Crypto Service Providers Willing to Embrace FATF Travel Rule, Study Shows

The Travel Rule, which now governs service providers in the digital currency ecosystem, is arguably not a source of concern as a new report from Notabene shows many firms in the space are in compliance already.

Per the report, which surveyed 56 businesses across North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, as many as 70% of businesses are either practising the rule or planning to complete their compliance in Q1/Q2 2022. 

The Travel Rule demands businesses involved in cash or money transfers to report funds transactions of $1,000 and above to authorities, a move that is expected to curb money laundering and terrorist financing. With the emergence of Bitcoin (BTC) and altcoins, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), an international watchdog responsible for developing the rule, has published guidelines and revisions to fit the evolution in the nascent digital currency ecosystem.

Per the Notabene report, about one-third of firms (31%) completely or partially adhere to the regulation. The report also revealed that 92% of respondents have internal compliance and legal departments, and 78% of these businesses consider these teams able to guarantee the company acts in accordance with external rules and internal controls.

In all, crypto-assets service providers are shown to be in broad compliance with many who have no technical expertise to implement the rules exploring other protocols that can be adopted. 

Many critics have often dwelled on how cryptocurrency exchanges and other service providers have backed illegal use of Bitcoin and other coins with pseudo-anonymous provisions. However, platforms like Coinbase Global Inc, Binance, and Huobi have notably implemented transaction monitoring tools, a move that suggests players in the digital assets ecosystem are not anti-regulation.

From Notabene’s report, the broad compliance of players in the space to the Travel Rule can help them become active partners in shaping the future of the crypto payment industry.

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