The European Union is stepping boldly into a new era of anti-money laundering enforcement, aiming to replace decades of fragmented national supervision with a single, coordinated authority. At the heart of this transformation is the newly established Anti-Money Laundering Authority (AMLA), which will begin operations from Frankfurt on July 1, 2025.
This development comes as part of the EU’s broader AML package, which includes a new regulation creating AMLA, a single rulebook to unify compliance standards across member states, and a directive requiring the establishment of public registers for ownership, banking, and real estate records. Together, these initiatives represent the EU’s most ambitious attempt yet to clean up financial crime and increase trust in cross-border finance.
AMLA will directly supervise high-risk financial entities that operate across at least six member states. Around 40 of these cross-border firms will fall under its watch from the start. But AMLA’s reach won’t stop there. It will also work closely with national supervisors, setting common standards, issuing guidance, and reviewing country-level AML regimes to ensure alignment across the board.
The single rulebook, which comes into force in 2027, is a central element of the reform. It will standardize everything from customer due diligence procedures to how companies report suspicious transactions. By eliminating the current patchwork of national laws, the EU aims to reduce regulatory loopholes and prevent criminals from exploiting weaker jurisdictions.
Complementing this regulation is a new directive that mandates the creation of centralized registers for beneficial ownership, bank accounts, and property. These will be accessible not just to financial intelligence units and law enforcement, but also to journalists and civil society groups in certain cases, enhancing transparency and public accountability.
Another major change is the expansion of AML rules to cover new sectors. Crypto-asset service providers, crowdfunding platforms, real estate agents, and even professional football clubs will now be subject to the same compliance expectations as banks and insurance companies. This move reflects a growing awareness that money laundering risks aren’t limited to traditional finance.
The reforms are scheduled to roll out in phases through to 2029. AMLA will begin by building its staff, developing supervision methods, and establishing a risk-based approach to identifying which entities and activities require the most attention. By 2028, it will begin exercising direct supervisory authority over the highest-risk firms.
Behind these reforms lies a recognition that previous systems failed to prevent some of the EU’s biggest financial scandals—from Danske Bank’s massive laundering case to the collapse of Wirecard. The European Commission hopes that AMLA’s centralized power, combined with standardized rules, will finally close the enforcement gaps that criminals have long exploited.
For companies operating in or across the EU, these developments signal the need for immediate preparation. Businesses must align internal compliance processes with the new framework, strengthen data management practices, and get ready for more direct scrutiny—either from their national regulator or from AMLA itself.
The coming years will reshape how financial crime is monitored in Europe. With Frankfurt emerging as the epicenter of AML supervision, the EU is making it clear: a more coordinated, transparent, and effective system is no longer a goal. It’s a reality in the making.
