Nasdaq Report Finds $4.4 Trillion Laundered
Nasdaq's 2026 Global Financial Crimes Report estimates illicit funds laundered in 2025 reached $4.4 trillion, a rise of $1 trillion in two years.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Financial Crime
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Nasdaq released its 2026 Global Financial Crimes Report, which estimates that illicit funds laundered in 2025 totaled $4.4 trillion. The report also finds that 90% of surveyed financial institutions reported a rise in AI-driven attacks over five years, and global fraud losses reached nearly $600 billion.
Why it matters
The figures point to a sharp rise in financial crime across the global financial system, with criminals increasingly using artificial intelligence in attacks. The findings underscore the pressure on banks and other firms to strengthen defenses against money laundering and fraud.
The report is a Nasdaq publication based on institutional data and survey responses rather than a court or enforcement action. The methodology behind the $4.4 trillion laundering estimate was not described in the available extraction.
The players
Nasdaq
Nasdaq is a major U.S. stock exchange operator that also owns Verafin, a financial crime technology firm it acquired in 2021.
Verafin
Verafin is a financial crime detection software company founded in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, which Nasdaq acquired in 2021.
The details
Nasdaq acquired Verafin in 2021 for $2.75 billion; Verafin, founded in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, builds technology that helps banks and other firms fight financial crime. Nasdaq is also growing its presence in Texas.
Timeline
2021: Nasdaq acquires Verafin for $2.75 billion.
2025: Illicit funds laundered total $4.4 trillion.
2026: Nasdaq releases its Global Financial Crimes Report.
Market Landscape
Nasdaq's 2021 purchase of Verafin for $2.75 billion placed the exchange operator in the financial-crime technology market. Its 2026 report and its expansion in Texas extend that push into fraud and money-laundering detection.
Customers of banks and payment firms may see stronger identity checks and transaction monitoring as institutions respond to rising fraud. Individuals exposed to scams have a direct stake in how quickly these defenses improve.
The takeaway
Fraud losses and laundering volumes are rising alongside the use of AI by attackers. Individuals and businesses can reduce exposure by verifying unexpected payment requests and enabling multi-factor authentication on financial accounts.
Further reading
For more on the methods criminals use to move illicit money, see Financial Crime.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Brunswick News.
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