[IMPORTANT] Ransomware Payments Dip 8% Amid 50% Rise in Attacks, Bitcoin Dominates Payouts

Chainalysis reports that despite a 50% increase in ransomware incidents in 2025, total on-chain ransomware payments fell by 8% to around $820 million. The median ransom payment surged 368% due to a few large payouts, while Bitcoin remains the preferred cryptocurrency for ransom transactions. Stronger incident responses, regulatory oversight, and international enforcement have reduced payout frequencies, even as ransomware schemes grow more sophisticated and impactful.