Banking the unbanked, reforming a flawed financial system, even replacing fiat currency… cryptocurrency proponents see nearly limitless potential in the tech and its applications. How are those ideals lining up against the current reality of crypto adoption? What are the truly transformative use cases for crypto in the financial arena, and what risks and challenges need to be addressed to get there? Assessing the financial crime risk of cryptocurrencies and crypto businesses starts with understanding the legitimate uses and most promising future applications. Join us for a candid exploration of crypto’s potential, shortcomings, and what comes next – without the hype.

The last year has been a busy one for crooks seeking to exploit crypto in fraud, money laundering and sanctions evasion. Criminals have continued their assault on DeFi as well as crypto gaming platforms and exchanges, fraudsters have made off with millions in rug pulls and plain old crypto Ponzi schemes, and much ado has been made of crypto as a potential means for Russian oligarchs to dodge sanctions. Amid this complicated and volatile landscape, what fincrime risks should be top of mind? Join this session for insights from law enforcement, regulators and crypto firms on what they’re seeing as top criminal trends and emerging areas of concern.

For many a crypto business, a bank account and access to fiat currency remains a vital but challenging proposition. Despite increased acceptance of crypto, many financial institutions still operate on “we don’t bank crypto” policies. Once a bank is found, crypto firms still must run the gauntlet of intensive due diligence and ongoing maintenance of the relationship. On the flip side, many financial institutions are interested in providing potentially lucrative services to the crypto industry, but hesitate due to a lack of expertise or concerns the risks are too high to manage. On this session, experts with experience in the worlds of banking and crypto provide unvarnished guidance on how banks and crypto businesses can build and maintain effective relationships. You’ll leave with 10 practical tips for due diligence, proactive communication, and more.

The recent implosion of Terra has shone a harsh light on the world of stablecoins, raising questions about their inherent stability. While generally less well-known than marquee coins like bitcoin and ether, stablecoins play an essential role in the crypto economy. Instability in certain key stablecoins could pose a systemic risk to the crypto economy. In this session, experts sound off on financial crime and other risks in stablecoins, including market manipulation and fraud, and give a preview of likely regulation to come for this corner of the crypto world.

Following the money on the blockchain has come a long way from the early days of blockchain analytics, or even tracking Bitcoin transactions on spreadsheets (for those that remember it!). In tandem, the criminal element has evolved as well, turning to mixers, privacy coins and other obfuscation methods in an attempt to stay ahead of investigative advances. Where does this cat and mouse game go next? Hear from law enforcement and analytics experts as they describe how they’re keeping up with tracing across multiple chains, dealing with privacy-enhancing tools, and more.

Suspicious activity reporting by crypto exchanges and other regulated crypto businesses has soared in recent years, with major exchanges in the Bay Area filing nearly 200,000 SARs in 2021. What can we learn from SAR filing trends, and what challenges are exchanges and other crypto firms struggling with when it comes to producing effective reports. On the banking side, what are best practices for filing on suspicious activity related to crypto? Join us for a dynamic look at SAR filing in the crypto world from multiple angles – crypto, bank and law enforcement – and get tips and insights to boost your reporting program.

As cyber criminals, drug traffickers and illicit actors of all stripes seek offramps to convert crypto into fiat currencies, unlicensed exchangers play a key role in this underground economy. In this engaging session, an IRS-CI agent takes you through the case of USA v. Hugo Sergio Mejia, providing a real world example of how illicit funds move from darknet markets, to peer-to-peer crypto exchanges, to cash and casinos. Along the way, you'll learn criminal trends, key red flags of illicit crypto exchange activity and opportunities to boost collaboration with law enforcement.

When nations around the world ratcheted up sanctions on Russia in response to the invasion of Ukraine, many feared that Russian oligarchs and entities would race to use crypto as a channel to evade sanctions. The reality has been more nuanced, and in many ways has been a success story for crypto and fincrime compliance, featuring rapid action by the crypto industry, close partnership with regulators and law enforcement, and a confirmation of the power of transparency on blockchains. At the same time, recent sanctions on crypto mixers for facilitating funds transfers tied to North Korea are a stark reminder that hostile nation-states are still seeking to use crypto to raise and launder funds. In this session, hear from crypto compliance pros and regulators on how they’re navigating sanctions challenges in the crypto space, the essential role of public-private collaboration, and what comes next.