This short webinar will offer a concise yet impactful overview of the future challenges in anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorism financing (CTF), particularly in light of evolving technologies and criminal tactics.

Participants will explore critical topics such as the rise of lone actors, the increasing professionalisation of financial crime, and the growing threat of cybercrime and cyber-laundering. The session will also address the complexities introduced by new payment methods and FinTech platforms, and how these developments can be exploited by criminals. Realistic scenarios and forward-looking insights will be shared to help professionals anticipate risks and develop effective counterstrategies.

The webinar will be particularly relevant for those working in compliance, cybersecurity, risk, and financial innovation.

Presentation Objectives

By the end of the session participants will:

• Understand how evolving technologies and criminal strategies impact AML/CTF efforts.

• Identify the emerging risks from lone actors, professional criminal networks, and digital platforms.

• Recognise the role of FinTech and new payment systems in cyber-laundering.

• Gain awareness of regulatory gaps and proactive counterstrategies

Presentation Outline

Setting the Stage: Evolution of Threats

• Quick intro to how traditional financial crime has evolved.

• Shift from organized networks to decentralized threats.

Lone Wolves and the Rise of Individual Threat Actors

• Who are “lone wolves” in financial crime and terrorism?

• Why they pose a different risk than organized crime.

• Challenges in detection and profiling.

Professionalisation of Financial Crime

• How criminals operate like legitimate businesses.

• Outsourcing, specialization, and “crime-as-a-service”.

• Use of shell companies and digital identities.

Cybercrime & Cyber-laundering

• What is cyber-laundering?

• Real case examples: ransomware, phishing, darknet.

• Intersection of cybercrime and AML breaches.

• How criminals use online ecosystems to clean money.

FinTechs & New Payment Methods: A Double-Edged Sword

• Crypto, e-wallets, challenger banks.

• Opportunities vs vulnerabilities.

• Regulatory arbitrage: how criminals exploit gaps.

• The role of RegTech and SupTech in fighting back.

Increased Complexity and Counterstrategies

• Layered financial structures, multi-jurisdictional flows.

• Evasion tactics and tech-enabled complexity.

• Future-oriented counterstrategies:

– Intelligence sharing

– AI-powered detection

– Cross-sector collaboration

Q&A / Wrap-Up

• Respond to participant questions.

• Share key takeaways and additional resources.

Speaker | Geert Delrue | Internationally recognised Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism expert and lead trainer of AML/CFT Training Center Financial Forensic Services