News & insights

FATF Updates Standards on Virtual Assets and VASPs

Written by Insight & Partnership Team | Jul 24, 2026 10:03:28 AM

 

Key updates include:

➡️ Implementation Gaps Remain: 83% of surveyed jurisdictions have now implemented legislation for the Travel Rule, up from 73% in 2025, but FATF stresses that many authorities have yet to deliver effective supervision, licensing and enforcement;

➡️ Supervisory Expectations: FATF highlights the need for stronger regulation, registration and oversight of (VASPs), particularly in jurisdictions with significant virtual asset activity where criminals continue to exploit weaknesses;

➡️ Emerging Risk Areas: The report identifies offshore VASPs, decentralised finance (DeFi), unhosted wallets and stablecoins as priority areas requiring enhanced risk assessment and regulatory attention; and

➡️ International Cooperation: FATF emphasises that stronger cross-border information sharing, asset freezing and enforcement cooperation are essential to disrupting increasingly global virtual asset-enabled crime.

The report calls on public authorities and the private sector to strengthen risk-based supervision, improve implementation of the Travel Rule and address emerging risks.

Firms should review virtual asset risk assessments, and VA transaction monitoring controls reflect the evolving risks associated with VASPs, DeFi, and stablecoins.