Cryptocurrency is actively used in several types of illegal activities. The Ministry of Internal Affairs identified three main areas: drug distribution, organization of online casinos, and withdrawal of criminally obtained money from Russia.

The agency noted that digital currencies have become widespread in criminal schemes due to the characteristics of the operations themselves. Among the key factors, the Ministry of Internal Affairs names a high level of anonymity, the cross-border nature of transfers, and decentralization.

Such settlements are especially in demand where participants need to conceal the identity of the sender and recipient or quickly move money abroad. This can complicate the tracking of financial chains and the identification of scheme participants.

At the same time, the Ministry of Internal Affairs is referring specifically to the use of cryptocurrency in illegal activities — digital currency itself does not mean that an operation is related to a crime.