Treasury Strengthens Sanctions Framework by Exposing Hamas’s Covert Support Network
On January 21, 2026, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) took decisive action to expose and disrupt a network of organizations covertly supporting the militant activities of Hamas. In the press release identified as SB0368, Treasury outlined an expanded enforcement strategy designed to both protect humanitarian channels and tighten oversight of entities that exploit the financial system under the guise of charitable work.
UK Consolidates Sanctions Designations into a Single Official List (Effective 28 January 2026)
On 28 January 2026, the UK Government completed a major reform of its sanctions designation framework by consolidating multiple sanctions registers into a single authoritative list. This change responds to long-standing calls from industry and regulatory stakeholders for a simpler, clearer sanctions compliance regime, and marks a significant evolution in how the UK publishes and manages sanctions information.
UAE Enhances Its National AML/CFT/CPF Framework: Key Updates and Strategic Shifts
On 12 February 2026, H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), chaired the 22nd meeting of the Higher Committee Overseeing the National Strategy on Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism and Proliferation Financing, a key milestone in the continued strengthening of the UAE’s regulatory and enforcement framework against financial crime.
FATF Grey List Update – February 2026: Kuwait and Papua New Guinea Added Under Increased Monitoring
On 13th February 2026, the global financial compliance landscape witnessed a significant shift following the conclusion of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Plenary held between 11th and 13th February 2026. One of the most important outcomes of this plenary session was the addition of Kuwait and Papua New Guinea to the FATF Grey List, officially referred to as the list of Jurisdictions under Increased Monitoring.
FATF’s Response to Cyber-Enabled Fraud in the Digital Age
In February 2026, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) published a pivotal new paper titled Cyber-Enabled Fraud, Digitalisation and Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Proliferation Financing Risks, marking a significant evolution in the global understanding of financial crime. This paper highlights how rapidly technology has transformed everyday life and inadvertently opened new avenues for criminals to exploit digital systems for fraud, money laundering (ML), terrorist financing (TF) and financing of proliferation (PF) risks.
Strengthening Compliance: Key Updates from UAE’s DNFBP AML Forum
In a decisive move to strengthen its financial system and align with global regulatory standards, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has taken another important step in combating financial crime. The recent forum jointly launched by the Ministry of Economy and Tourism and the Ministry of Justice focuses on enhancing compliance among Designated Non-Financial Businesses and Professions (DNFBPs).
Understanding the New FATF Updates on Offshore VASPs
The rapid rise of virtual assets such as the cryptocurrencies, digital tokens, and blockchain-based financial services has transformed the global financial landscape. While these innovations offer efficiency, speed, and accessibility, they also introduce new vulnerabilities. Recognising this, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has released its latest report titled “Understanding and Mitigating the Risks of Offshore Virtual Asset Service Providers (oVASPs)”, shedding light on emerging threats and suggesting ways to address them.
