AI adoption in crypto crime has risen 40% in the past year, according to a new report from TRM Labs, with the increase driven primarily by scammers.
The firm’s 2026 AI-in-Crime Adoption Index places overall AI use across crypto crime at an "emerging" level of 54 out of 100, up from about 28 in 2024.
TRM listed scams at a "mature" level in terms of AI use, while hacking and ransomware remain "emerging" and narcotics and darknet markets stay at the earliest "horizon" stage.
"AI has not invented new crimes.
It removed the constraints on old ones.
