South Korean crypto exchange Korbit has agreed to pay almost $2 million and received an official warning after authorities found extensive lapses in its anti-money laundering and customer verification controls. The enforcement action highlights growing regulatory scrutiny of local crypto platforms.
India’s Financial Intelligence Unit has directed crypto exchanges to require selfie verification and penny-drop bank checks for new users to bolster anti-money laundering and counter-terror financing controls. The move tightens onboarding standards and raises practical and privacy questions for platforms and customers.
Nicolás Maduro pleaded not guilty this week in a New York court after U.S. authorities seized him in Caracas, and the case has prompted fresh questions about whether his regime used cryptocurrencies to move money or evade sanctions.
Forty-nine crypto exchanges have registered with India's Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU-IND) under the country's new anti-money laundering framework, as regulators levy INR 2.8 billion in penalties and warn that offshore platforms will be blocked if they remain non-compliant.
Brazil's Federal Police executed more than 24 search and seizure warrants in Operation Kryptolaundry, dismantling a crypto money-laundering network linked to Glaidson Acácio dos Santos, the "Bitcoin Pharaoh". Authorities say the group moved about $500 million in illicit funds since 2021.
FinCEN fined Paxful $3.5 million after finding the platform enabled over $500 million in illicit cryptocurrency transactions due to failures in anti–money laundering compliance.
Europol announced coordinated December raids that dismantled a €700 million “crypto spiral,” disrupting widespread illicit flows across Europe. Authorities say the operation now moves into an enforcement phase focused on asset tracing and recovery.
South Korea has revised its anti-money‑laundering rules to capture small crypto transfers, expanding reporting duties, banning violators from owning or operating VASPs, and allowing preemptive asset freezes to curb illicit flows.
Europe will appoint Giuseppe Lopez as head of Europol’s financial crime unit, signaling a stepped-up focus on anti-money-laundering enforcement that includes crypto. The move is expected to sharpen cross-border investigations and coordination with industry and analytics providers.
Bithumb will close its USDT market and end a shared order book with Australia’s Stellar Exchange after just two months as regulators scrutinize its anti–money laundering controls. The move follows an ongoing probe by South Korean authorities.