Bucharest, ROMANIA – ChainArgos General Counsel Patrick Tan delivered a compelling keynote address at the inaugural Blockchain Intelligence Forum 2025, calling for a fundamental transformation in how blockchain intelligence is practiced, validated, and trusted globally.

Speaking before over 500 delegates from more than 35 countries at Bucharest’s iconic Palace of Parliament, Patrick emphasized that as blockchain technology and crypto-assets increasingly intersect with criminal activity, the current state of blockchain tracing—with its lack of transparency, open standards, and reproducible outcomes—has become problematic. Blockchain intelligence, he argued, must evolve from opaque “black box” methodologies to a transparent, scientifically rigorous discipline built on independently verifiable standards.

The Forum, co-hosted by ICI Bucharest and the Blockchain Intelligence Professionals Association (BIPA) alongside the Digital Innovation Summit Bucharest, marked a watershed moment in establishing blockchain intelligence as a recognized professional discipline—one essential to safeguarding global financial systems, public safety, and digital innovation.

Patrick’s keynote addressed a critical challenge: many blockchain tracing methodologies operate as proprietary “black boxes” with limited scientific scrutiny, despite being used in cases affecting fundamental rights. Recent civil and criminal cases have highlighted serious limitations, with victims unable to recover misappropriated crypto-assets and potentially innocent defendants convicted based on questionable blockchain analysis.

He outlined three fundamental pillars for the field’s maturation:

• Blockchain Data Interoperability (universal data formats and standardized attribution methodologies enabling independent verification),
• Transparency and Open Standards (blockchain intelligence built on established mathematics and forensic science with independently reproducible findings); and
• Rigorous, Resilient Testing (data science approaches with advanced validation protocols ensuring insights based on verifiable scientific principles).

A landmark outcome of the Forum was the launch of the Blockchain Intelligence Improvement Pledge—a voluntary initiative encouraging blockchain analytics providers and crypto-asset service firms to align methodologies, attribution standards, and cooperation frameworks. Patrick announced ChainArgos’ commitment to sign the Pledge, reinforcing the company’s advocacy for transparency and professional standards.

Patrick’s message resonated with fellow speakers including Vincent Danjean (INTERPOL), who highlighted jurisdictional fragmentation and AI “black box” challenges; Nico Di Gabriele (European Central Bank), who stressed regulatory alignment; and Bernhard Haslhofer (Iknaio), who compared blockchain intelligence’s evolution to astronomy’s shift to automated data analysis.

The Forum concluded with calls for deepened public-private collaboration, accelerated training pathways, and embedding blockchain intelligence in financial regulation and law enforcement. ChainArgos’ leadership was demonstrated through its co-founding of the Blockchain Intelligence Academy with ICI Bucharest, partnership with the University of Portsmouth establishing the UK’s first Blockchain Intelligence Centre of Excellence, and collaboration with INTERPOL and Europol on interoperable data standards.

Patrick’s closing message captured the moment:

“The future of blockchain intelligence is being written now—and it must be built on the foundations of skill, integrity, cooperation, and impact.”

The inaugural Blockchain Intelligence Forum brought together over 500 delegates from 35+ countries to establish common standards, develop professional training pathways, and build frameworks for data interoperability—marking a decisive milestone in blockchain intelligence as a recognized global profession.