- Bit2Me launches Bit2Shield to help police trace, secure and liquidate seized crypto.
- Chainalysis identified 29,120 crypto addresses and digital identifiers in August.
- Bit2Shield expands Bit2Me’s role in institutional crypto custody and asset recovery.
Spain’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, Bit2Me, has launched Bit2Shield to help authorities trace, secure, and liquidate seized digital assets. The new unit formalizes Bit2Me’s existing cooperation with law enforcement while addressing the growing complexity of crypto-related investigations.
Bit2Shield Targets Crypto Tracing and Seizures
Bit2Shield, legally registered as CryptoShield S.L., will support courts, police, and financial institutions during cryptocurrency investigations. Its services include wallet analysis, asset tracing, forensic data extraction, and digitally signed reports prepared for court proceedings.
The unit will also assist with fraud investigations, source-of-funds verification, and specialist training for police officers, judges, and financial institutions. Meanwhile, former Spanish Civil Guard investigator Adrián Maroño will lead its investigative operations.
Bit2Me said it processed approximately €1.5 million in seized cryptocurrency during 2025 for Interpol, Europol, and Spanish police. Chainalysis provided blockchain tracing capabilities before the exchange converted recovered assets into euros.
Once assets are seized, Bit2Shield will place them in multisignature cold wallets until authorities authorize their disposal. Subsequently, Bit2Me’s MiCA-authorized Bitcoinforme entity will handle crypto-to-euro conversions and transfer proceeds to government accounts.
Rising Crypto Fraud Creates Demand for Specialists
The development comes as cryptocurrency-related crime becomes increasingly sophisticated across Europe and beyond. Chainalysis estimates that scams and fraud generated approximately $17 billion in stolen cryptocurrency during 2025.
Moreover, impersonation scams increased by more than 1,400% year-over-year, while AI-enabled schemes generated substantially higher proceeds than traditional operations. This shift has increased pressure on authorities to improve blockchain tracing and asset recovery capabilities.
Spain faces a broader cybercrime challenge. Official government data show that authorities recorded 488,426 cybercrimes during 2025, representing 19.8% of total reported crime. Cyber fraud accounted for 429,677 cases, making up almost nine in ten cybercrime reports.
Recent investigations also demonstrate how blockchain intelligence can expose complex criminal networks.
In August, Chainalysis traced 29,120 cryptocurrency addresses and digital identifiers linked to more than 100 child sexual abuse material platforms, forums, and distribution networks.
The investigation generated 14,300 investigative leads and identified more than 7,700 suspect accounts across cryptocurrency exchanges and payment platforms. The findings demonstrate how blockchain tracing can connect fragmented transactions with broader criminal infrastructure.
Spanish authorities have faced similar challenges during physical seizures. In April, police recovered approximately €400,000 in cryptocurrency from cold wallets hidden inside a wall-mounted thermometer during a manga piracy investigation in Almería.
Bit2Me Expands Its Institutional Role
Bit2Shield also reflects Bit2Me’s broader shift toward institutional and government-facing cryptocurrency infrastructure. The exchange has strengthened relationships with banks while operating within Europe’s expanding MiCA regulatory framework.
The company supports institutional crypto infrastructure through its partnership with Cecabank, which launched a regulated platform for financial institutions. Renta 4 Banco became one of the first institutions to use the platform as it developed cryptocurrency trading services for clients.
Meanwhile, Tether led a €30 million funding round for Bit2Me in 2025, alongside backing from Bankinter, Unicaja, Cecabank, and Telefónica.
The need for specialized custody extends beyond financial fraud. Chainalysis estimates that more than $30 million was stolen through violent attacks targeting cryptocurrency holders during the first half of 2026.
As a result, Bit2Shield could give authorities a structured process covering identification, seizure, custody, investigation, and liquidation. Its effectiveness, however, will depend on cooperation between exchanges, investigators, courts, and international agencies.
Overall, as crypto crime becomes more organized, specialized private-sector infrastructure could increasingly help authorities recover assets while preserving evidence and maintaining secure custody.
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