Miles Jamison 
- Ardence works to apply investigative methods to multiple intelligence sources
- TRM listed 60 launch partners for the Ardence Data Network, including CACI DarkBlue
- TRM’s index found criminal use of AI rose 40 percent year over year
TRM Labs has introduced Ardence, an artificial intelligence-powered investigation tool that works to link intelligence from multiple sources to help law enforcement, defense and private sector teams trace leads and prepare evidence for legal and enforcement actions.
How Does Ardence Work?
The company said Tuesday Ardence uses AI to examine connections across intelligence sources, applying analytical methods developed by subject matter experts. Investigators remain responsible for evaluating the results and determining which leads warrant further action.
The Ardence Data Network serves to bring together TRM Labs’ intelligence and third-party information covering areas such as cybersecurity, corporate records and sanctions. The company said Ardence integrates intelligence from more than 60 partners to support investigations into fraud, cybercrime, terrorism financing and child exploitation, including data providers such as CACI DarkBlue, GreyNoise, SpyCloud, BitSight, Flashpoint and Shodan.
The tool keeps supporting evidence accessible within each investigation record, allowing reviewers to examine the basis for findings and assess the work behind them. Investigators can use that record to support subsequent enforcement actions, including asset-freeze requests, infrastructure takedowns and the preparation of legal documents.
TRM Labs cited several uses for Ardence, including supporting World Cup security operations, taking down thousands of fraudulent websites and countering AI-powered cybercrime operations.
Why Did TRM Labs Develop Ardence?
Ardence is designed to help investigators keep pace with increasingly fast and large-scale AI-enabled criminal activity while maintaining the accuracy and thoroughness in their work.
TRM Labs cited findings from its 2026 AI-in-Crime Adoption Index, which recorded a 40 percent year-over-year rise in criminal use of AI. Separately, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center reported $21 billion in losses in 2025, about five times the amount recorded in 2020.
TRM Labs CEO and co-founder Esteban Castaño said the tool is intended to reduce the manual work involved in investigations, allowing teams to handle more cases without sacrificing analytical rigor.
What Recent Federal Work Involves TRM Labs?
In June, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced plans to award TRM Labs a contract valued between $50 million and $100 million for analytical support to the Homeland Security Task Force’s National Coordination Center Cyber Disruption Center. The requirement covers scam disruption, cybercrime disruption and sextortion disruption, and calls for cryptocurrency transaction tracing, blockchain analytics and open-source intelligence support.
