The US Department of Justice's national cryptocurrency enforcement team (NCET) is planning to step up its efforts to combat criminal activity in the crypto market. The NCET will be targeting crypto exchanges, mixers, and DeFi platforms that facilitate or commit crimes such as money laundering. The director of the cryptocurrency enforcement team, Eun Young Choi, hopes to send a strong message to crypto entities that fail to comply with anti-money laundering or client identification regulations and neglect to implement adequate compliance, cybersecurity, and risk management measures.

The DOJ will also focus on thefts and hacks in the DeFi space, particularly chain bridges. The recent seizure of over $2.3 million worth of cryptocurrency from a crypto mixer service called "Bitcoin Fog" highlights the growing regulatory scrutiny on the cryptocurrency industry, with DeFi and crypto mixing services being particularly targeted. Binance, one of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges, has also faced regulatory pressure in multiple countries.