15+ Alarming Money Laundering Statistics That You Must-Know

Money laundering is a huge problem that’s affecting economies everywhere, with shocking numbers to back it up.

Billions of dollars are being illegally moved each year, hurting financial systems and businesses. So, what’s the deal with money laundering these days, and how does it impact businesses?

With that in mind, we’ll dive into the latest money laundering statistics, trends, and how businesses can fight back against this issue.

Money Laundering Statistics: Key Numbers

The estimated amount of money laundered globally in one year is 2 – 5% of global GDP, or $800 billion – $2 trillion in current US dollars.
An estimated $100 billion to $300 billion in US currency is laundered each year.
22.0% of money laundering amounts to more than $1.5 million.
20.3% of money laundering amounts to $40,000 or less.
The median money laundering amount was $301,606.

69.8% of money launderers had little or no prior criminal history.

755 involved money laundering cases were reported to US Sentencing Commission in Fiscal Year 2020 .
By 2025, anti-money laundering software market is projected to reach $2.77 billion.
Anti-money laundering activities recover only 0.1% of criminal funds.
70.6% of money laundering offenders were United States citizens.
90% of the money laundered goes undetected.
Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) are responsible for the blocking of approximately 31% of laundered money each year.
69.8% of money launderers had little or no prior criminal history.

Global Money Laundering Statistics

Money laundering is a big problem worldwide. It's tricky to catch and stop because it's so widespread. Here are some important facts:

Around $800 billion to $2 trillion is laundered every year worldwide, representing 2-5% of the global GDP.
Globally, 16,150 AML events were documented between August 2013 and August 2023.
In 2022, the United States had the highest total of penalties imposed for AML events, at $14 billion, followed by France at $2 billion.
50% of money laundering goes undetected across the industry as a whole.
62% compliance officers say criminal activity is getting harder to spot.

AML Software Market Size

The AML software market is growing quickly, expected to rise a lot by 2025. The increase is due to hefty fines for noncompliant banks. Here's a look at some key stats:

By 2025, anti-money laundering software market is projected to reach $2.77 billion.
In 2019, AML noncompliant banks paid 6.2 billion USD in global fines.

Money Laundering Punishments Stats

Money laundering comes with serious consequences. Check out these stats to see just how tough the punishments can be:

64 months is the average sentence for money laundering offenders.

87.7% of were sentenced to prison.

31.3% were convicted of an offense carrying a mandatory minimum penalty
The average age of these offenders at sentencing was 42 years.

Counterfeit Money Statistics

Counterfeit money is a big issue, with millions of fake bills circulating and affecting the economy. Here’s a look at just how widespread the problem is:

An estimated $70 – $200 million in counterfeit bills are in circulation at any given time according to the United States Department of Treasury.
About 50% of all dollars in circulation were held outside of the country as of March 2021. (Federal Reserve Report)
Approximately 1 note in counterfeits for every 10,000 in genuine currency. (USDT)
The $20 bill is the most frequently counterfeited note reported by Reuters.
About 60% of $20 is counterfeit money circulation in the USA.
A $100 bill is the most common Counterfeit money overseas.
More than $147 million fake US currency is in circulation globally with 60% circulating in the US according to the US Secret Service. (Source: CNBC)

How Much Money is Laundered Every Year

According to estimates by UN Reports, the figure is around $800 billion to $2 trillion globally. In the United States, it's estimated that around $300 billion is laundered each year.