Nimiq Unveils SynapTrack AML Framework to Combat Cross-Chain Crypto Laundering

TheNewsCryptoОпубліковано о 2026-02-25Востаннє оновлено о 2026-02-25

Анотація

Nimiq has introduced SynapTrack, a next-generation anti-money laundering (AML) framework designed to combat cross-chain crypto laundering. Developed in collaboration with researchers from the University of Birmingham, the system uses blockchain-aware pattern analysis and a self-improving algorithm to track illicit fund flows across multiple blockchains with high accuracy and significantly fewer false positives. During testing with real-world data from the 2025 Bybit breach, SynapTrack achieved a false-positive rate of less than 2%. The framework is now open for feedback and collaboration from developers, researchers, and the crypto community via https://synaptrack.co.uk/.

The introduction of SynapTrack, a next-generation anti–money laundering (AML) framework for blockchain systems, was announced by Nimiq today. SynapTrack is meant to monitor illegal fund transfers more quickly and with fewer false positives, while also automatically responding to emerging criminal methods.

At the CyberASAP Demo Day, which took place on February 25 in London, researchers from the University of Birmingham presented SynapTrack to the audience. While the event was taking place, the team provided an overview of how the system may be used to facilitate investigations in cross-chain laundering scenarios. These are situations in which funds are transferred across networks or distributed over many chains in order to conceal their origin. As a result of the presentation that took place in London, SynapTrack is now available for input and cooperation from developers, academics, and the wider crypto community. In order to collaborate, please visit the following website: https://synaptrack.co.uk/

Built for the hardest part of blockchain investigations: cross-chain flows

When funds flow across chains, pass through bridges, or divide into several pathways, it becomes substantially more difficult to track down illegal conduct. Blockchains, on the other hand, give transparency at the ledger level. Using blockchain-aware pattern analysis and a self-improving algorithm that continually improves its detection logic when adversaries alter tactics, SynapTrack v1 is designed to take into account these realities.

Reduce the number of false positives in order to unblock investigations

A great number of monitoring strategies are able to identify suspicious trends; however, they also produce a significant number of false signals that need to be manually assessed, which results in operational bottlenecks. With SynapTrack, investigators are able to pick the leads that are most significant since it has a far lower false-positive rate than other similar products.

The first testing phase of SynapTrack was the use of real-world data that was associated with the 2025 Bybit breach, in which the perpetrators stole $1.5 billion worth of digital tokens. In this particular case, SynapTrack was able to track the activities of the attacker with a false positive rate that was lower than 2%.

Research-driven, engineering-ready

Nimiq has been working closely with academic and research efforts for a long time. Nimiq is known for implementing new technologies across the blockchain stack, always with a focus on making blockchain systems easy to use for developers and end users. SynapTrack is the result of research conducted by Dr. Pascal Berrang and PhD student Endong Liu at the University of Birmingham. SynapTrack was developed with implementation support and real-world blockchain constraints contributed by Nimiq.

Max Burger, Global Ecosystem Developer, Nimiq, said:

“SynapTrack is the first product milestone of a research-driven effort to make blockchain investigations more scalable, especially when laundering patterns evolve and cross-chain activity complicates analysis. We’re opening it up to developers, researchers, and the wider crypto community for testing, feedback, and collaborative improvement.”

Dr Pascal Berrang, University of Birmingham, said:

“The last few years have seen a near-exponential growth in blockchain transactions. While many of these are legitimate, blockchains are attractive to criminals as funds can be moved very quickly to other jurisdictions. Our work with Nimiq and the creation of SynapTrack is addressing this black spot, and will enable more effective regulation, making the whole ecosystem of blockchain safer and more trustworthy.”

Access and collaboration may be found at https://synaptrack.co.uk/.

SynapTrack is an adaptive investigative and anti-money laundering framework for blockchain systems that is meant to detect and track fund flows linked with illegal conduct, especially across cross-chain transactions. The system uses a self-improving detection technique to continually adapt to new strategies and dynamically rates the chance that transactions are part of laundering processes. Additionally, the system continuously adjusts to new strategies. The first version of SynapTrack was introduced in London on February 25, 2026, and it is currently available for assessment and cooperation by developers, academics, and the wider crypto community via the website https://synaptrack.co.uk/.

