EU Lawmakers Add Crypto to Anti-Corruption Policy Push
European Parliament members are pressing crypto regulation as part of a broader anti-corruption drive, with the Commission set to release its first strategy by year-end.
European lawmakers moved Thursday to place cryptocurrency squarely on the bloc's anti-corruption agenda, with Members of the European Parliament calling for tougher oversight of digital assets as a vehicle for illicit financial flows. The push signals growing concern in Brussels that existing frameworks have not kept pace with the speed at which crypto can obscure the origins of dirty money.
Alongside the crypto-focused demands, MEPs pressed for significantly stronger asset recovery mechanisms across the European Union. Legislators argued that the ability to seize and repatriate proceeds of corruption remains inconsistent across member states, creating gaps that bad actors routinely exploit.
Read more Britain Weighs Tariffs on Chinese EVs After EU Crackdown →
The European Commission, meanwhile, is racing to meet a self-imposed deadline to adopt the bloc's first comprehensive anti-corruption strategy before the close of 2025. That document is expected to set enforcement priorities and legislative benchmarks for member states, potentially reshaping how national authorities coordinate on cross-border corruption cases involving digital assets.
The dual focus — crypto oversight and asset recovery — reflects a broader recognition among EU policymakers that financial crime has evolved faster than the regulatory tools designed to combat it. How aggressively the Commission's forthcoming strategy addresses decentralized finance and crypto exchanges could determine whether the EU's anti-corruption framework gains real teeth or remains aspirational.
Continue reading at Cointelegraph.
