What does crypto tracing cost?
A fixed-fee forensic report costs $1,800 for a direct trace on one chain, $4,500 when funds cross bridges, swaps or several chains, and from $9,000 for complex cases involving mixers, OTC desks, many victims or likely litigation. For losses above $50,000 where the trace shows funds at a known exchange, there is a success-fee option: $0 upfront, then 15% of funds actually returned to you. The intake review is free.
Fixed-fee and success-fee options
Direct trace
One asset, one chain, funds reach an exchange or dormant wallet within a handful of hops.
- Flow-of-funds report
- Attribution of endpoints
- Exhibit package for counsel
Multi-chain
Bridges, swaps, or multiple chains. Several branches to follow and document.
- Everything in Tier 1
- Bridge and DEX transaction analysis
- One update after delivery
Complex
Mixers, OTC desks, many victims, or losses above $500k where litigation is likely.
- Everything in Tier 2
- Sworn declaration prepared
- Examiner testimony (billed hourly)
Paid in two halves: 50% to open the file, 50% on delivery. If the first 48 hours of tracing show nothing actionable, we stop and refund the balance. Price is fixed at intake and does not change.
We produce the same report and bill nothing. If, and only if, funds are returned to you through a legal process that used our report, we invoice 15% of the amount received. If nothing comes back, you owe nothing.
Who qualifies
We take success-fee cases only when the initial trace shows funds at a custodial exchange in a jurisdiction where freeze or disclosure orders are realistic. We'll tell you at the intake call which model fits, and why.
- Loss above $50,000 (legal costs rarely make sense below this)
- Funds identifiable at a known exchange within the trace
- You retain counsel or file with law enforcement; we don't do either for you
- Written agreement that defines "returned funds" precisely before any work starts
The structure is simple: nothing until you have money back in hand.
Do you guarantee recovery?
No. Industry-wide, only a small fraction of traced stolen funds comes back. A report improves the odds because it gives the people with legal power something they can rely on. Sometimes the trace shows funds have gone somewhere no one can reach, and we will tell you that too.
Why no upfront fee on the success-fee option?
On the success model we carry the cost of the work and are paid only from funds returned to you. That is also why we only take success-fee cases where the trace shows a realistic path.
How long does it take?
Standard reports take two to three weeks from receipt of your data. Complex cases with bridges, mixers, or many chains can take longer, and we will say so at intake rather than promise a date we cannot keep.
What if the trace finds nothing useful?
On fixed-fee work, we stop at 48 hours if the first pass shows no actionable endpoint, and refund the second half. You still receive a short written finding. On the success-fee model you owe nothing.
Related
- Is crypto recovery legit? How to spot a recovery scamMost crypto “recovery” services that approach scam victims are a second scam. The red flags the FBI, FTC and CFTC list, what legitimate tracing can and can't do, and how to check any firm, including us.
- What our forensic report containsReport contents, methodology, chain of custody and testimony.