OSCE Summit on Virtual Assets

The OSCE Summit on Virtual Assets titled “The Next Frontline: Tackling Emerging Challenges in the Virtual Assets Space” addresses the rapid evolution of virtual assets, examining the significant opportunities they offer, in addition to the complex regulatory and security risks they present. The Summit seeks to move beyond the identification of these challenges and toward the formulation of actionable, practical solutions tailored to the needs of OSCE participating States. The event will provide a platform to discuss ways to enhance regulatory effectiveness, strengthen anti-money laundering (AML) and counter financing of terrorism (CFT) frameworks, while fostering international co-operation and knowledge exchange.

The Summit will bring together representatives from national regulatory bodies, financial oversight authorities, law enforcement agencies, technology providers, and financial crime experts from OSCE participating States and international organizations. Participants will engage in discussions designed to explore comprehensive strategies and best practices for navigating the complexities of virtual assets regulation. Key topics include unified international responses to AML and CFT challenges, effective supervision practices suitable for varying jurisdictional sizes and contexts, and the strategic use of blockchain analytics to enhance transparency and accountability. The event will also address social dimensions, notably the gender gap in virtual asset engagement.

This Summit is a central activity within the OSCE’s extra-budgetary project, “Innovative Policy Solutions to Mitigate Money Laundering Risks of Virtual Assets”, which is implemented with financial support from Germany, Italy, Poland, Romania, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The initiative supports OSCE participating States by enhancing their regulatory capacities and frameworks to effectively address financial crimes involving virtual assets. Organized in close co-operation with and hosted by the General Inspector of Financial Information at the Ministry of Finance of Poland, the Polish Financial Supervision Authority, and Global Coalition to Fight Financial Crime, the Summit is timely, scheduled to align with ongoing legislative developments across the project’s beneficiary participating States.