Inside the FBI’s little-known annual crypto crime gathering
Reported by CoinDesk · AI-assisted summary by ChikoCorp AI News Desk
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Summary
The FBI has quietly held an annual crypto crime forum called the Virtual Asset Technical Exchange for nine years, with the latest event taking place in September 2026 in San Antonio. This invitation-only symposium gathers law enforcement, compliance, and crypto-security professionals to share intelligence on crypto crime, including activities linked to terrorism, fraud, trafficking, violent crime, and North Korean hacks. Attendees include FBI officials, overseas investigators, blockchain forensics firms like Chainalysis and TRM Labs, and industry representatives.
Why it matters
The event highlights how law enforcement relies increasingly on collaboration with the crypto industry and security researchers to tackle illicit finance and cybercrime. It provides a practical exchange of intelligence and investigation techniques, emphasizing national security and efforts to produce arrests and asset seizures. The source does not explicitly discuss broader market or policy impacts.
Key context
The symposium, originally more government-focused, now includes more crypto industry participants and centers on emerging threats and effective responses. The FBI established its Virtual Assets Unit in 2022 to consolidate efforts against crimes involving digital assets, reflecting the growing use of cryptocurrency in ransomware, terrorism financing, and other illicit activity. Crypto received by sanctioned states surged in 2025, underscoring the relevance of these discussions.
Key numbers and entities
Organizations confirmed or mentioned as attendees include the FBI’s Virtual Assets Unit, Chainalysis, TRM Labs, Predicate (whose CEO presented at the event), the Security Alliance (SEAL), and the U.S. Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). The Drift hack involved a theft of over $270 million from the Solana-based exchange. Attendance runs into the hundreds, with about 50 private-sector partners.
What remains unclear
The precise outcomes or any concrete law enforcement actions resulting directly from the symposium are not detailed. The source does not specify the identities of all attendees, the exact nature of intelligence shared, or how information from the event influences policy or enforcement strategies beyond general collaboration themes.