Ransomware Attacks Surge by 50% Even as Payments Drop
KnowBe4, Wednesday, March 11th, 2026
The number of ransomware attacks increased by 50% in 2025, even though the number of victims who decided to pay the ransom fell to an all-time low, according to a new report from Chainalysis.
The size of the ransom for victims who did pay increased significantly, growing 368% year-over-year to nearly $60,000. The total ransom payments observed by Chainalysis last year amounted to $820 million.
'In 2025, ransomware actors received more than $820 million in on-chain payments - an 8% decline year-over-year (YoY) from $892 million, our updated 2024 estimate,' the researchers write. 'The 2025 total is likely to approach or exceed $900 million as we attribute more events and payments, just as our 2024 total grew from our initial $813 million estimate this time last year.'