Europol has published its annual report into cybercrime, which finds that use of Bitcoin by criminals is coming out of the darknet, and into the light.
The European police force said that the crypto currency is "establishing itself as a single common currency for cybercriminals within the EU."
It reports that Bitcoin is no longer just the currency of choice in darknet markets, and is now being used for a variety of cybercrimes.
The document also found that use of anonymisation and encryption tools are increasing. While it accepts that these help people protect their privacy, the force says it protects criminals too.
Overall, Europol believes that "Cybercrime is becoming more aggressive and confrontational", which is having a larger psychological effect on victims.
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