A global operation led by blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis identified more than 7,700 cryptocurrency accounts linked to child sexual abuse material (CSAM), according to a press release issued Tuesday.
Operation Lighthouse examined 29,120 crypto addresses and digital identifiers associated with over 100 CSAM platforms, forums and distribution networks across the surface and dark web. The initiative produced 14,300 investigative leads distributed to 11 cryptocurrency exchanges and payment services, with suspects flagged in 125 countries. Among those identified were 16 registered sex offenders, alongside military personnel, law enforcement officers, medical professionals and educators—including individuals with direct access to children.
The multi-day operation was hosted at the National Cyber-Forensics and Training Alliance in New York following months of data enrichment. It involved collaboration between law enforcement agencies, private-sector partners and specialized nonprofits, including Europol, the UK National Crime Agency, Binance, Coinbase, Block and the Internet Watch Foundation. Participants utilized onchain intelligence to develop actionable leads for legal proceedings and case development, with results expected to lead to arrests, prosecutions and account-level disruptions.
Operation Lighthouse follows broader industry efforts to combat crypto-related exploitation. Binance, a participating exchange, announced a partnership with nonprofit Stop The Traffik in July to enhance detection and investigation of crypto activity tied to human trafficking and child exploitation through intelligence sharing and training.
Blockchain tracing has previously contributed to enforcement actions in CSAM cases. In 2019, U.S. authorities dismantled Welcome to Video, the largest darknet child sexual exploitation market by content volume at the time, by tracing Bitcoin transactions to locate the server in South Korea and identify its administrator. The investigation resulted in 337 arrests, the rescue of at least 23 victims and the seizure of approximately eight terabytes of material, with Chainalysis software used to analyze transactions and map the site’s users.
