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

AUSTRAC expands AML/CTF laws from 1 July 2026, bringing real estate, legal and accounting sectors into scope to close key ML gaps in property and professional services

July 1, 2026

From 1 July 2026, real estate agents, lawyers, conveyancers, accountants and dealers in precious metals and stones must comply with AML/CTF obligations where they provide designated services, including having a programme, compliance officer, staff training and reporting arrangements in place. AUSTRAC says the expansion targets sectors criminals use to hide illicit funds through property transactions, trusts and company structures…

The CityUK’s Digital Verification Orchestrator Blueprint proposes a market-led UK digital identity model to reduce fraud and enable secure, interoperable verification without a central database

July 1, 2026
The Digital Verification Orchestrator (DVO) Blueprint, published by TheCityUK and industry partners under the UK’s The Global City initiative, sets out a proposed framework for building a trusted, interoperable digital identity and verification ecosystem in the UK; it explains why a coordinated “orchestrator” model is needed to reduce fraud, improve trust in digital transactions, and streamline identity checks across sectors, and its main highlight…

EBA updates its Product Oversight and Governance Guidelines, requiring banks to strengthen ESG governance and controls to reduce greenwashing risks across the product lifecycle from Jan 2027

June 30, 2026

The final amending guidelines update the EBA’s product oversight and governance framework for retail banking products with ESG features, following a 2025 consultation on greenwashing risks. They require manufacturers and distributors to ensure ESG-related features are properly reflected in product design, target market assessment, testing, distribution and monitoring, while avoiding…

FCA sets landmark crypto rules, requiring full authorisation for crypto firms and stricter prudential and consumer protection standards to strengthen safeguards against market abuse and FC

June 30, 2026

The rules require crypto firms to meet clearer standards on financial resilience, capital, stress testing, market integrity, consumer protection and stablecoin arrangements, with authorisation applications opening from 30 September 2026 before the mandatory regime takes effect on 25 October 2027. FCA notes that its current crypto oversight remains limited to financial promotions and AML controls until then, while further work will cover the regulatory perimeter…

AUSTRAC launches a public VASP register, enabling consumers and businesses to verify whether crypto providers are registered and regulated, strengthening transparency and AML oversight

June 30, 2026

The public register lists all virtual asset service providers registered with AUSTRAC and is designed to improve transparency, help identify legitimate providers and support efforts to combat money laundering, terrorism financing and other serious crimes. AUSTRAC says VASPs must be registered before offering designated services in Australia and may have registration suspended, cancelled or refused where they pose unacceptable ML/TF, people…

FinCEN warns Mexican cartels are increasingly using fuel smuggling as a TBML scheme, exploiting shell companies and fake invoices to evade taxes and launder illicit profits

June 30, 2026

Mexican cartels are increasingly smuggling fuel (gasoline, diesel, etc.) from the U.S. into Mexico. They evade Mexican fuel taxes and sell the fuel illegally in Mexico at large profit margins. The schemes are linked to major groups like the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) and other Mexico-based criminal networks. Criminals use fake invoices, shell companies, and complicit traders on both sides of the border to disguise the origin of fuel…

BoE and FCA issue a policy paper setting out how they will regulate systemic stablecoin issuers, clarifying supervisory responsibilities and firms’ transition to joint oversight

June 30, 2026

The joint policy paper sets out how the Bank of England and FCA will coordinate the supervision of systemic stablecoin issuers, clearly defining each regulator’s responsibilities, outlining the transition from FCA-only to joint oversight once an issuer is designated as systemic, and establishing a coordinated supervisory model to streamline authorisations, reduce regulatory duplication, strengthen financial stability, and support the UK’s emerging…

UK Govt’s Crime and Policing Act 2026 reforms POCA Part 2 to streamline confiscation through tighter lifestyle rules, clearer asset recovery, faster timetables, and improved restraint order safeguards

June 29, 2026

The guidance explains how the Crime and Policing Act 2026 reforms Part 2 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, including changes to criminal lifestyle assumptions, hidden asset determinations, tainted gifts, confiscation timetables, early resolution meetings and restraint orders. It clarifies that the principal objective of Part 2 confiscation powers is to deprive defendants of the benefit of criminal conduct so far as this is within their means…

AMLA issues advisory note on ML/TF risks from the end of the MiCAR Transitional Period, citing crypto market restructuring risks and calling for stronger supervision, AML/CFT controls, and FIU cooperation

June 29, 2026

It highlights key risks including weakened AML/CFT controls during wind-downs, potential concealment or movement of illicit funds, increased compliance pressure on authorised CASPs, and supervisory blind spots during market transition. AMLA calls for risk-based customer assessments (not blanket de-risking), strong wind-down procedures, scalable monitoring systems, and enhanced cooperation between supervisors and FIUs to ensure an orderly…

CoLP warns organisations of rising ransomware threats, with 323 UK businesses targeted between Apr 2025 – Mar 2026, including many SMEs, and reported losses of around £270K, likely underreported

June 29, 2026

The campaign, led by Report Fraud, urges businesses not to pay ransom demands and instead focus on prevention through strong cyber hygiene, including regular backups, system updates and access controls. It also highlights the importance of immediate reporting of attacks, with a dedicated 24/7 support line for affected organisations, while reinforcing guidance from the National Cyber Security Centre that ransom payments are not encouraged…

Europol’s ‘Blueprint of Criminal Opportunism’ report identifies 821 criminal networks, warning that organised crime is rapidly adapting and outpacing law enforcement despite major disruptions

June 26, 2026

The blueprint of criminal opportunism analyses 731 most threatening criminal networks affecting the EU, including 533 newly identified networks, and finds that while 76% of the networks identified in 2024 are no longer considered among the most threatening, organised crime continues to adapt, replace disrupted actors and exploit systemic vulnerabilities. The report highlights the continued use of legal business structures, cross-border operations…

EBA publishes a consultation paper proposing a harmonised, risk-based approach to setting MiCA fines, aimed at ensuring consistent, proportionate and effective enforcement of crypto-asset breaches 

June 26, 2026

The consultation paper sets out a draft methodology for calculating fines under MiCA, aiming to ensure that penalties for issuers of significant asset-referenced tokens and e-money tokens are consistent, proportionate and transparent. While not an AML/CFT measure in itself, the proposal is relevant to financial crime oversight because robust enforcement against major crypto-asset issuers can reinforce governance, compliance discipline and supervisory credibility in a sector exposed to illicit finance risks…

No results found.