EU Slams the Gavel on Crypto Anonymity: Privacy Coins and Untraceable Wallets Outlawed by 2027

The European Union just fired a regulatory torpedo at crypto privacy—and the fallout could reshape the industry. Starting 2027, anonymous accounts and privacy-focused coins like Monero and Zcash face an outright ban across member states.

Behind the headlines: Brussels isn’t just targeting illicit activity. This crackdown kneecaps the fundamental promise of censorship-resistant money—while conveniently giving banks less competition for your financial data.

The fine print bites: Exchanges must now tie every wallet to verified identities, killing off ’financial privacy’ for EU crypto users. DeFi protocols face brutal KYC requirements, and mixers? Consider them relics of a more libertarian past.

Silver lining for regulators: Another ’told-you-so’ moment as they conflate privacy with criminality—while traditional finance quietly processes €100B in dirty money annually. The blockchain surveillance industry, however, just hit paydirt.

• EU to ban anonymous crypto accounts and privacy coins by 2027
• Crypto firms face tougher regulations under new AML framework
• AMLA to supervise major crypto service providers from 2027

The European Union (EU) plans to introduce major Anti-Money Laundering (AML) rules by 2027. The regulations target privacy coins and anonymous crypto accounts. The new rules seek to improve transparency and combat fraud in the crypto sector. The AML rules prohibit service providers such as crypto asset firms from holding anonymous accounts or making transactions on privacy-focused cryptocurrencies.

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Anti-Money Laundering Regulation (AMLR) presents strict compliance standards for financial institutions and crypto-asset service providers (CASPs). EU member states will ban anonymity-oriented crypto such as Monero and Zcash by 2027. The rules aim to establish transparency in crypto transactions so that people can not conceal their identities.

AMLR further mandates the EU’s Anti-Money Laundering Authority (AMLA) to directly supervise CASPs. AMLA will supervise crypto service providers who operate in at least six member states from 2027. The authority will monitor companies that have substantial operations and establish clear supervision thresholds.

EU Enhances Crypto Surveillance

The new regulatory framework, which complements the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA), increases surveillance on crypto businesses. The regulatory framework mandates such firms to do mandatory customer due diligence on all transactions above €1,000 ($1,100). This regulation makes it easier to track transactions and prevent money laundering in crypto space.

The EU seeks to strengthen its surveillance on crypto service providers. AMLA will initially supervise 40 crypto firms, with at least one company from each member state. The selected entities must have more than 20,000 customers from the host country or exceed €50 million in transaction volume.

Although the regulatory framework has been established, implementation and delegated acts are still under discussion. The implementation of these regulations will be conducted by the European Banking Authority (EBA). Experts such as Vyara Savova from the European Crypto Initiative (EUCI) have stressed the importance of industry feedback on these acts.

Increased Scrutiny on Crypto-Related Crimes

These regulations come amid increased concerns about the role of crypto in crimes such as money laundering and terrorism financing. The EU seeks to create a secure and transparent financial system to protect consumers and businesses. The EU aims to balance innovation and security in the crypto market. 

These new regulations mark a major step in the EU’s approach to regulating digital assets and creating a robust financial system. The financial regulations could set a global standard in the regulation of digital assets.

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