Nimiq is a blockchain initiative and technical team that is open-source and devoted to simplifying, making available, and using blockchain technology in a sensible manner. It is well known that Nimiq has continually worked closely with academic and research groups. Additionally, the company is recognized for methodically adopting new technologies throughout the blockchain stack. This is accomplished by combining stringent security measures with a strong emphasis on being user-friendly.

This work draws individuals from all over the globe to Birmingham, including researchers and professors, as well as more than 6,500 foreign students from almost 150 different countries. The University of Birmingham is rated among the top 100 universities in the world, and there are more than 6,500 international students studying there.

Researchers are able to develop their ideas into new businesses, services, and products that are able to satisfy the demands of the real world with the assistance of University of Birmingham Enterprise. We are also responsible for managing the University of Birmingham Enterprise Operating Divisions and the Academic Consultancy Service. In addition, we provide incubation services, as well as assistance for innovators and entrepreneurs via mentorship, guidance, and training.

CyberASAP, which stands for Cybersecurity Academic Startup Accelerator Program, is now in its ninth year. Its purpose is to facilitate the commercialization of academic cyber security research by means of a series of seminars, skills training, and industry interaction happening over the course of eleven months. The CyberASAP Demo Day is the finale of the CyberASAP program, which is a program that is administered by Innovate UK and is financed by the Department of Science, Innovation, and Technology (DSIT) of the United Kingdom.

TagsAltcoinBlockchain

Пов'язані питання

QWhat is the main purpose of the SynapTrack AML framework unveiled by Nimiq?

ASynapTrack is designed to monitor illegal fund transfers more quickly and with fewer false positives, while automatically responding to emerging criminal methods in blockchain systems, particularly focusing on cross-chain laundering scenarios.

QHow does SynapTrack address the challenge of cross-chain fund flows in blockchain investigations?

ASynapTrack uses blockchain-aware pattern analysis and a self-improving algorithm that continually enhances its detection logic to track illegal conduct when funds move across chains, pass through bridges, or divide into multiple pathways.

QWhat was the false positive rate demonstrated by SynapTrack during its testing with the 2025 Bybit breach data?

ASynapTrack achieved a false positive rate of lower than 2% when tracking the activities of the attacker in the 2025 Bybit breach, where $1.5 billion worth of digital tokens were stolen.

QWhich academic institution collaborated with Nimiq to develop SynapTrack, and who were the key researchers involved?

AThe University of Birmingham collaborated with Nimiq on SynapTrack, with key research contributions from Dr. Pascal Berrang and PhD student Endong Liu.

QWhere can developers, academics, and the crypto community access SynapTrack for testing and collaboration?

ASynapTrack is available for assessment and cooperation via the website https://synaptrack.co.uk/.

Пов'язані матеріали

North Korean Hackers Loot $500 Million in a Single Month, Becoming the Top Threat to Crypto Security

North Korean hackers, particularly the notorious Lazarus Group and its subgroup TraderTraitor, have stolen over $500 million from cryptocurrency DeFi platforms in less than three weeks, bringing their total theft for the year to over $700 million. Recent major attacks on Drift Protocol and KelpDAO, resulting in losses of approximately $286 million and $290 million respectively, highlight a strategic shift: instead of targeting core smart contracts, attackers are now exploiting vulnerabilities in peripheral infrastructure. For instance, the KelpDAO attack involved compromising downstream RPC infrastructure used by LayerZero's decentralized validation network (DVN), allowing manipulation without breaching core cryptography. This sophisticated approach mirrors advanced corporate cyber-espionage. Additionally, North Korea has systematically infiltrated the global crypto workforce, with an estimated 100 operatives using fake identities to gain employment at blockchain companies, enabling long-term access to sensitive systems and facilitating large-scale thefts. According to Chainalysis, North Korean-linked hackers stole a record $2 billion in 2025, accounting for 60% of all global crypto theft that year. Their total historical crypto theft has reached $6.75 billion. Post-theft, they employ specialized money laundering methods, heavily relying on Chinese OTC brokers and cross-chain mixing services rather than standard decentralized exchanges. Security experts, while acknowledging the increased sophistication, emphasize that many attacks still exploit fundamental weaknesses like poor access controls and centralized operational risks. Strengthening private key management, limiting privileged access, and enhancing coordination among exchanges, analysts, and law enforcement immediately after an attack are critical to improving defense and fund recovery chances. The industry's challenge now extends beyond secure smart contracts to safeguarding operational security at the infrastructure level.

