Europe's Law Enforcement Unites Against Crypto-Asset Money Laundering

Crypto-assets and decentralized finance (DeFi) are transforming the financial system but also creating new opportunities for criminals. Law-enforcement practitioners from Council of Europe member States gathered to exchange strategies on investigating money laundering and terrorist financing involving crypto-assets.

The rapid growth of DeFi presents additional challenges, including permissionless access, automated transactions, cross-border operations, and the absence of conventional intermediaries. This makes it difficult for authorities to identify those involved, establish jurisdiction, trace assets, and secure reliable evidence.

The Council of Europe's Economic Crime and Cooperation Division (ECCD) is helping authorities strengthen their legal, technical, and human resource capacities through guidance, training, capacity-building, and institutional assistance. The ECCD is also contributing to discussions on criminal justice standards and more sustainable solutions for blockchain analysis.