China's Crypto-Backed Peptide Sales Soar Amid US Steroid Craze
China is exploiting America's steroid craze by using cryptocurrency to sell unapproved drugs, including peptides and synthetic opioids. According to Chainalysis, one Chinese manufacturer responsible for producing fentanyl is driving online peptide sales, raking in approximately $27 million in the first quarter of 2026, a 150% increase from the previous quarter.
The FDA's Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee will meet this Thursday and Friday to discuss adding seven peptides to the Section 503A Bulks List, which determines what drugs medical professionals can use for custom prescriptions. The agency has warned against using unapproved GLP-1 drugs, citing concerns about counterfeit products lacking safety and quality standards.
Nuritas CEO Nora Khaldi expressed concern about the risks people are taking by using unapproved peptides, stating 'No matter how great a molecule is, the risk you're taking by using and taking it when you don't know the quality.… It's mind-blowing.'