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FundamentalsCrypto Investigation Acronyms & Bodies

Crypto Investigation Acronyms & Bodies

definition

Core idea

Compact reference for the recurring acronyms, regulators, and legal instruments used across crypto-forensics case work and reporting, so terms and issuing bodies are used precisely in SARs and court submissions.

Components

  • VASP: Virtual Asset Service Provider
  • KYC: Know Your Customer
  • KYT: Know Your Transaction
  • AML: Anti-Money Laundering
  • SAR: Suspicious Activity Report
  • FinCEN: Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (U.S.)
  • OFAC: Office of Foreign Assets Control (U.S.)
  • MLAT: Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (used to compel foreign VASPs)
  • DNM: Darknet Market
  • OSINT: Open-Source Intelligence
  • DEX: Decentralised Exchange
  • DeFi: Decentralised Finance
  • ABI: Application Binary Interface (smart-contract interface definition)
  • TGA / CIOH / UTXO: Transaction Graph Analysis / Common-Input-Ownership Heuristic / Unspent Transaction Output

When to use

Reading or drafting investigative reports, SAR filings, and court submissions where these terms and the correct issuing bodies must be used precisely.

Example

Compelling KYC from a foreign VASP requires an MLAT, not a domestic subpoena, so naming the right instrument in the report matters.

Exchange / VASP KYC Correlation, Taint Analysis

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