New challenges for Web3 platforms and risk mitigation strategies in 2025
Barcelona, April 2025 — As transaction volumes in the Web3 space continue to grow, so does the demand for effective transaction monitoring. Services like QuppyAML enable projects to identify high-risk cryptocurrency wallets, analyze transactional connections, and prevent interaction with assets linked to money laundering. Under increasing regulatory pressure, such solutions are becoming part of the core infrastructure not only for crypto exchanges, but also for NFT marketplaces, GameFi platforms, and decentralized applications.
While Web3 products unlock new opportunities for digital economies, they are also attracting the attention of bad actors. According to FATF, NFT marketplaces and play-to-earn gaming platforms are increasingly being used to launder money and circumvent sanctions. In 2025, both regulators and developers are actively looking for ways to reduce risk exposure without stifling innovation.
📊 Web3 Market & Risk Insights (2024–2025)
- 🎮 $8.4B — total NFT transaction volume in 2024 (DappRadar)
- 🛑 $1.3B — estimated illicit activity via NFTs and GameFi (TRM Labs, 2024)
- 📉 0.4% — share of Web3 platforms with full AML monitoring (FATF, early 2025)
🕹️ How GameFi and NFTs Enable Money Laundering
- NFT Wash Trading
Fraudulent token sales between self-controlled wallets simulate market demand and inflate asset value. Elliptic estimates that up to 45% of NFT trades on smaller marketplaces may be fictitious. - Play-to-Earn and “Game Salaries”
Criminals convert illicit funds into in-game assets, earn rewards in game tokens, and cash them out through exchanges. These schemes typically exploit platforms with no AML or KYC measures. - Disguised Transfers via In-Game Assets
The purchase of “skins” or virtual items using cryptocurrency is used as a front for transferring funds between addresses.
🧩 Case Study:
In 2024, one major Ethereum-based NFT marketplace was found to be hosting a wash trading scheme involving over $8.9 million. Dozens of self-controlled wallets were used to repeatedly buy and sell the same NFTs at inflated prices, giving the illusion of legitimate market activity. The funds originated from addresses previously associated with illicit activity and were later funneled through centralized exchanges.
Investigators used transaction graph analysis and behavioral pattern detection to uncover the scheme. Algorithms flagged repetitive interactions, sudden spikes in low-volume collections, and irregular price trends. As a result, the marketplace implemented anti-abuse policies, including restrictions on repetitive trading between the same addresses and pattern-based transaction filters.
📚 Source: Chainalysis Crypto Crime Report 2024, section “NFTs and Wash Trading”.
🗣 Comment (TRM Labs, 2025):
“Crypto games and NFTs offer users maximum anonymity and minimal oversight. This makes them an attractive vector for money laundering, especially in underregulated jurisdictions.”
🛡️ How Businesses Can Protect Themselves
Solutions like QuppyAML help analyze wallet behavior and identify threats linked to NFT marketplaces, gaming tokens, and Web3 ecosystems. By combining risk scoring, sanctions screening, and graph-based behavioral analysis, these tools flag potential threats before funds move.
While major platforms like OpenSea and Magic Eden have begun introducing basic checks, most Web3 projects on Solana and BNB Chain still lack AML monitoring altogether — leaving them vulnerable to criminal activity and future regulatory action.
By shifting from reactive to proactive filtering and integrating address intelligence, companies can detect anomalies early, automatically block high-risk wallets, and prevent incidents before transactions are executed.
✅ What This Brings to the Table
- Protection from Secondary Sanctions
Prevent engagement with wallets tied to illicit activities or under investigation. - Greater Trust Among Partners and Investors
AML integration is increasingly viewed as a competitive advantage. - Reduced Legal and Reputational Risk
Avoid becoming unintentionally involved in criminal schemes.
🧭 Key Takeaways
2025 is a turning point for Web3. The growth of GameFi and NFT sectors must now be matched by real-time risk control. Platforms investing in monitoring infrastructure — including wallet analysis, token filtering, and behavioral transaction screening — are building long-term resilience. Tools like QuppyAML empower Web3 businesses to scale securely, meet compliance expectations, and stay ahead of emerging threats.
