases, adoption will be every poor because many would be scared of the consequences of getting caught.

Illegality is something that has existed in the world. Though not a real term but it is something that won be going away as long as humans are involved. People will always want to exploit the negative side of everything or technology in this case.

The best way to avoid being victim of fraud is to learn about the many ways scammers operate. With more Ai technology becoming advanced, it gets even tricker.

[Felicity_Tide]

Money laundering is a means of legalizing illegal money. In the past, people used to use gold, real estate or food to hide black money. But now, since it is the digital era, people are now involved in such manipulations with digital money Bitcoin. Basically, they have chosen crypto for illegal activities. According to various reports, the amount of money laundering through Bitcoin reached about $ 82 billion in 2025.

How long is this past that we're talking about?. I just don't want to believe that people are not longer using those techniques to launder and clean dirty money just because we're in the modern age of digitisation. Have you not noticed how fast Real estate is growing lately?, so don't you think people still actively launder money through it?. And as for the figure you gave... A little reference to back the claim would have been perfect.

One thing we should know is that the more such activities are done with Bitcoin [/b]and the country where it takes place, the stricter the government will enact laws for Bitcoin. It may also happen that the government can take Bitcoin under its control like banks.

Well, the sad thing is that we can't necessarily dictate what people use Bitcoin for. Everyone has a choice.. it's free. But, the government taking control over Bitcoin is not true. They can only regulate it through Centralized platforms, or place a complete ban within their jurisdictions, but a control is never happening.

[Crypto_Timothy]

Money laundering is a means of legalizing illegal money. In the past, people used to use gold, real estate or food to hide black money. But now, since it is the digital era, people are now involved in such manipulations with digital money Bitcoin. Basically, they have chosen crypto for illegal activities. According to various reports, the amount of money laundering through Bitcoin reached about $ 82 billion in 2025.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/crypto-money-laundering-hit-82-billion-2025-researchers-say-2026-01-27/

Money laundering with Bitcoin is definitely possible, sometimes it can come in the form of sponsorship or partnership and they will funnel the money into a legit business or something years later the money has been washed, its possible but i do believe it is also traceable because everything will surely happen on chain and if you begin questioning source of income, definitely you can fish them out. And of course, the more get caught trying to break the law, the more the law gets tougher, so people cant break it but then its like an endless loop because the government would always try to seek control wherever they can, so it will always improve laws.

Money laundering with traditional banks is ever worse, because not everything is entirely visible, some are hidden and thats why they will come and say animal ate our money, usually for something like that to have even happen, everyone would have collected shares, thats why the news just died down, at least on chain, transactions are very visible

[Agathamay]

Before bitcoin, there have always been cases of huge amounts of money laundering and I don't even know why, a lot of people make scam and fraud all about bitcoin and cryptocurrency at large which is wrong and I don't see bitcoin losing its control to anyone because of money laundering and mind you, bitcoin is a decentralized digital currency which simply means that, it is only controlled by the holder and not the government or a third party.

[OsaiEmma]

And you talked about stability, how is Bitcoin more than stable than the other lots of stable coins out there in the market? And again promise444c5 already cleared on the possibility that would make using Bitcoin for such purpose difficult so please I would like to get insight

First let's start with you answering the inline questions I asked in my reply you quoted. That aside bitcoin is stable for a laundering case infact you'll end up with a total amount more than the initial stolen amount over longer periods of times months or more... Besides how much has bitcoin price moved this month? Just a couple thousand dollars which obviously a hacker or scammer is prepared to let go.

Plus you think all the coin joins and mixer cases you see out there are for privacy alone? Laundering can't be 100% perfect but if a scammer online had a choice he'll start with bitcoin.

If privacy is the end goal, I think it will be more logical to use monero (XRM): it is a private Blockchain whose transactions can't be viewed. I feel whether USDT or Bitcoin, they all have the same result; and if they all have the same results, seeing how laundered money is to be withdrawn immediately, then it will be more logical to go with USDT that is stable, compared to Bitcoin that is very volatile. And there is also the ZephUSD on the Zeph protocol that is also private.

P.S: These are things that I think are logical, not that it is what is being used. I haven't done any proper investigation on what exactly is being used the most for money laundry through cryptocurrencies.

[Sammye3]

One mistake I think people shouldn’t make is thinking or believing that merely using Bitcoin automatically makes their money safe from legal or financial problems. That’s why it’s crucial to always very every single payment details and also keep transaction histories, especially when trading with people on P2P. These are essential security habits that can help you protect your funds from scams or misunderstandings without giving up control of your funds.

Bitcoin in itself does not guarantee total security when the right security measures are not put in place. Illegal money laundering with bitcoin can also be traced and accounted for, whether you have full knowledge of it's source or not. Even with p2p services like you mentioned, there have also being multiple cases of illegalities with the floating price and other services.

Bitcoin guarantees financial freedom with the right security knowledge. In the knowing of bitcoin, learn more about security to stay secured.