Turkey aims to shed FATF gray list status with new crypto regulations
Finance Minister Simsek reportedly stated that the sole outstanding technical compliance matter is crypto assets.
Turkey is reportedly drafting fresh regulations to govern crypto-assets in an effort to convince the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), an international organization responsible for combating financial crimes, to remove it from a “gray list” of nations that have not done enough to combat money laundering and terrorist financing.
Notably, the FATF placed Turkey on its gray list in 2021. According to a report, during a discussion with a parliamentary commission on Oct. 31, Turkish Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek mentioned that a FATF report determined that Turkey adhered to all but one of the 40 standards set by the watchdog.
Finance Minister Simsek reportedly stated that the sole outstanding matter for technical compliance is related to crypto assets. He cited plans to propose a crypto-assets law to parliament, aiming to exit the gray list, pending any political factors. No specifics on the legal changes were provided.
The FATF, established by the G7 advanced economies to safeguard the international financial system, cautioned Turkey in 2019 about significant deficiencies. These included the necessity to enhance procedures for freezing assets associated with terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
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