Southeast Asia Scam Industry Booms to $114B, Crypto Playing Key Role

A report by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has revealed that Southeast Asia's scam industry has become an 'interconnected criminal ecosystem' with combined losses of $114.1 billion in 2025.

The UNODC said that this figure 'outstrips the GDP of several countries in the region,' and is built from fraud and money laundering infrastructure.

Criminals in Southeast Asia are operating across multiple illicit markets at once, relying on the same service streams, much like corporate franchising. The report also found that a significant share of illicit proceeds moves through crypto, with law enforcement agencies lacking the training needed to trace these activities.