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5 articles
Money mule accounts are the infrastructure that turns scam proceeds, sanctions-linked evasion and overseas fraud into accessible funds. UK Finance and Cifas-style data show that closure alone displaces the problem rather than solving it. A more proportionate, intelligence-led response is needed in 2026.
Dollar-pegged stablecoins are becoming a preferred rail for sanctioned value, yet UK firms must navigate OFSI guidance, FCA cryptoasset registration and payment rules that were not designed for tokenised dollars. This analysis maps the on-ramp and off-ramp gaps and sets out the red flags that should concern exchanges, payment firms and their supervisors in 2026.
The UK's Economic Crime Levy is now a fixed cost for regulated firms. But has it strengthened enforcement and deterrence, or simply added another line to the compliance budget? Trace examines where the money goes and proposes concrete metrics for judging the levy's return in 2026 and beyond.
Crypto ATMs promise instant cash-to-bitcoin conversion, but the UK's registration regime has not kept pace with the machines appearing in convenience stores and barbers. For compliance teams, the risk is not the technology but the gap between a cash deposit and a customer who has never been properly vetted.
HMRC-supervised professional enablers keep surfacing in money-laundering cases because supervision is thin, penalties are cheap and the commercial incentive to ask fewer questions is strong. Trace sets out five red flags compliance teams should treat as live risks in their own counterparties.