In a landmark reform of its corporate tax framework, the Maltese government officially enacted the Final Income Tax Without Imputation Regulations on September 2, 2025, introducing a 15% elective final tax on company profits. The move marks one of the most significant overhauls of Malta’s business taxation system in recent years, offering what the government describes as a simpler and more transparent alternative to the long-standing imputation and refund model. From 35% to a

The Cyprus Real Estate Development Association has expressed strong approval for the unanimous decision by the House of Representatives to pass new legislation establishing a framework for the regulation of foreign direct investments (FDI). The law signifies Cyprus’ full alignment with the European Union’s screening regulation, aimed at enhancing oversight of foreign investments that may impact national security. Under the new legal framework, Cyprus will introduce stricter c

The European Banking Authority’s 2025 response to the European Commission’s Call for Advice on six key Anti-Money Laundering Authority (AMLA) mandates reads as both a roadmap and a reality check. Released in October 2025, the report lays the technical foundation for the European Union’s new AML regime while quietly acknowledging the central challenge: AMLA’s operational capacity may not yet measure up to its sweeping mandate. Behind the EBA’s formal prose lies a pragmatic und

Entain Australia has admitted to certain shortcomings in its previous anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing (AML/CTF) compliance program, while simultaneously contesting a number of claims and interpretations made by Australia’s financial crime regulator, AUSTRAC. The operator made the statements as it filed its defence in response to AUSTRAC’s amended statement of claim in the Federal Court of Australia, asserting that it has transformed its operations into a

The Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) has announced that it is temporarily halting the publication of its Certification Registers and certification examination results following the discovery of identity fraud incidents involving these records. According to the commission, certain individuals have been found unlawfully using the personal data of people listed in the Certification Registers or mentioned in the announcements of examination results, with the inte

The UK Parliament’s Treasury Committee heard on Tuesday that the Netherlands cannot be used as a credible case study to suggest gambling tax increases drive players toward the black market. Speaking before MPs, Carsten Jung, interim associate director for economic policy and AI at the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), said that while raising taxes can generate substantial revenue, it is not a stand-alone solution to problem gambling. Jung appeared as part of the fi

The conviction of former Hua Han Health Industry Holdings executive Wong Ming Chun for laundering corporate funds has highlighted a rare instance in which internal misconduct within a listed company escalated into a full-fledged financial crime case. Although Hong Kong’s financial system is internationally recognized for its stringent regulatory oversight, this case demonstrated that even the most robust external supervision cannot compensate for internal betrayal and failed

In a groundbreaking action announced in late October 2025, the United States Department of the Treasury designated Colombian President Gustavo Petro and his closest associates under Executive Order 14059, the U.S. sanctions authority aimed at persons involved in the international narcotics trade. This unprecedented step — targeting a sitting leader of a key U.S. ally — has drawn global attention not just for its political implications but for the alarm it raises about the con

Across the African continent, a profound wave of regulatory reflection and reform is transforming how nations confront money laundering and the financing of terrorism. Ghana and Botswana, long regarded as benchmarks for financial governance, have recently unveiled ambitious initiatives designed to close the systemic gaps that allow illicit funds to circulate undetected. While the Bank of Ghana has implemented a comprehensive new framework for anti-money laundering and counter

A sweeping multinational operation spanning six African countries has exposed a sophisticated and evolving network of terrorism financing that integrates informal money transfer systems with cryptocurrency-based Ponzi schemes. Conducted between July and September 2025, Operation Catalyst—jointly coordinated by INTERPOL and AFRIPOL—resulted in 83 arrests and uncovered more than USD 260 million in suspicious transactions potentially connected to extremist activity. The investig

The unexpected presidential pardon of Changpeng Zhao, founder of Binance and one of the most prominent figures in the global cryptocurrency industry, has reignited discussions on financial crime accountability and the politicization of anti-money-laundering enforcement. The news was first reported by the Wall Street Journal. Zhao’s release comes less than a year after he served a federal prison sentence following one of the largest corporate money-laundering convictions in U.

After seven days of deliberation during its 40th parliamentary session, Slovak MPs have approved a new gaming law aimed at strengthening gambling regulation and increasing state revenue from the industry. The legislation was passed with 71 votes in favor and seven abstentions. The newly approved law introduces stricter rules regarding gambling contributions and seeks to establish clearer operational standards for lotteries and casinos. Under the new framework, Tipos, Slovakia

The Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission (GSC) has confirmed it will move forward with its proposed Gambling Supervision Commission Bill after concluding a public consultation process, marking one of the most extensive updates to the island’s gambling regulatory framework in years. The draft legislation aims to modernize oversight across seven separate gambling acts, introducing standardized mechanisms for inspection, investigation, and enforcement. The consultation, l

A sweeping military raid on Myanmar’s notorious KK Park compound has laid bare one of the most sophisticated networks of cyber-fraud, human trafficking, and money laundering in Southeast Asia. The operation, conducted near the Thai border in the conflict-affected town of Myawaddy, resulted in the arrest of more than 2,000 suspects and the seizure of 30 Starlink satellite internet terminals. The dismantling—or at least the disruption—of this vast scam complex has shed unpreced

In a landmark action that redefines the scope of anti-money laundering (AML) enforcement in Canada, the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC) has levied an unprecedented administrative monetary penalty of CAD 176,960,190 against the Canadian-registered entity Xeltox Enterprises Ltd., operating as Cryptomus. The penalty, imposed under the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act (PCMLTFA) and its Regulations, marks a wat

Napier AI has unveiled its 2025–2026 benchmark report on global anti-financial-crime performance, delivering one of the most detailed examinations to date of how effectively compliance frameworks translate spending into measurable prevention. Drawing on data from dozens of jurisdictions, the study compares how much countries invest in anti-money-laundering enforcement with the actual impact of those investments. The findings point to an uncomfortable truth: the industry’s cur

The Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) of Hong Kong has moved into a decisive new phase in reshaping anti-money laundering and compliance standards for digital asset funds. The regulator’s ASPIRe roadmap—first unveiled in early 2025 and reinforced at a recent industry seminar—signals a definitive shift from a period of regulatory experimentation toward an institutional-grade compliance regime. Under this new model, every participant in Hong Kong’s virtual asset ecosystem

Coinbase has urged the U.S. Department of the Treasury to modernize the nation’s anti-money-laundering (AML) frameworks, arguing that existing rules no longer reflect the realities of a digital financial ecosystem. In its October 2025 response to the Treasury’s Request for Comment on Innovative Methods to Detect Illicit Activity in Digital Assets, the exchange positioned itself at the heart of an evolving debate over how regulators and the crypto industry can collaborate to s

The Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) has issued an official update involving three regulated entities, detailing the withdrawal of a Cyprus Investment Firm (CIF) licence and the initiation of liquidation procedures for two separate investment fund compartments. In its announcement, CySEC confirmed that on October 13, 2025, it decided to withdraw the CIF authorisation of BrightPool Ltd, which held authorisation number 378/19. The decision followed the company’

UBS has intensified its scrutiny of clients across Asia following its entanglement in Singapore’s largest money laundering case, a sprawling scandal involving more than S$3 billion (approximately US$2.2 billion) in seized assets linked to transnational criminal operations. The Swiss banking giant—long regarded as a bastion of private banking discretion—was among several global financial institutions fined for anti-money laundering (AML) shortcomings after Singaporean authorit