marsbit53 хв тому

North Korean Hackers Loot $500 Million in a Single Month, Becoming the Top Threat to Crypto Security

marsbit53 хв тому

Circle CEO's Seoul Visit: No Korean Won Stablecoin Issuance, But Met All Major Korean Banks

Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire's recent activities in Seoul indicate a strategic shift for the company, moving away from issuing a Korean won-backed stablecoin and instead focusing on embedding itself as a key infrastructure provider within Korea’s financial and crypto ecosystem. Despite Korea accounting for nearly 30% of global crypto trading volume—with a market characterized by high retail participation and altcoin dominance—Circle has chosen not to compete for the role of stablecoin issuer. Instead, Allaire met with major Korean banks (including Shinhan, KB, and Woori), financial groups, leading exchanges (Upbit, Bithumb, Coinone), and tech firms like Kakao. This approach reflects a broader industry transition: the core of stablecoin competition is shifting from issuance rights to systemic positioning. With Korean regulators still debating whether banks or tech companies should issue stablecoins, Circle is avoiding regulatory uncertainty by strengthening its role as a service and technology partner. The company is deepening integration with trading platforms, building connections, and promoting stablecoin infrastructure. This positions Circle to benefit regardless of which entity eventually issues a won stablecoin. Allaire also noted the potential for a Chinese yuan stablecoin in the next 3–5 years, underscoring a regional trend of stablecoins becoming more regulated and integrated with traditional finance. Ultimately, Circle’s strategy highlights that future influence in the stablecoin market will belong not necessarily to the issuers, but to the foundational infrastructure layers that enable cross-system transactions.

marsbit1 год тому

Circle CEO's Seoul Visit: No Korean Won Stablecoin Issuance, But Met All Major Korean Banks

marsbit1 год тому

SpaceX Ties Up with Cursor: A High-Stakes AI Gambit of 'Lock First, Acquire Later'

SpaceX has secured an option to acquire AI programming company Cursor for $60 billion, with an alternative clause requiring a $10 billion collaboration fee if the acquisition does not proceed. This structure is not merely a potential acquisition but a strategic move to control core access points in the AI era. The deal is designed as a flexible, dual-path arrangement, allowing SpaceX to either fully acquire Cursor or maintain a binding partnership through high-cost collaboration. This "option-style" approach minimizes immediate regulatory and integration risks while ensuring long-term alignment between the two companies. At its core, the transaction exchanges critical AI-era resources: SpaceX provides its Colossus supercomputing cluster—one of the world’s most powerful AI training infrastructures—while Cursor contributes its AI-native developer environment and strong product adoption. This synergy connects compute power, models, and application layers, forming a closed-loop AI capability stack. Cursor, founded in 2022, has achieved rapid growth with over $1 billion in annual revenue and widespread enterprise adoption. Its value lies in transforming software development through AI agents capable of coding, debugging, and system design—positioning it as a gateway to future software production. For SpaceX, this move is part of a broader strategy to evolve from a aerospace company into an AI infrastructure empire, integrating xAI, supercomputing, and chip manufacturing. Controlling Cursor fills a gap in its developer tooling layer, strengthening its AI narrative ahead of a potential IPO. The deal reflects a shift in AI competition from model superiority to ecosystem and entry-point control. With programming tools as a key battleground, securing developer loyalty becomes crucial for dominating the software production landscape. Risks include questions around Cursor’s valuation, technical integration challenges, and potential regulatory scrutiny. Nevertheless, the deal underscores a strategic bet: controlling both compute and software development access may redefine power dynamics in the AI-driven future.

marsbit2 год тому

SpaceX Ties Up with Cursor: A High-Stakes AI Gambit of 'Lock First, Acquire Later'

marsbit2 год тому

Торгівля

Спот
Ф'ючерси
活动图片