FBI Reports Surge in Crypto Fraud and Record Losses

Losses surpassed those from investment and IT-related fraud.

FBI: americans lost $11.37 billion to crypto scams in 2025

08.04.2026 - 09:50

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2 min

Key points:

In 2025, crypto scam losses in the U.S. reached a record $11.37 billion.
People aged 60 and older were hit hardest, accounting for over $4.4 billion in losses.
Crypto-related fraud surpassed all other types of financial crime by total damage.

In 2025, Americans lost a record $11.37 billion to crypto scams, according to the FBI. Both the number of complaints and total losses increased compared to the previous year. Cryptocurrencies remain one of the most costly channels for financial crime, especially among older individuals.

A total of 181,565 complaints were filed over the year. Tens of thousands of victims reported major losses, often exceeding $100,000.

Older Americans Took the Biggest Hit

FBI data shows that older age groups suffered the most from crypto fraud. The 60+ category leads with 44,555 complaints and $4.43 billion in losses.

Other groups include:

ages 50–59: $2.14 billion in losses
ages 40–49: $1.55 billion

In total, 18,589 individuals reported losses above $100,000, with an average loss of $62,604.

Younger groups reported significantly lower figures:

under 20: 3,508 complaints and about $27 million in losses
ages 20–29: 18,107 complaints and $288.9 million

However, the data highlights a clear trend: losses increase sharply with age, even when complaint volumes are lower.

Crypto Fraud Surpasses Other Crime Categories

The FBI also compared crypto-related crime with other major fraud categories. Losses tied to cryptocurrency ($11.36 billion) exceeded those in any other single category.

For comparison:

investment fraud: $8.65 billion
business email compromise: $3.05 billion
tech support scams: $2.13 billion
data breaches: $1.31 billion
romance scams: $929 million
government impersonation: $798 million

Previously, we reported on an Immunefi study showing that the number of hacks in the crypto industry remains consistently high, averaging 90–100 incidents per year.

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