AMLA’s Crypto Focus: What Compliance Teams Must Do Now
The EU’s new AML watchdog is moving fast — and crypto firms need measurable, audit-ready proof of compliance.
AMLA’s Crypto Focus: A Practical Roadmap for Compliance Teams
Europe’s Anti-Money-Laundering Authority (AMLA) has published early priorities that place crypto assets at the top of the supervisory agenda. This shift is not rhetorical: it signals a move away from fragmented national approaches toward measurable, harmonized supervision. For compliance leaders, the question is simple — what to do this quarter to be ready for tougher, outcome-focused scrutiny.
Why AMLA matters now
AMLA’s program stresses two themes:
- Cross-border consistency
- Effectiveness over paperwork
That means regulators will expect more than policies; they will want evidence that monitoring, escalation and SAR processes actually catch and close illicit activity. Crypto’s speed and cross-jurisdictional nature make it a particular target. PwC
Four immediate actions that move the needle
- Harden beneficial-ownership and onboarding evidence
Don’t rely on a single data point. Use multi-source BO verification, document the chain of verification (who did what and when), and set periodic re-verification triggers for higher-risk accounts. - Recalibrate transaction monitoring for cross-chain typologies
Transaction-monitoring rules designed for fiat rails won’t catch many crypto typologies. Integrate blockchain analytics, tune scenarios using recent typologies, and keep a record of scenario performance (hits, investigations, SARs filed). - Build measurable KPIs for “effectiveness”
Track metrics that prove outcomes: time-to-investigation, escalation hit-rate, SAR-quality score, and the percentage of alerts that lead to meaningful action. Prepare dashboards that link cases to remediation outcomes. - Prepare for cross-border supervision
Standardize core controls across EU entities using a single control framework with local addenda. Document variance reasons and preserve data lineage so supervisors can see consistent application.
Governance and culture: senior accountability matters
AMLA’s direction implies scrutiny at board level. Senior ownership of remediation plans and regular evidence-backed reporting will be essential. Boards should ask for performance metrics, not just compliance attestations.
Practical timeline
In the next 3–6 months: complete a typology gap analysis, upgrade BO verification where weak, and publish effectiveness KPIs to internal stakeholders. In 6–12 months: run independent testing and scenario recalibration. Those who act now will convert regulatory pressure into a competitive advantage.
Conclusion
AMLA’s crypto focus is a prompt, not a panic button. Firms that pair upgraded tooling with clear metrics and demonstrable outcomes will navigate the transition well. Those that wait will face more intrusive reviews when harmonized supervision arrives. Start with data, measure your results, and document the answers, that is what regulators will ask for, and what your clients will value
