Ransomware victims have paid at least $81 million in cryptocurrency since the beginning of 2021

According to BlockBeats, on May 17, a mid-year report released by blockchain data analysis company Chainalysis showed that so far in 2021, addresses related to ransomware attacks have received cryptocurrency assets worth up to US$81 million.

The company stressed that the $81 million figure is a minimum estimate and will almost certainly grow as more ransomware addresses are identified. According to Chainlayis' report, approximately $406 million in crypto payments were sent to ransomware addresses in 2020, the highest figure ever recorded.

Ransomware, a type of malware that locks a victim’s computer and files until they pay a ransom, usually in cryptocurrency, which unlocks the system, has dominated US headlines in recent days following an attack on the Colonial Pipeline, a major energy transportation company.