Chainalysis Links 2026 brought together the brightest minds across cryptocurrency exchanges, global law enforcement, and traditional finance (TradFi) for an incredible two-day event. This year, the overarching message focused heavily on the reality we are already operating in today.
Three resounding themes echoed through every panel, keynote, and hallway conversation: AI is the great amplifier for both sides of the fight, crypto and traditional finance have officially converged into a single system, and scalable intelligence is built through collaborative networks.
Here is your complete recap of the biggest moments, groundbreaking announcements, and key takeaways from the Links 2026 Mainstage.
Opening Keynote: The new era of value transfer and AI agents
Jonathan Levin, Co-founder of Chainalysis, kicked off Links 2026 by highlighting a monumental shift. Cryptocurrency has officially transitioned into a major geopolitical and macroeconomic force. Setting the tone for the event, Levin highlighted massive milestones, noting that stablecoins are now settling over $20 billion per day and Bitcoin ETFs have permanently woven digital assets into the fabric of traditional finance.
Crucially, Levin also used the opening keynote to announce the launch of Chainalysis AI agents. This marks a massive leap forward in automating workflows, parsing complex on-chain data, and giving investigators and compliance teams the tools they need to operate at unprecedented speed and scale.
AI is the great amplifier for both sides of the fight
AI appeared in every single session at Links as a lived operational reality. Criminals are already using AI to write undetectable malicious code and impersonate police officers on video calls. At the same time, investigators are using it to surface leads they previously could never access.
The current battle centers on deploying AI on proven foundations versus relying on guesswork. During their highly anticipated session, Jacob Illum, Chief Scientist at Chainalysis, and Beth Bisbee, Director of Product Strategy at Chainalysis, drew a hard line on this reality. Actionable and defensible intelligence requires reliable sources of truth. AI built on mere predictions will fail the courtroom, the regulator, and the victim.
For the CCOs of the world’s largest exchanges, AI is revolutionizing compliance in the following ways:
- Kraken’s Proactive Building: CJ Rinaldi explained how his team actively builds without waiting for top-down mandates. “My team worked closely with Chainalysis Data Solutions to build a tool that takes blockchain monitoring analytics and layers additional data points on top of KYT alerts, making us more effective and efficient,” Rinaldi shared. “I didn’t even ask them to do it. They jumped right on it.”
- OKX & Alterya: OKX detailed their collaboration with Alterya to leverage AI for predictive intelligence. By shifting to a holistic network-based understanding, they can catch bad actors faster.
- Binance’s Commitment: Noah Pearlman affirmed Binance’s 100% commitment to federal compliance. He noted that AI empowers human compliance teams to evolve into high-level risk managers and leave manual spreadsheet processing behind.
Crypto and traditional finance have converged
Every panel addressed the same reality from different angles: the convergence of crypto and TradFi has already happened. The only remaining question is whether your controls have converged along with the technology.
- The $100 Trillion Tokenization Strategy: DTCC and Citi are actively embedding blockchain into core financial plumbing. The DTCC outlined their path to enable the tokenization of over $100 trillion in assets using “Compliance Aware Tokens.” Concurrently, Citi is moving away from legacy batch processing into a world of 24/7 commerce.
- Expanding Ecosystems: PayPal and SoFi are monitoring stablecoin ecosystems far beyond their own platforms. Standard Chartered noted they actually discovered more risk in fiat rails than on-chain.
- Global Sanctions & Systems: Brazilian law enforcement stressed the urgent need for integration between instant fiat payment systems (like Pix) and blockchain monitoring. Meanwhile, OFAC issued a stark warning regarding nation-states moving tens of billions through crypto to evade TradFi sanctions. Compliance built as an afterthought will be treated accordingly by regulators.
Intelligence that scales is built by networks
The sessions that generated the most energy at LINKS 2026 all shared one defining trait. They succeeded because people and organizations chose to operate as a unified network. Adversaries ranging from street-level phone thieves in Brooklyn to North Korea’s Reconnaissance General Bureau (RGB) are already collaborating. We must do the same.
- Operation Trashpanda / Raccoon0365: The Microsoft Digital Crimes Unit presented a thrilling case study on taking down a massive Phishing-as-a-Service operation. By utilizing Chainalysis Reactor to trace the operator’s payments to Nigerian exchanges, Microsoft worked with the U.S. Secret Service and Nigerian Police to seize 338 malicious domains and arrest the core developer.
- Global Takedowns: UK prosecutors detailed “Operation Man,” leveraging Chainalysis to trace $47 million in bitcoin and seize $4.25 billion from a Chinese Ponzi scheme. Meanwhile, the Brazil-Binance proactive referral system and Europol data sprints showcased the massive impact of public and private sectors seamlessly sharing data.
Jonathan Levin’s closing remarks served as an open invitation to the industry: “Build agents. Automate workflows. Engage in rulemaking. Show up in DC. Join the data sprints. Hold the industry accountable. The platform is open, and the invitation to build is here.”
Celebrating excellence: The 2026 Links customer awards
To cap off an incredible conference, Chainalysis honored three organizations pushing the boundaries of trust, compliance, and networked innovation:
- The Impact Award: SoFi. Recognized for fully utilizing the Chainalysis Intelligence layer to support the secure, regulated launch of SoFi USD.
- The Public-Private Partnership Award: UAE Cybersecurity Council. Honored for their global leadership and proactive commitment to international collaboration in tracking and mitigating complex cyber threats.
- The Innovation Award: MoonPay. Celebrated for building a best-in-class global payment infrastructure while maintaining an unwavering commitment to compliance, proving that mass adoption and safety go hand-in-hand.
Thank you to everyone who joined us for Chainalysis Links 2026! We look forward to seeing how the industry continues to build, protect, and innovate in the year ahead.
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