Cryptocurrency is often described as being transparent, but this same characteristic can be exploited. Bitcoin and Ethereum allow anyone to see transaction details, which, while promoting openness, also facilitates illicit activities such as money laundering, ransomware attacks, and darknet trading, making it easier for these actions to evade traditional oversight.

That’s where blockchain analytics comes in. Tracing transaction paths, spotting unusual activity, and combining blockchain data with outside information give regulators, banks, and exchanges better tools to detect and stop suspicious behavior.

Aaron Nicodemus is the Editor-in-Chief of Compliance Week. He previously worked as a reporter for Bloomberg Law and as business editor at the Telegram & Gazette in Worcester, Mass. Email: aaron.nicodemus@complianceweek.com LinkedIn:...