Outside cross‑border remittances, crypto’s major profits likely come from criminal finance and ponzi‑like schemes. Political entanglements—such as the Trump family’s USD1 coin tied to PancakeSwap and Binance’s history—suggest a model where lobbying normalizes revenue streams rooted in underworld demand.
— If core crypto value depends on illicit flows, regulation, campaign finance, and anti‑money‑laundering policy become central to market integrity and democratic risk.
BeauHD
2025.10.15
85% relevant
Prosecutors allege Chen Zhi’s network used forced‑labor scam compounds to run fake crypto investments, directly supporting the thesis that major crypto profits are driven by criminal finance and fraud.
BeauHD
2025.09.30
78% relevant
The Met Police recovered 61,000 BTC that a Chinese fraud leader allegedly parked in cryptocurrency and tried to launder via UK property—direct evidence that large crypto holdings can be proceeds of mass fraud and that criminal finance drives significant flows.
Mary Harrington
2025.09.22
55% relevant
The article connects political influencers and custom tokens (e.g., UTK tied to Tommy Robinson’s rally) and highlights rug‑pull dynamics and opacity, echoing the broader thesis that crypto’s value often rides on non‑transparent or exploitative demand and political entanglements.
Arnold Kling
2025.08.16
100% relevant
WSJ reporting on World Liberty Financial’s USD1, PancakeSwap’s Binance origins, and Changpeng Zhao’s lobbying ties to Trump allies.