Financial Crime: Top Priorities for In-House Teams in 2026

From AI-enabled fraud schemes to intensified anti-money laundering scrutiny, corporate compliance teams face an increasingly complex regulatory landscape in 2026. Financial crime experts warn that evolving technologies and tightening enforcement across multiple jurisdictions require businesses to strengthen their internal controls and adapt to new threats rapidly.

Background and Context

The financial crime landscape has transformed dramatically since 2020, with artificial intelligence both enabling sophisticated fraud attempts and providing new tools for detection. Global regulators, including the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) in the United States and the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC), have expanded their requirements for corporate transparency and transaction monitoring. Meanwhile, emerging regulations around ESG compliance have added new dimensions to risk management frameworks.

Key Figures and Entities

Regulatory bodies worldwide are coordinating more closely than ever on cross-border enforcement. The Financial Action Task Force continues to set global standards, while national authorities like the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC) implement increasingly sophisticated monitoring systems. Technology companies, including Microsoft, are developing AI-powered tools to help compliance teams identify suspicious patterns in massive datasets.

Legal and Financial Mechanisms

The regulatory framework continues to evolve through amendments to cornerstone legislation like the Bank Secrecy Act of 1970 in the United States and the Criminal Code in Canada. New requirements around beneficial ownership disclosure and enhanced due diligence procedures are forcing companies to reassess their compliance infrastructure. The implementation of automated suspicious activity reporting systems has become standard practice for financial institutions.

International Implications and Policy Response

The increasing globalization of financial crime has prompted unprecedented international cooperation among regulators. The Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA) has emerged as a key player in European enforcement, while the UK National Cyber Security Centre focuses on the intersection of cyber threats and financial crime. Policy debates continue around balancing privacy concerns with the need for greater transparency in corporate structures and payment systems.

Sources

This analysis draws on regulatory guidance from FinCEN, AUSTRAC, and FINTRAC, enforcement actions between 2020-2025, and industry reports on emerging financial crime trends published through January 2026.