Business Wire

CRYSTAL-BLOCKCHAIN

3.2.2021 09:44:13 CET | Business Wire | Press release

Share
Crystal Blockchain: Peer-to-Peer Exchanges Need Regulation to Lower Money Laundering Risk

At the V20 Summit in November 2020, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) announced that regulatory requirements for peer-to-peer (P2P) exchanges – along the lines of those for Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs) – will likely emerge in 2021 to combat money laundering (ML). The FATF is now collecting data on these exchanges to allow their guidelines to reflect P2Ps.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210203005351/en/

The Crystal team did a YoY analysis of P2P transaction activity to see whether the FATF's intentions to bring tighter regulations has affected the amount of bitcoin transferred via these decentralized exchanges from January 2019 to December 2020.

[READ THE FULL REPORT]

Key Findings:

  • Sent and received amounts (in US dollar) by P2P exchanges in December 2020 increased by +164% and +197% compared to January 2019.
  • Received and sent amounts (in bitcoin) in December 2020 decreased by -55% and -50%, compared with January 2019.
  • The main reason for the disparity is that while the price of bitcoin has grown 6X between January 2019 and December 2020, the popularity of P2P exchanges has declined.
  • The amounts sent and received in bitcoin by P2P exchanges rapidly dropped in November and December 2020, and this is most likely due to the November 2020 FATF announcement of future regulation of P2P.
  • The amounts of received bitcoin by Non-P2P exchanges have had a growing trend in comparison to P2P exchanges, explained by higher popularity and a better “reputation”.

P2P exchanges may be less popular than Non-P2P thus far for a few reasons:

  1. less regulatory oversight from the FATF,
  2. more complicated operational principles,
  3. they might be considered potential ML platforms due to a lack of intermediaries.

That being said, innovation and developments in the P2P sector continue to rise, and as regulatory requirements increase, P2P will become a safer and more transparent space.

Compliance software for P2P transactions is being developed, and the P2P exchange sector will increase in popularity when it's possible to further manage AML and compliance risk.

Visit the Crystal website to see the full Report on P2P Transaction Volumes 2019-2020 .

About Crystal Blockchain:
Crystal is the all-in-one blockchain analytics tool for crypto AML compliance. Available as a free demo version, SaaS, API, and for on-premise installation. Engineered by the Bitfury Group.

Link:

ClickThru

About Business Wire

Business Wire
Business Wire
101 California Street, 20th Floor
CA 94111 San Francisco

http://businesswire.com

Subscribe to releases from Business Wire

Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Latest releases from Business Wire

Hitachi Joins Anthropic’s Critical Infrastructure Defense Program9.10.2026 02:32:00 CEST | Press release

Hitachi, Ltd. (TSE:6501, "Hitachi"), today announced that it has joined Anthropic, PBC’s (“Anthropic”) “Critical Infrastructure Defense Program,” launched on October 8, 2026, as a founding partner. The program is aimed at strengthening cyber defense for critical infrastructure, including control systems supporting power, water, manufacturing, and transportation services. Infrastructure systems that underpin society and the economy cannot tolerate prolonged downtime, making it difficult to implement certain security measures, such as system shutdowns for patch deployment. At the same time, advances in AI are significantly shortening the time between vulnerability disclosure and exploitation, creating an urgent need to redesign systems based on the assumption that cyberattacks will occur. The program seeks to strengthen cybersecurity through rapid vulnerability detection and remediation by integrating Anthropic’s advanced AI models, Claude, into the products and services of trusted syste

Lapmaster Wolters and Precision Surfacing Solutions Secures Strategic Minority Investment from The Cynosure Group and Fernweh Group to Accelerate Growth8.10.2026 22:49:00 CEST | Press release

Investment strengthens the balance sheet and brings long-term strategic partners to support continued growth and expansion across semiconductors, advanced materials, advanced packaging, and precision optics end markets. Lapmaster Wolters and Precision Surfacing Solutions (“Lapmaster Wolters”), a leading global supplier of high-precision machine systems and consumables to the semiconductor, advanced materials, precision optics, and advanced packaging industries, today announced the completion of a minority equity investment by affiliates of The Cynosure Group (“Cynosure”) and Fernweh Group (“Fernweh”). The investment strengthens the balance sheet and adds long-term, engaged partners to support the company’s next phase of growth. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261008141876/en/ Positioned for growth Demand for ultra-high-precision surface finishing continues to grow as customers in semiconductors, advanced mater

Dubai Launches Global Create AI Agents Championship with Prize Pool Exceeding AED 2.5 Million8.10.2026 19:05:00 CEST | Press release

Dubai has launched the Create AI Agents Championship, a global competition inviting innovators to develop practical and scalable AI-agent solutions that address real-world challenges, with a total prize pool exceeding AED 2.5 million. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261008883373/en/ Dubai has launched the Create AI Agents Championship as part of its efforts to accelerate the adoption and development of Agentic AI (Photo: AETOSWire) The launch of the championship was announced by H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, who encouraged innovators from around the world to participate. Led by Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy, the championship aims to accelerate the adoption of Agentic AI and support the development of innovative AI-agent solutions with strong potential for

Seiden Law LLP issues statement: Prosecuted by Press Conference: Declared Guilty Without a Charge, Yim Leak Family Asks UN Human Rights Experts to Hold Thailand to Its Own Treaty Commitments8.10.2026 18:26:00 CEST | Press release

Urgent appeal to UN Special Rapporteurs cites the presumption of innocence, due process and protection of a child. The key facts are the Thai government's own words and files. Seiden Law LLP, chief global counsel to Cambodian businessman Yim Leak, announced today that Jared Genser, international counsel to Mr. Yim and his wife, has asked two UN Special Rapporteurs to send an urgent appeal to the Thai government. The request is made on behalf of the couple and their seven-year-old son. It says Thailand violated its international human rights commitments by announcing the family’s guilt before any court had tried them, and by freezing their assets, including their minor son’s savings, without a hearing. Six Official Statements in Nine Months. No Charge Filed in Any Court. Between December 2025 and September 2026, Thai officials described Mr. Yim as the center of a criminal network on six occasions: at two press conferences chaired by the head of the Thai government, in the House of Repre

Sam Altman-Backed Meanwhile Raises $37.5M as Families Across Asia, Europe and the Middle East Turn to Bitcoin Life Insurance8.10.2026 18:12:00 CEST | Press release

Existing investors, led by Bain Capital Crypto, back the first licensed Bitcoin life insurer after its single-premium policy for international clients drives a record year Meanwhile, the first life insurer licensed to operate entirely in Bitcoin, today announced $37.5 million in new funding from its existing investors. Bain Capital Crypto led the round, alongside Haun Ventures, Framework Ventures, Pantera Capital, Apollo, Northwestern Mutual Future Ventures, and Morgan Creek Digital. Meanwhile, whose backers also include Sam Altman, has now raised more than $180 million. The round follows a surge in international demand for Meanwhile’s Bitcoin life insurance policies, particularly in Asia, Europe and the Middle East amid broader macro instability. In early 2026, Meanwhile launched BTC Life 1-Pay, a single-premium whole life policy built for high-net-worth clients outside the United States. It is the company's second product line after BTC 10-Pay, which is purposely designed for US taxp

In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.

Visit our pressroom
World GlobeA line styled icon from Orion Icon Library.HiddenA line styled icon from Orion Icon Library.Eye