ChainCatcher reported that according to Cointelegraph, a report released by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime warned that cryptocurrencies are being abused in the illegal economy in East Asia and Southeast Asia.

Criminals operate illegal gambling and fraud in poorly regulated special economic zones and areas controlled by autonomous armed groups. A specialized tourism industry has emerged around casinos, with so-called junket operators not only providing travel and accommodation, but also acting as "international bank-like entities that provide a variety of underground financial services, including credit issuance, currency exchange and multi-currency payment and settlement solutions, remittances, and extrajudicial debt collection mechanisms that have been exploited."

According to the report, USDT, issued on the Tron blockchain, is the most popular among financial bad actors in the region due to its stability, ease of use, anonymity, and low fees. Local cryptocurrency exchanges may also play a role in money laundering.