Trump Signs Cybercrime Order as Crypto Theft Makes Up a Third of Losses

Key Insights:

• Crypto theft accounts for about one-third of reported cybercrime losses in the U.S.
• Trump’s order expands cyber operations against foreign criminal organizations.
• Private companies can support government-led efforts to disrupt cybercrime networks.

Crypto theft accounts for about a third of cybercrime losses reported by Americans, according to White House official Patrick Witt. Witt said Americans lost nearly $21 billion to cybercrime last year, marking a 26% increase from the previous year.

The figures come as President Donald Trump signed a National Security Presidential Memorandum targeting foreign criminal organizations involved in cyber-enabled attacks.

The memorandum gives U.S. federal law enforcement greater authority to use cyber tools against transnational criminal organizations operating from outside the country. It also creates a framework for cooperation with private-sector companies that voluntarily participate in government-directed operations.

Crypto Theft Forms Part of Wider Cybercrime Losses

The US Administration’s fact sheet reported that American consumers lost more than $20.8 billion to cyber-enabled crime in 2025.

The reported increase has placed financial fraud among the criminal activities covered by the new memorandum. The order also addresses ransomware attacks, phishing campaigns, sextortion schemes, and impersonation scams.

According to the administration, these activities are often coordinated by sophisticated transnational criminal organizations based outside the United States. Such groups target Americans through operations conducted across foreign jurisdictions.

The administration also highlighted the effect of these crimes on vulnerable groups. It said seniors, children, and low-income families are disproportionately targeted, with some victims losing life savings or benefits accumulated through years of work.

The financial damage also comes alongside other reported consequences. The fact sheet said 73% of U.S. adults have experienced some form of online scam or attack, while 98% of Americans consider scams a threat.

Two-thirds of Americans reportedly consider scams a major threat. The administration also reported that one in seven young people who experienced sextortion as minors said they harmed themselves afterward.

Trump Cybercrime Order Creates Government-Private Framework

The new memorandum, in addition to the crypto theft, directs the Homeland Security Task Force’s National Coordination Center to establish a program for specific cyber operations. Two executive directors from the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security will lead the program.

Under the memorandum, the National Coordination Center will use private-sector capabilities to support cyber operations. Participating companies can voluntarily enter agreements with other private entities and government agencies.

Those agreements can cover federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial agencies. Participating companies can also gather information about transnational criminal organizations and propose cyber operations based on identified threats.

Cybersecurity Measures Amid Crypto Theft Updates

The memorandum on crypto theft follows several cybersecurity actions taken by the Trump administration. In June 2025, Trump signed an executive order focused on foreign cyber threats and secure technology practices.

In May 2025, Trump also signed the TAKE IT DOWN Act, which addresses online extortion and the non-consensual distribution of intimate images and deepfake material. The administration said the first person was convicted under the law in April 2026.

The administration issued a September 2025 notice aimed at helping financial institutions detect and disrupt financially motivated sextortion. Trump then signed an executive order in March 2026 addressing cybercrime, fraud, and predatory schemes targeting American families, businesses, and critical infrastructure.

In June 2026, Trump signed another National Security Presidential Memorandum focused on strengthening and modernizing the cybersecurity of National Security Systems.