Foundations of Crypto Investigations

Chapter 1 covers the basics of blockchain and how it works, so you can later analyze and investigate crypto transactions.

By the end, you should be able to:

• Know what a blockchain is

• Understand how transactions are recorded and verified

• See that different blockchains work in different ways

• Understand why this matters for tracking and investigating activity

This chapter covers the different types of crypto assets and how they work, so you can later understand how they impact investigations.

By the end, you should be able to:

• Know the difference between coins and tokens

• Understand how crypto assets function on blockchains

• Recognize different token types and their use cases

• Understand how asset design affects transparency and traceability

This chapter covers wallets and blockchain entities, so you can later identify who is behind transactions.

By the end, you should be able to:

• Understand what wallets are and how they work

• Identify different types of blockchain entities

• Recognize how wallets are used in transactions

• Understand how to analyze and group wallet activity

This chapter covers key intermediaries in the crypto ecosystem, so you can understand their role in transactions and risk.

By the end, you should be able to:

• Identify different types of crypto intermediaries

• Understand how exchanges and services operate

• Recognize how intermediaries introduce risk

• Understand their role in investigations and compliance

This chapter covers crypto risks and regulation, so you can understand how to detect and respond to suspicious activity.

By the end, you should be able to:

• Identify common crypto-related risks

• Understand how financial crime occurs in crypto

• Recognize regulatory and compliance requirements

• Understand how to respond to suspicious activity

This chapter covers TradFi, CeFi, and DeFi systems, so you can understand how risks and investigations differ across them.

By the end, you should be able to:

• Understand the differences between TradFi, CeFi, and DeFi

• Recognize how risk changes across each system

• Identify how compliance works in each environment

• Understand the challenges investigators face in each

This chapter covers the mindset and skills of a crypto investigator, so you can learn how to investigate blockchain activity.

By the end, you should be able to:

• Understand the role of a crypto investigator

• Trace transactions and analyze wallet activity

• Use on-chain and off-chain data (OSINT)

• Identify red flags and suspicious patterns

This chapter covers real-world crypto investigation use cases, so you can apply what you’ve learned in practice.

By the end, you should be able to:

• Apply on-chain analysis to real scenarios

• Use OSINT to uncover hidden risks

• Validate alerts and investigate wallets

• Create structured Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs)

This chapter covers data-driven investigation tools, so you can improve how you analyze crypto activity.

By the end, you should be able to:

• Understand the limits of manual investigations

• Recognize the benefits of data-driven tools

• Use aggregated data to uncover risks faster

• Understand how tools support compliance decisions