Following the latest FATF update and the global map of jurisdictions under increased monitoring, an important takeaway emerges for professionals working in anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing.
The global visualization highlights a meaningful trend: overall alignment with international AML/CFT standards remains relatively strong across most regions.
The Americas, Europe, and much of Asia show limited concentration of grey-listed jurisdictions, reflecting sustained progress in regulatory frameworks, supervisory regimes, and compliance infrastructures.
At the same time, a clear structural pattern is visible: a significant portion of jurisdictions currently under increased monitoring are concentrated in Africa.
This does not necessarily indicate a lack of regulatory commitment, but often reflects structural challenges such as institutional capacity constraints, economic development gaps, political stability issues, and limited technical resources required to implement robust AML/CFT controls.
From a strategic standpoint, the map reinforces a key conclusion: the global AML standard is now truly international. Compliance is no longer just about meeting local regulatory requirements?it is about aligning with increasingly demanding global expectations, with direct implications for correspondent banking relationships, country risk assessments, cross-border investment flows, and commercial partnerships.
For regulated entities, advisors, and policymakers, this translates into a growing responsibility: strengthening risk-based compliance programs, continuously monitoring FATF developments, and proactively anticipating regulatory change.
At CASSAGNE Consulting, we support organizations in interpreting these global shifts and assessing their local impact.
? If you are part of the financial services, real estate, fiduciary, or legal sectors?or fall within the reporting entities subject to AML obligations and regulatory oversight?and would like to assess the maturity of your compliance program or anticipate risks driven by evolving international standards, contact us for a tailored diagnostic and strategic assessment, or ? schedule a virtual meeting directly with our Managing Partner, Miguel Cassagne, through our online calendar: