# Crypto scams cost Americans $80.7 billion in 2025, report finds

**Published:** 2026-08-02T08:40:41.324Z  
**Topic:** Crypto Scam  
**Sentiment:** neutral  
**Publisher:** TrendWatcher — https://www.trendwatcher.in/article/ea8de8a4-4168-4c55-8257-bbc02d642687

Crypto fraud hit U.S. users with an estimated $80.7 B loss in 2025, over half of all online‑scam losses, highlighting a steep rise and huge under‑reporting.

Investors lost an estimated **$80.7 billion** to crypto‑related scams in 2025, a figure derived by applying a 7.1‑times multiplier to the FBI’s reported $11.37 billion loss — the largest single category of online fraud that year [3].

| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Reported crypto fraud loss (FBI) | $11.37 B |
| Adjusted estimate (CFA multiplier) | $80.7 B |
| Share of total online‑scam losses | > 50 % |
| Year‑over‑year increase (reported) | +22 % |

## Scale of the problem  
The Consumer Federation of America (CFA) used a 7.1‑fold adjustment based on a 2017 Bureau of Justice Statistics survey that found only 14 % of fraud victims report to authorities. Applying that factor to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) data yields the $80.7 B estimate for crypto scams alone, while the total online‑scam cost across all categories is projected at $148.2 B [2][3]. Investment fraud was the biggest sub‑category, with reported losses of $8.6 B and an adjusted estimate of $61.4 B, up 32 % from 2024 [3].

## Context within broader crypto crime  
Separately, blockchain security firm Certik reported that crypto hacks and scams cost investors **$2.5 B** in the first half of 2025, up from $1.98 B in 2024. Two incidents— a $1.5 B theft from Bybit attributed to North Korean actors and a $220 M exploit of the Cetus DEX— accounted for roughly 70 % of those losses [1]. Wallet compromises ($1.71 B) and phishing attacks ($410.75 M) were the most common methods, mirroring the tactics that drive the larger CFA‑derived losses [1].

## Who is most affected  
Older Americans (60 + years) bore the brunt of crypto fraud, losing $4.4 B, nearly 40 % of the total crypto‑related losses [3]. Meanwhile, younger users (under 20) saw a 198 % surge in reported losses year‑over‑year, indicating rapid adoption of crypto assets among new investors [2].

## What to watch  
- **Regulatory scrutiny:** Ongoing investigations into platform advertising practices, especially on Meta‑owned networks (Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp), could affect how scams are promoted [3].  
- **On‑chain activity:** Large‑wallet movements or sudden spikes in wallet‑compromise incidents may signal upcoming high‑value thefts, as seen in the Bybit and Cetus cases [1].  
- **Policy developments:** The bipartisan SCAM Act, which aims to restrict fraudulent ads, could reshape the legal landscape for crypto‑related fraud [3].

The $80.7 B estimate underscores how severely crypto fraud skews the overall picture of online crime in the United States, revealing a massive gap between reported and actual losses. Whether tighter platform controls or improved victim reporting can narrow that gap remains an open question.

## Sources
1. Investopedia — [Investors Have Lost Nearly $2.5B on Crypto Scams, Hacks So Far in 2025: Report](https://www.investopedia.com/investors-have-lost-nearly-usd2-5b-on-crypto-scams-hacks-11764561)
2. TechSpot — [Online fraud is a $150 billion nightmare for Americans, but most crimes go unreported](https://www.techspot.com/news/113297-online-fraud-150-billion-nightmare-americans-but-most.html)
3. Decrypt — [Crypto Scams Cost Americans an Estimated $80.7B in 2025: Report](https://decrypt.co/374638/crypto-scams-cost-americans-an-estimated-80-7b-in-2025-report)
4. Gate — [Crypto Scams Cost Americans $80.7B in 2025, With... | Gate News](https://www.gate.com/news/detail/crypto-scams-cost-americans-807b-in-2025-with-over-half-of-all-reported-23053037)

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Cite as: TrendWatcher, "Crypto scams cost Americans $80.7 billion in 2025, report finds", https://www.trendwatcher.in/article/ea8de8a4-4168-4c55-8257-bbc02d642687