Blocking cryptocurrencies is becoming more common, and it's not always the owner's fault. The reason lies in the Risk Score system, which is used by exchanges, banks and analytical platforms to monitor the origin of assets. Even if the user has not violated the law, his address may be at risk due to previous transactions with suspicious counterparties.
The Risk Score is an indicator that reflects the degree of probability that a crypto wallet is associated with illegal activities. The algorithms take into account the origin of assets, transaction routes, the behavior of the address and its contacts with high-risk clusters: darknet, mixers, phishing nodes or sanctions lists.
The most important thing is that the risk is passed down the chain. If you received funds from a wallet that once had contact with “dirty” addresses, your account may be marked as suspicious. At the same time, the Risk Score is constantly updated, responding to each new interaction on the blockchain.
Wallets of licensed payment gateways, mining pools, and custodial services, as well as platforms with transparent reporting and KYC, are considered safe. But even when working with such partners, the risk of accidentally falling into a gray area cannot be excluded. Problems most often arise when dealing with P2P platforms without KYC, DEX platforms and unlicensed exchangers - they are the ones most often used for money laundering.
Special attention should be paid to mixers and darknet addresses. Even an indirect connection with such clusters causes instant blocking on most major exchanges. Phishing addresses are no less dangerous: sometimes the transfer victim does not even suspect that he has sent funds to a "marked" wallet.
The number of schemes using miners as a “proxy" is also growing. Criminals split up the stolen funds and send them through the purses of the miners to give them the appearance of legal payments. As a result, the miners themselves are affected, whose addresses lose their reputation as “clean”.
To avoid blocking, experts recommend checking addresses before receiving and sending funds, using separate wallets for different purposes (operational, trading, salary), and storing reports on AML checks. This approach not only reduces risk, but also helps in communicating with banks or regulators.
There are no absolutely safe assets in the crypto industry. Security is not a static state, but an ongoing process: monitoring, transparency, and willingness to prove the legality of the origin of funds. Compliance is not a punishment, but a protection tool that allows users to manage their risks consciously.
