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US says Chinese firms using crypto to sell fentanyl chemicals to cartels

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US says Chinese firms using crypto to sell fentanyl chemicals to cartels

The US has accused two China-based pharmaceutical firms of using crypto to sell fentanyl precursor chemicals to violent Mexican cartels distributing drugs across the US. 

Six defendants and two pharmaceutical firms, Shandong Believe Chemical Company and Shandong Ranhang Biotechnology Ltd, were indicted by an Ohio district court grand jury yesterday and charged with money laundering, international criminal financing, and terrorist financing. 

The firms allegedly presented themselves as legitimate pharmaceutical companies while marketing and selling various chemical products that are required in the production of fentanyl.

It’s alleged that drug traffickers accepted crypto as payment, and would send the funds to crypto wallets under the control of the accused entities and persons. 

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Crypto under the control of the two firms would then be sent to agents, who would hold onto the funds until they could be converted into fiat currency and laundered through international banks. 

As part of the indictment, a sum of crypto from a Binance account with $26,000 worth of funds will be forfeited if the US manages to secure a conviction. 

The Shandong Believe Chemical Company website claims it’s a “high-tech enterprise integrating medicine, chemical technology research and development and pharmaceutical intermediates.”

Read more: World Cup games in Mexico at risk after crypto-laundering drug lord killed

The alleged buyer of these specific precursors is the Gulf Cartel (Cartel del Golfo). It’s one of Mexico’s oldest criminal organizations, dating back to the 1930s, and was designated a terrorist organization last year. 

The US claims the cartel deals in drug trafficking, kidnapping, extortion, human smuggling,  and “employs violence, including assassinations of civilians and government officials, to intimidate the public and control territory.”

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US and China collaborated to achieve the fentanyl indictment

FBI director Kash Patel said yesterday’s indictment was the result of a “historic” collaborative investigation between the US and China’s Ministry of Public Security. 

He implied the indictments were helped by the FBI and Donald Trump visiting China last November, as Patel claimed the president’s negotiations with President Xi, “continues to pay dividends for America’s national security in the war on deadly narcotics.”

Read more: Crypto payments to China chemical suppliers fuel US fentanyl epidemic

Crypto analysis firm Elliptic has previously found that centralised crypto exchanges in Russia and Australia have been used to facilitate millions of dollars worth of funds that stem from China-based sellers of fentanyl precursors. 

It was able to trace $32 million worth of crypto, made up of bitcoin, Tron-based USDT, and Ethereum-based USDT, transferred as part of fentanyl precursor sales. 

Another alleged crypto money laundering operation, indicted by the US in 2024, allegedly worked with “Chinese underground money exchanges” and the Sinaloa Cartel to facilitate illicit funds connected to the drugs trade.

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Fentanyl is a key contributor to opioid deaths in the US, and exports of the drug from China directly to the US were curtailed in 2019. However, by selling precursor chemicals instead, many companies can skirt regulations.

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Crypto World

Franklin Templeton, Ondo bring tokenized ETFs to crypto wallets

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Franklin Templeton, Ondo bring tokenized ETFs to crypto wallets

Franklin Templeton is teaming with Ondo Finance to bring tokenized versions of its exchange-traded funds onchain, allowing investors to access them through crypto wallets.

The partnership opens a new distribution channel beyond brokerage accounts as asset managers experiment with blockchain-based delivery and 24/7 market access. The tie-up was first reported by Bloomberg and later confirmed by Ondo on X.

The products will initially be available across Europe, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East and Latin America, with US access dependent on regulatory clarity.

Source: Ondo Finance

Under the structure, Ondo will purchase shares of Franklin Templeton ETFs and issue tokens through a special-purpose vehicle that transfers economic exposure to holders, Bloomberg reported. Investors receive rights to returns rather than the underlying shares, allowing tokens to be used as collateral or integrated into DeFi applications.

The offering targets investors operating primarily through crypto wallets and stablecoins, bypassing traditional brokerage infrastructure. Liquidity will be provided by Ondo’s market makers, including outside standard trading hours.

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The initial rollout will include five funds spanning US equities, fixed income and gold, with tokens distributed through Ondo Global Markets, according to Bloomberg. Requests for further information from both companies were not immediately answered.

The launch follows increased regulatory clarity for Ondo. In December, the US Securities and Exchange Commission closed a multi-year investigation into the company without bringing charges.

Related: Binance and Franklin Templeton join forces on tokenization ventures

Tokenized equities expand, but US access lags

The move by Ondo Finance and Franklin Templeton comes as tokenized equity markets have expanded rapidly over the past year, with total value rising from roughly $500 million in early 2025 to about $950 million as of March 2026, according to RWA.xyz data.

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Tokenized stocks. Source: RWA.xyz

At the time of writing, Ondo Finance leads the sector, accounting for roughly $562 million in value, or about 60% of the market. Other platforms, including Backed Finance and its xStocks products, as well as Securitize, account for significant but smaller portions of the market.

Source: RWA.xyz

However, as tokenized equity products expand and total value grows, access remains limited, with most offerings concentrated outside the United States.

In February, Kraken introduced tokenized equity perpetual futures on its regulated derivatives platform, offering eligible non-US clients 24/7 leveraged exposure to US stock indexes, gold and companies such as Nvidia, Apple and Tesla.

Last week, Coinbase launched stock perpetual futures for eligible non-US users, extending round-the-clock access to equities alongside crypto and prediction markets.

Still, efforts are underway within the US to build regulated infrastructure for tokenized equities. On Tuesday, the New York Stock Exchange signed an agreement with Securitize to explore blockchain-based trading of stocks and ETFs, though it remains unclear when or how such products would become available to US investors.

Magazine: Are DeFi devs liable for the illegal activity of others on their platforms?

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