Cointelegraph
Adrian Zmudzinski
Written by Adrian Zmudzinski,Staff Writer
Igor Belkin
Reviewed by Igor Belkin,Former Staff Editor

Estonia: Amendments to Anti-Money Laundering Regulations Will Tighten Crypto Regulation

The Estonian Ministry of Finance is about to add amendments to the national AML regulation, bringing tighter cryptocurrency regulation.

Estonia: Amendments to Anti-Money Laundering Regulations Will Tighten Crypto Regulation
News

The Estonian Ministry of Finance will shortly add amendments to a recently-passed financial bill that are meant to “tighten” crypto-related regulation, Estonian financial newspaper Äripäev reports Nov. 28.

According to the article, a new version of the Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Terrorist Financing Prevention Act came into force this week in Estonia, conforming legislation to the EU’s so-called “Fourth Money Laundering Prevention Directive.”

The regulation introduced this week reportedly introduces “virtual currency exchange service providers” and “virtual currency payment service providers,” while before there only was “alternative means of payment service provider.”

Still, the Financial Supervision Authority (FI) has since announced that cryptocurrencies and the companies offering crypto-related services introduce money laundering risks, which is reportedly the reason for the new amendments, according to Äripäev.

As Cointelegraph reported, Estonia has rolled back its plans to release Estcoin, a national digital currency, after the President of the European Central Bank Mario Draghi criticized the initiative.

Canada is also looking towards more regulation to prevent crypto from being used for money laundering, as the Canadian House Finance Committee recommended during its review of the Proceeds of Crime Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Act (PCMLTFA) in mid-November.

Cointelegraph is committed to independent, transparent journalism. This news article is produced in accordance with Cointelegraph’s Editorial Policy and aims to provide accurate and timely information. Readers are encouraged to verify information independently. Read our Editorial Policy https://cointelegraph.com/editorial-policy