Abstract

The developments in financial technologies and the expansion of the use of cryptocurrencies in economic transactions have made the patterns of committing and concealing the proceeds of crime more complex and have presented the process of proving the crime of money laundering with new challenges. In the Iranian legal system, despite the acceptance of the principle of freedom of evidence and the validity of electronic evidence, the method of collecting, verifying, and evaluating digital data in cases related to cryptocurrency transactions still requires precision and methodological criteria. This article, with a descriptive-analytical approach and using reliable criminal law sources, examines the most important evidence to prove the crime of money laundering in the cryptocurrency space. The findings show that cryptocurrency exchange data, transaction records recorded in blockchain networks, analysis of digital wallets, technical expert reports and evidence, and judicial emirati are the most important evidence that can be relied on in the process of discovering and proving this crime. At the same time, the validity of this evidence depends on the authenticity and integrity of the data and compliance with legal regulations in the manner of its acquisition. Challenges such as the relative anonymity of users, the decentralized nature of cryptocurrency networks, the possibility of hiding identity through technical means, the conflict between privacy protection and the need for judicial oversight, and the difficulty of international cooperation with foreign exchanges are among the most important obstacles to proving a crime in this area. The research concludes that strengthening legal frameworks for legitimate access to data, developing uniform standards for evaluating electronic evidence, increasing specialized training for judges and bailiffs, and establishing cross-border cooperation mechanisms are essential conditions for improving the efficiency of the criminal justice system in dealing with cryptocurrency money laundering.