Outcomes FATF Plenary, 17-19 June 2026

Paris, 19 June 2026 – The sixth and final Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Plenary meeting under the Mexican Presidency of Elisa de Anda Madrazo concluded today, with a comprehensive range of initiatives agreed to bolster the global fight against illicit finance.

Delegates from across the FATF’s Global Network of more than 200 jurisdictions and observers gathered in Paris from 17 – 19 June to discuss evolving threats to global financial integrity and security.

The Plenary adopted reports of Canada and Türkiye under the new round of mutual evaluations.

The FATF removed Algeria and Namibia from its list of jurisdictions under increased monitoring following successful on-site visits and updated its statements on jurisdictions under increased monitoring, as well as statements on jurisdictions subject to a call for action.

The FATF approved a series of new publications and initiatives to help countries stay alert to emerging risks and criminal methods, including the abuse of technological innovations, and to step up mitigation measures, particularly through strong coordination with the private sector.

Members approved the Priorities of the FATF under the incoming UK Presidency, and appointed Mr. Vivek Aggarwal of India as the incoming Vice-President of the FATF (July 2026 – June 2027).

Events this week built on ongoing work under the Mexican Presidency to strengthen collaboration across the Global Network, which will continue under the UK Presidency.

The Plenary updated Recommendation 6 of the FATF Standards to ensure that sanctions measures do not block the flow of funds, assets, resources, goods, and services necessary for humanitarian assistance and basic human needs. The updated Standards incorporate the humanitarian exemption contained in the United Nations Security Council resolutions (UNSCRs) relating to the prevention and suppression of terrorism and terrorist financing, UNSCRs 2664 and 2761.

These jurisdictions are actively working with the FATF and the Global Network to address the strategic deficiencies in their regimes to counter money laundering, terrorist financing and proliferation financing. When the FATF places a jurisdiction under increased monitoring, it means the country has committed to implement an Action Plan to swiftly resolve the identified strategic deficiencies within agreed timeframes.

At this Plenary, the FATF added Bosnia and Herzegovina and Iraq to the list of jurisdictions under increased monitoring.

Following successful on-site visits, the Plenary congratulated Algeria and Namibia for positive progress in addressing strategic anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism and proliferation financing (AML/CFT/CPF) deficiencies identified during their mutual evaluations. The jurisdictions have completed their Action Plans within agreed timeframes and will no longer be subject to the FATF’s increased monitoring process.

Algeria will continue working with their FATF-Style Regional Body (FSRB), MENAFATF; and Namibia will continue working with their FSRB, ESAAMLG, to sustain improvements in their AML/CFT/CPF systems.

The FATF identifies countries or jurisdictions with serious strategic deficiencies to counter money laundering, terrorist financing, and proliferation financing. These jurisdictions are subject to a call for action to protect the international financial system.

The Plenary discussed and adopted reports of the joint FATF-Asia/Pacific Group (APG) mutual evaluation of Canada and the FATF mutual evaluation of Türkiye. These reports assessed the effectiveness of the countries’ measures to combat money laundering, terrorist financing and proliferation financing, and compliance with the FATF Recommendations. The reports will be published in September - October 2026 following a Global Network quality and consistency review.

Under the new round of mutual evaluations, countries receive a timebound Roadmap of Key Recommended Actions required to strengthen the effectiveness of their defences against illicit finance within three years.

In recognition that greater collaboration and information sharing is vital to improving effectiveness in addressing money laundering, terrorism financing, fraud and other crimes, in an era of increased digitalisation and fragmentation of transactions across borders, the Plenary approved a new Global Overview of Public and Private Sector Partnerships and Data Protection Arrangements.

The new publication, to be launched next month, will present different models of information sharing from around the world, aiming to support actionable sharing of intelligence to combat crime in line with data protection needs. Further work in this area will be carried forward under the UK Presidency.

The Plenary also approved a public consultation on new guidance that will support the implementation of the strengthened FATF Standard on cross-border payment transparency, Recommendation 16. The proposed guidance will help countries and financial institutions strengthen payment transparency in order to combat ML/TF/PF, and predicate crimes, in particular fraud. Interested stakeholders will be able to respond to the consultation from next week.

As financing methods used by terrorist actors continue to vary with access to emerging technologies and digital platforms, the Plenary approved a new publication on detecting and disrupting terrorist financing activity conducted via social media, instant messaging applications and streaming platforms. This work will highlight how terrorists are misusing these technologies, building on the FATF’s 2025 Comprehensive Update on Terrorist Financing Risks, and will set out recommendations to address abuse including greater proactive engagement with the sector.

The Plenary also approved a new report for publication in September 2026 which will examine how underground banking, hawala, and other similar service providers can be exploited by criminal actors, including professional money launderers, to facilitate illicit financial activity – a threat which has evolved in line with rapid technological change.

As gaming and gambling industries continue to change through the expansion of online, cross-border, multi-product and multi-payment platforms, the Plenary also approved work to update the Global Network’s understanding of the latest risks in the casino sector and broader gambling sector with illicit finance risk indicators that will help to detect criminal activity.

As the FATF continues to push for strong global implementation of the FATF Standards in relation to the virtual asset sector, the Plenary approved a seventh targeted update on the implementation of the FATF Standards on Virtual Assets (VAs) and Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs).

With the growth of Decentralised Finance (DeFi) platforms and their potential exposure to money laundering, terrorist financing and proliferation financing risks, a new targeted report will look at related regulatory challenges.

These reports will be published next month.

Incoming FATF President, Giles Thomson, presented the objectives for the UK Presidency from 1 July 2026 – 30 June 2028. In line with the strategic priorities agreed at the recent FATF Ministerial in Washington DC, the UK Presidency will focus on stepping up the international response to the fraud epidemic, including the ML/TF risks from scam compounds, strengthening implementation of the risk-based approach and risk-based supervision and enhancing information sharing and public-private partnerships.

In preparation for the FATF’s focus on combating fraud under the UK Presidency, President de Anda chaired a special session that convened operational experts and private sector partners to exchange insights and experiences in tackling this global threat. 

In line with continued efforts to strengthen cohesion across the Global Network, this Plenary welcomed the continued participation of Jamaica and Nigeria under their own flags through the FSRB Guest Initiative.

A new Global Strategy Group was launched, holding its inaugural meeting on Monday 15 June. This new consultative body, chaired by the FATF President and bringing together Chairs of FATF-Style Regional Bodies, will strengthen coordination across the Global Network and advise on strategic issues such as cross-regional risks and opportunities for partnership to strengthen global defences.

The FATF also welcomed the Alliance for Financial Inclusion (AFI) as a new Observer to the task force. As a member-led network of central banks and financial regulators across 83 developing economies, ​AFI will help the FATF in supporting the effective implementation of the FATF standards in line with a risk-based approach that supports financial inclusion. Advancing financial inclusion has been a key objective of the Mexican Presidency and has been furthered through the strengthening of FATF’s Recommendation 1 and updated guidance published last year.

The Plenary selected Mr. Vivek Aggarwal, from India to be the next FATF Vice President.  He will succeed Mr. Giles Thomson of the UK, who has served in this role since 1 July 2025.  Mr. Aggarwal is currently the Secretary to Government of India, Ministry of Culture, and a former Head of the Indian Delegation to the FATF.

The FATF suspension of the Russian Federation continues to stand (see February 2024 statement).