AML Fines Surpass SEC Cases, Elevating Crypto Regulatory Risk
Anti-money-laundering enforcement has overtaken securities violations as the principal regulatory threat facing crypto firms, according to CertiK’s State of Digital Asset Regulations report. The U.S. Department of Justice and the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network together impo...
➤ Anti-money-laundering (AML) enforcement has become the primary regulatory threat for crypto firms, surpassing securities violations in the first half of 2025, with over $1 billion in AML-related fines imposed in the U.S. ➤ This shift reflects a regulatory pivot towards operational controls, licensing, and transaction monitoring, evidenced by significant fines against exchanges like OKX and KuCoin, and increased global enforcement, particularly in Europe and Asia-Pacific. ➤ The evolving regulatory landscape emphasizes mandatory security audits, robust KYC/AML programs, and prudential standards for custodians and exchanges, aligning crypto supervision more closely with traditional financial crime controls.