One of the world’s largest illicit crypto marketplace, Haowang Guarantee, has ceased operations following a major enforcement action by Telegram.
Elliptic confirmed that Haowang processed over $27 billion in transactions, primarily through the USDT stablecoin, making it the largest known illegal crypto market to date.
USDH, a stablecoin issued by the Huione Group, played a crucial role in evading sanctions and enabling high-volume transfers that were difficult to trace through traditional regulatory channels.
Telegram's crackdown extended to other platforms like Xinbi Guarantee, severely disrupting the two largest illicit marketplaces hosted on Telegram, which have processed a combined total of over $35 billion in USDT transactions.