TRM Labs says AI use in crypto crime rose 40% from a year earlier

According to TRM Labs’ 2026 AI crime index, the adoption of AI in crypto-related crime rose 40% over the past year, The Block reported. The index measuring AI use across overall crime climbed to 54 out of 100, classified as the emerging stage, from 28 in 2024, while AI use in scams has already reached a mature stage. The share of reported crypto fraud involving deepfakes and AI chatbots rose by as much as 13 times compared with 2022. Losses from deepfake scams recorded so far in 2026 have already exceeded total 2025 losses by 263%. In the first half, the number of crypto hacking cases reached a record 201, more than double the full-year total for 2025.