This course unpacks how illicit actors move value through cryptocurrency systems, from pseudonymous wallets and asset conversions to decentralized services, and gives you practical anti-money laundering tactics to detect, disrupt, and report suspicious activity.
Summary
Discover how laundering works with cryptocurrencies, the opacity created by decentralized protocols, and the hurdles investigators face when funds travel across platforms and chains. You will learn to apply controls tailored to cryptoassets and virtual assets.
In the cryptocurrency context, anti-money laundering refers to the policies, procedures, and controls used to prevent criminals from introducing, moving, and disguising illicit funds through digital asset ecosystems. It is especially relevant in crypto because transactions can move quickly across borders and services, customer relationships can be remote, and attribution of real-world identity may be incomplete without strong onboarding and monitoring processes.
Anti-money laundering compliance matters for crypto businesses because it helps meet legal obligations, protect the business from facilitating crime, and reduce reputational and operational risk. Non-compliance can lead to enforcement action, fines, restrictions on operating, loss of commercial relationships (including banking and payment access), and heightened scrutiny that disrupts day-to-day operations.
Global expectations are shaped by the Financial Action Task Force Recommendations, which set widely adopted standards for risk-based controls for virtual asset service providers. In practice, firms also align to regional and national requirements, including European Union Anti-Money Laundering Directives and United States Financial Crimes Enforcement Network guidance under Bank Secrecy Act obligations.
The European Union Travel Rule for crypto transfers requires in-scope transactions to be accompanied by specific payer and payee information, so that identifying data travels with the transfer between virtual asset service providers. Implementation typically means collecting and validating required originator and beneficiary details, securely transmitting the data to the receiving provider, screening and resolving mismatches or alerts, and retaining records in line with applicable requirements.
Common challenges for crypto companies include pseudonymity, cross-border activity, fragmented data across platforms, DeFi-enabled value movement, and fast-changing typologies. This course supports practical capability-building, including risk assessment and transaction monitoring workflows, so teams can respond consistently as threats and expectations evolve.
This class forms part of the Cross-Sectoral Vulnerabilities certificate. To receive the award, complete this course alongside all mandatory items in the associated learning plan.
Audience
Designed for professionals working with digital currency businesses, fintech, or compliance teams—as well as motivated entrants—who need a clear foundation in anti-money laundering compliance, regulation, and financial crime risks affecting cryptocurrencies.
There are no formal prerequisites, but familiarity with core compliance concepts and basic financial crime terminology is helpful. A general awareness of how cryptocurrency transfers work will support your learning, even if you are new to the sector.
Career opportunities in crypto compliance commonly include roles such as anti-money laundering analyst, compliance officer, financial crime investigator, transaction monitoring specialist, and sanctions or risk specialist. These positions can be found at exchanges, brokers, wallet providers, payment and fintech firms, blockchain analytics and regtech vendors, banks with digital asset exposure, and professional services teams supporting investigations and compliance programs.
Course Objectives
On completion, learners can:
- Explain end-to-end laundering pathways that use cryptocurrencies, from placement through integration.
- Differentiate common schemes and tools, including tumblers, chain hopping, and privacy-focused coins.
- Spot red flags and anomalous transaction patterns using blockchain analysis and platform data, such as rapid in-and-out flows, structuring across many small transfers, repeated interaction with high-risk services, unusually complex layering across addresses, and inconsistent customer or account behavior.
- Apply risk management controls and customer due diligence across exchanges, brokers, and wallet providers.
- Meet applicable regulatory obligations, recordkeeping, and reporting requirements for virtual asset activity.
Course Structure
| Section | Description |
|---|---|
| Section 1 | Foundations of Laundering With Cryptoassets |
| Section 2 | Techniques and Typologies in Digital Currency |
| Section 3 | Red Flags in Blockchain Transactions |
| Section 4 | Detection Controls and Preventive Measures |
| Section 5 | Regulatory Compliance and Reporting Duties |
| Section 6 | Case Studies |
| Knowledge Evaluation | Knowledge evaluation |
