Log in/out

Our extensive knowledge at your fingertips

Money Laundering & Terrorist Financing

Over 20 years of articles and reference material

A page dedicated to global, regional, UK and US anti-money laundering developments and initiatives.

Browse the resource database or make a sub-selection:

Menu

Latest editions

Search

U

FATF’s Plenary (June 2026) unveils tougher payment transparency standards, enhanced intelligence sharing, and new measures addressing TF, virtual assets, DeFi, and emerging tech-enabled threats

June 23, 2026

The Plenary advanced reforms to improve payment transparency, humanitarian safeguards within sanctions regimes, and responses to evolving threats linked to virtual assets, DeFi, social media misuse and underground banking, while setting the strategic direction for the incoming UK Presidency, which will prioritise tackling global fraud, strengthening risk-based…

White House launches a national transition to post-quantum cryptography to protect federal systems and critical infrastructure from quantum-enabled cyber threats, including “harvest now, decrypt later” risks

June 22, 2026

Executive Order 14412 requires agencies to appoint migration leads, review high-value systems and move key establishment and digital signatures to NIST-approved post-quantum standards by 2030 and 2031. While not a financial crime measure, the order is relevant to digital resilience because quantum-capable attacks could eventually compromise payments, identity systems, sensitive financial data, secure communications and…

HM Treasury updates its money laundering advisory notice, aligning UK high-risk third country guidance with FATF’s June 2026 list changes

June 22, 2026

The June 2026 advisory notice sets out UK guidance on jurisdictions with unsatisfactory money laundering and terrorist financing controls, reflecting changes following FATF’s June plenary. It supports firms applying the Money Laundering Regulations by clarifying which countries fall within the UK’s high-risk third country framework and where enhanced due diligence expectations may apply.

New Zealand’s DIA publishes its 2026 Real Estate Sector Risk Assessment, updating how real estate agents should understand and manage ML/TF risks in the sector

June 22, 2026

The Real Estate Agent Sector Risk Assessment 2026 was published on 22 June to help reporting entities understand and manage ML/TF risks associated with the real estate sector. DIA says the assessment provides an updated view of sector-wide threats and vulnerabilities and should support firms in reviewing and strengthening their own risk assessments and AML/CFT compliance programmes…

HKMA advances its AI-driven financial crime agenda, issuing guidance to accelerate bank’s adoption of AI across AML/CFT, fraud detection, sanctions screening, and risk management

June 22, 2026

The guidance highlights the potential of AI to improve the effectiveness, efficiency, and accuracy of financial crime controls while setting out key principles for governance, risk management, data quality, model oversight, and human accountability. It forms part of HKMA’s broader strategy to accelerate innovation and promote the safe and effective use of AI across the banking sector in the fight against increasingly sophisticated financial crime threats…

GIABA’s 5th Enhanced Follow-Up Report on Benin records FATF compliance upgrades on wire transfers and beneficial ownership, while the country remains under enhanced monitoring

June 21, 2026

Benin’s fifth enhanced follow-up report assesses progress against FATF Recommendations 16, 24 and 25, covering wire transfers, beneficial ownership of legal persons and beneficial ownership of legal arrangements. GIABA notes that Benin was placed in enhanced follow-up after its 2021 mutual evaluation because of low effectiveness ratings and multiple non-compliant or partially compliant technical ratings, with re-ratings granted only where sufficient progress has been demonstrated…

APG’s 2025 Typologies Report reveals that fraud accounts for 59% of reported cases, exposing the growing nexus between cyber scams, human trafficking, and virtual assets across Asia-Pacific

June 20, 2026

The report presents 114 case studies from 17 APG members and one observer jurisdiction, with fraud appearing in 59% of cases, financial institutions remaining the most used channel, and virtual assets, mule accounts, third-party platforms, cash and legal persons featuring prominently across laundering methods. It gives particular attention to cyber scam hubs and human trafficking in Southeast Asia, warning that industrial-scale fraud compounds generate tens of billions of dollars annually and require stronger intelligence sharing…

TI UK welcomes Bermuda’s proposal to introduce “legitimate interest” access to its BO register but argues that the framework should go further to align with FATF Rec 24 and the EU’s 6AMLD

June 19, 2026

TI UK argues Bermuda’s current definition of beneficial ownership is too narrow and should better capture individuals exercising control through ownership, voting rights, board appointments, significant influence, and trust structures. The paper supports granting access to journalists, civil society organisations, academics, reporting entities, and other parties involved in detecting money laundering, corruption, sanctions evasion, and related crimes…

FATF adds Bosnia and Herzegovina and Iraq to its grey list for enhanced AML/CFT monitoring, removes Algeria and Namibia and maintains Iran, North Korea, and Myanmar on its high-risk blacklist

June 19, 2026

FATF updated its list of jurisdictions under increased monitoring (“grey list”) at its June 2026 Plenary, adding Bosnia and Herzegovina and Iraq due to strategic deficiencies in their AML/CFT frameworks. Both countries have committed to implementing FATF action plans within agreed timelines. At the same time, Algeria and Namibia were removed from the grey list after making sufficient progress in addressing their AML/CFT deficiencies…

European Council leaders call for a tougher EU response to illicit drugs, backing stronger port security, international co-operation and a potential sanctions regime for transnational organised crime groups

June 19, 2026

In conclusions adopted at the 19 June 2026 European Council meeting, EU leaders call for a comprehensive, evidence-based response to drug use and trafficking, combining public health, prevention, treatment and social reintegration with stronger security, maritime and port resilience, and law enforcement co-operation with third countries. They also note the Commission and High Representative’s plan to propose a new horizontal sanctions regime targeting transnational organised crime groups, while separately advancing work on migration, the next EU budget, enlargement, Moldova, the Western Balkans…

HMT publishes its response to the AML/CTF Supervision Reform, confirming the FCA as the sole AML supervisor for legal and accountancy firms, reinforcing oversight, supervision and enforcement

June 18, 2026

The consultation response finalises policy positions for transferring AML/CTF supervision of legal, accountancy, and trust and company service providers to the FCA, covering registration and gatekeeping, supervisory powers, guidance, information-sharing, enforcement, funding, transition arrangements and accountability. It also outlines next steps for implementation, including legislative changes and further engagement with supervisors and stakeholders to support the transition…

NCA’s UKFIU June 2026 SARs Reporter Booklet reveals over £800,000 in frozen illicit funds and a dismantled 40+ money mule network, exposing organised fraud, corruption, and ML cases

June 18, 2026

Key interventions included £260,000 linked to bribery and corruption by a public-sector employee, over £200,000 seized in both a suspected kidnapping-related laundering case and an organised crime-linked vehicle sales business, and £60,000+ frozen from a suspected money mule account receiving unexplained third-party credits. Additional cases saw £25,000+ in suspicious cash deposits, £20,000+ in Bounce Back Loan misuse, and further restraint…

No results found.