As geopolitical pressure around Venezuela intensifies, routine payments are being reclassified as high-risk overnight, leaving institutions exposed to sudden regulatory pressure.
 
From heightened oversight of Florida-Venezuela corridors to the rise of preventive de-risking by global institutions, the industry is moving toward a new reality. Behavior-based AI is becoming the most effective tool to stay resilient as threats and high-risk corridors evolve.

The U.S. has elevated illicit fentanyl trafficking to a national security threat, expanding enforcement and sanctions across supply chains and financial networks.
 
At the same time, the terrorist designation of Colombia’s Clan del Golfo is instantly reshaping customer, counterparty, and corridor risk across Latin America.

FATF warns Belgium is struggling to tackle narco-linked money laundering.
 
Meanwhile, the UK updates Syria sanctions guidance, stressing trade restrictions and oversight of aid flows.
 
As Europe’s financial crime risks evolve, 2026 will demand sharper insight and faster adaptation from compliance teams.

The U.S. is stepping up oversight of remittances, with FinCEN’s alert on cross-border funds transfers involving individuals without legal status in the country.
 
Meanwhile, the 2025 Basel AML Index highlights an uneven global picture with several low-risk jurisdictions slipping while higher-risk countries improve.
 
Together, these shifts reshape how institutions assess risk and reinforce why adaptive, behavior-based AI is becoming essential for regulatory readiness.

The U.S. is overhauling its anti–money laundering rules aiming to increase high-value reporting.
 
Meanwhile, Europe’s new AML Authority has broadened who counts as a politically exposed person (PEP), explicitly adding regional and local leaders and extending coverage to more family members. Discover why adaptive, behavior-based AI is becoming essential for regulatory readiness.

The UAE has introduced a tougher AML law following its exit from the FATF Grey List, expanding oversight to tax evasion, digital assets and proliferation financing.
Meanwhile in the UK, authorities raided nearly 3,000 high-street shops in one of the country’s largest AML crackdowns, uncovering new micro-laundering tactics across cash-heavy retailers.
Get insights on why adaptive, behavior-based AI now sits at the center of regulatory readiness.

The UK’s Companies House launches mandatory ID verification for company directors, while the U.S. Treasury’s unprecedented action forces three Mexican financial institutions to cease operations.
Get insights on why AI-driven detection now sits at the center of regulatory readiness.

In this week’s AML in Focus, Europe’s new AMLA kicks off with a mission to close long-standing oversight blind spots, while FATF’s latest update removes four African nations from the Grey List.

Get analysis from our financial crime and AI experts on why unified data, intelligent detection, and explainable AI now sit at the core of global regulatory expectations.

AML in Focus debuts with Europe’s warning against careless RegTech adoption and the UK’s call to treat financial crime as a trust issue.

Get guidance from our financial crime and AI experts to stay ahead of regulatory pressure.