On 12 March 2024, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) published guidance on beneficial ownership and transparency of legal arrangements. The guidance, which is non-binding, aims to assist stakeholders from public and private sectors that regulate, supervise, enforce, form, manage, or administer trusts or similar legal arrangements. It focuses on the Recommendation 25 requirements and … Continue Reading
On 26 February 2024, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) announced it is considering revisions to Recommendation 16 (R.16), its Interpretive Note (INR.16) and the related glossary of specific terms, to adapt them to the changes in payment business models and messaging standards. In the press release, the FATF outlines how R.16 and INR.16 must … Continue Reading
On 16 November 2023, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) updated its best practices on combating the abuse of non-profit organisations (NPOs). The update follows the revisions that the FATF made earlier this year to Recommendation 8 that aim to protect NPOs from potential terrorist financing abuse through the effective implementation of risk-based measures. For … Continue Reading
On 7 September 2023, the Financial Stability Board (FSB) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) published a joint synthesis paper on policies for crypto-assets. The report synthesises the IMF’s and FSB’s policy recommendations and standards. The report illustrates macroeconomic and financial stability implications of crypto-asset activities, how they may interact, and how the IMF and … Continue Reading
On 27 June 2023, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) published a report, Targeted update on implementation of the FATF standards on virtual assets and virtual asset service providers. In October 2018, the FATF updated Recommendation 15 (R.15) to extend anti-money laundering / countering the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) requirements to virtual assets (VAs) and … Continue Reading
On 26 June 2023, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) published the outcomes from the FATF Plenary, which took place on 21-23 June 2023. Delegates from over 200 jurisdictions of the Global Network and observers from international organisations participated in these discussions at the FATF headquarters in Paris. The outcomes of the discussions included the … Continue Reading
On 17 April 2023, the Wolfsburg Group published an updated version of its anti-bribery and corruption compliance programme guidance. The publication is designed to provide guidance to the financial services industry on how to develop, implement and maintain an effective anti-bribery and corruption (ABC) compliance programme, and should be read in conjunction with applicable legislation, … Continue Reading
On 10 March 2023, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) published updated Recommendations which were adopted at its plenary on 15 February 2023. The FATF has reviewed and updated the FATF Recommendations, in close co-operation with the FATF-Style Regional Bodies (FSRBs) and the observer organisations, including the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and the … Continue Reading
On 14 March 2023, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) published a report on countering ransomware financing. The report analyses the methods that criminals use to carry out their ransomware attacks and how payments are made and laundered. The report highlights that criminals are almost exclusively using crypto, or virtual assets and have easy access … Continue Reading
On 26 October 2022, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) launched a public consultation on its guidance on beneficial ownership. At the March 2022 Plenary, the FATF adopted amendments to Recommendation 24, and agreed to immediately start the work to update guidance on beneficial ownership with a view to help support the implementation of the … Continue Reading
On 20 July 2022, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) issued a report intended to help jurisdictions enhance, design and implement information collaboration initiatives among private sector entities in accordance with data protection and privacy (DPP) rules so that the risks associated with increased sharing of personal data are appropriately taken into account. The report … Continue Reading
On 30 June 2022, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) issued a targeted update concerning the implementation of its Standards on virtual assets (VAs) and virtual asset service providers (VASPs), with a focus on FATF’s Travel Rule. The FATF has found that many countries need to strengthen understanding of money laundering / terrorist financing risks … Continue Reading
In the latest instalment of our Regulation Around the World series, financial services partners in 13 jurisdictions provide an update on anti-money laundering developments. Our global updater is accompanied by further analysis and insights in our Regulation Around the World podcast which is available now to stream and download. The podcast features speakers from the … Continue Reading
On 17 June 2022, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) published the outcomes of its plenary on 14 to 17 June 2022. Delegates from over 200 jurisdictions participated in the plenary and the FATF expressed its deepest sympathies for the people of Ukraine, and as a result of Russia’s invasion, the FATF agreed to severely … Continue Reading
On 11 May 2022, the Wolfsberg Group published FAQs on how undertaking screening for negative news and other forms of adverse information can enhance a financial institution’s awareness of potential financial-crime risk posed by both existing and prospective customers. The Wolfsberg Group recognises that there is no universally agreed and accepted definition of negative news. … Continue Reading
Blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis have recently published the results of research showing that there has been a huge increase in the use of decentralised finance (DeFi) protocols to launder money over the last year. DeFi is an emerging financial technology based on secure distributed ledgers similar to those used by cryptocurrencies. In 2021, there was … Continue Reading
On 30 June 2021, there was published: Report from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) on ethnically or racially motivated terrorism financing. The report, which is based on inputs from around 30 jurisdictions, focuses on the funding behind ethnically or racially motivated terrorism, also referred to as extreme right-wing terrorism. The report highlights the challenges … Continue Reading
AML as a focus area and point of discussion for many companies will never fade. If anything, the increasing pressure on companies and the expanding list of companies which are caught or impacted by global legislative AML changes means that many will need to continually assess if their AML frameworks are not only adequate but … Continue Reading
On 14 September 2020, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) published a report, Virtual Assets – Red Flag Indicators of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing. The report is based on more than 100 case studies and is designed to help national authorities and financial institutions identify potential money laundering and terrorist financing activity involving virtual … Continue Reading
An increasingly globalised business environment, together with technological innovation, political uncertainty and ongoing regulatory change, present a number of challenges for financial institutions when it comes to protecting themselves against financial crime. Our global anti-money laundering and sanctions compliance survey will explore how financial institutions across the globe are managing their compliance programs in light of the … Continue Reading
AUSTRAC has released a new format for reporting entities to submit their annual compliance report (Compliance Report). This new compliance reporting format comes as a result of AUSTRAC’s reforms to their previous Compliance Report requirements which were suspended for the 2017 reporting period, and is designed so that reporting entities are required to provide more … Continue Reading
Australia’s Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing (AML/CTF) regulator, AUSTRAC, has released its guidance with respect to new laws that require digital currency exchange (DCE) providers to register and comply with AML/CTF obligations. AUSTRAC takes a broad approach in interpreting what is covered within the legal definition of a DCE. Essentially, any operation that converts fiat … Continue Reading
In light of today’s geo-political climate and public concerns over the threat of terrorist attacks, we see a trend of governments placing greater focus on countering the funding of terrorist groups. Indeed, the United Nation’s International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism, which Australia has ratified, has been in force since 2002 … Continue Reading
Ever since the infamous Silk Road website was investigated and shut down by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation in 2013, and again in 2014, for facilitating the trafficking of illegal narcotics on the “darknet” using Bitcoin, the world of digital currencies has never been the same. Once upon a time Bitcoin was often used … Continue Reading