1. On 19 June 2026, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) issued a Public Statement regarding Myanmar.

2. Myanmar has observed from the Public Statement that, the FATF notes that fraud and cyber scam activities in Myanmar remain extensive and present significant illicit finance risks, despite some steps Myanmar has taken to tackle fraud and cyber scam operations, including the formation of a national committee to combat online fraud and gambling and strengthening regional and international cooperation. The FATF calls on Myanmar to take appropriate action to address the illicit finance risks associated with fraud and cyber scam threats and will continue to work with Myanmar in this regard. In tackling these illicit finance threats, Myanmar should have due regard for the victims of trafficking by criminal groups.

3. Myanmar fully recognizes that online scams and cyber-enabled frauds not only facilitate money laundering but also undermine the integrity of the financial system, serves regional security threats and have adverse impacts on countries within the region and beyond.

4. The Central Bank of Myanmar, through Notification No. 9/2020 dated 15 May 2020, has prohibited the use of cryptocurrencies as legal tender. To date, investigations have not identified evidence that cryptocurrencies generated from online scams have been diverted into Myanmar's regulated financial system. As many illicit financial transactions are conducted through financial systems outside Myanmar, Myanmar considers that effectively mitigating regional financial risks requires enhanced regional and international cooperation.

5. While the Government of Myanmar has designated the prevention and suppression of online scams and online gambling as a national duty, Myanmar has been actively implementing a range of measures. These measures include the establishment of the Central Supervisory Committee for the Prevention and Suppression of Online Scams and Online Gambling; efforts to establish the National Anti-Scam Centre (ASC); the proceeding to enact an Anti-Online Scam Law; the enactment of a new Anti-Money Laundering Law in 2026; extensive investigations and prosecutions of individuals involved in online scams and cyber-enabled fraud; the repatriation of victims of online scams, including foreign nationals identified during law enforcement operations, to their respective countries; the deportation of foreign nationals who entered Myanmar illegally to the relevant countries, following due process under domestic law and on the basis of humanitarian considerations and friendly relations between states; the destruction of buildings, infrastructure, and electronic devices used in online scam centers to prevent their re-establishment; and active bilateral, regional, and international cooperation with neighboring countries and international partners. These efforts have also been communicated through official public announcements and presented at regional and international meetings.

6. Myanmar also continues to strengthen capacity-building and information-sharing by enhancing intelligence-sharing mechanisms, strengthening cooperation among law enforcement agencies, implementing training programmed, and reinforcing operational coordination and collaboration among the relevant authorities.

7. Furthermore, Myanmar remains firmly committed to implementing the FATF Recommendations was addressing the remaining Action Items under the FATF process. Since its designation as a High-Risk Jurisdiction Subject to a Call for Action in October 2022, Myanmar has submitted its 17th Progress Report to the Asia-Pacific Joint Group (APJG). Myanmar has actively participated in APJG face-to-face meetings and FATF Plenary meetings. Of the 15 Action Items, Myanmar has addressed 13, with 2 Action Items remaining under the Action Plan. These developments demonstrate that Myanmar's High-Level authorities continue to show strong political commitment and determination to address the remaining Action Items.

8. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) report, “Inflection Point: Global Implications of Scam Centers, Underground Banking and Illicit Online Marketplaces in Southeast Asia (April 2025)”, online scam networks have expanded by exploiting inaccessible areas, territories under the control of non-State armed groups, Special Economic Zones (SEZs), and other vulnerable border areas across Southeast Asia. The report further notes that these criminal operations have spread beyond the Mekong region to Africa, South America, the Pacific, and the Middle East. Myanmar recognizes that the online scam activities occurring within its territory are part of broader transnational online scam networks operating across multiple regions.

9. In conclusion, Myanmar reaffirms its unwavering commitment to combating money laundering, terrorist financing, proliferation financing, online scams, and cyber-enabled fraud. Myanmar will continue to strengthen its legal, regulatory, and operational framework in compliance with the FATF Recommendations and international standards, enhance its operational capabilities, and deepen international cooperation. Myanmar respectfully requests that its continued efforts, the progress it has achieved, and the strong political commitment it has consistently demonstrated be duly taken into consideration in future assessments and discussions.

10. Furthermore, Myanmar calls upon the international community to continue providing technical assistance, information-sharing, and capacity-building support to all countries affected by transnational organized criminal groups, on the basis that no single country can effectively address these challenges alone, consistent with the principle of shared responsibility.

11. Myanmar will continue to cooperate closely with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the Asia Pacific Group on Money Laundering (APG), the Egmont Group of Financial Intelligence Units, and other relevant international partners, to safeguard the integrity of the international financial system and effectively combat transnational financial crime.

Anti-Money Laundering Central Body

31^st July, 2026

Nay Pyi Taw

1. According to the Basel AML Index 2025, released in December 2025 by the Switzerland-based an International Non-profit Organization, the Basel Institute on Governance, Myanmar was ranked as the highest-risk country among 177 countries and territories.

2. The leading global body responsible for Anti-Money Laundering (AML), Countering the Financing of Terrorism (CFT), and Countering the Proliferation Financing of Weapons of Mass Destruction (CPF) is the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), which is currently comprised 40 countries and organizations, including the G7 industrial nations.

3. Member countries of the FATF and its regional counterparts are required to ensure compliance with and implementation of the standards and methodology issued by the FATF. Mutual Evaluation (ME) process are conducted in accordance with the standard of the 40 FATF Recommendations. According to the Mutual Evaluation Report (MER) of Myanmar, the country has made improvements in its technical compliance with 26 out of the 40 FATF Recommendations as of 2025. Therefore, Myanmar has made greater progress in compliance and ratings compared to other countries in the region.

4. Although Myanmar has made compliance with the FATF’s standards and methodology, and has continued implementing Anti–Money Laundering, Countering the Financing of Terrorism, and Countering Proliferation Financing (AML/CFT/CPF) measures, certain remaining action plans could not be completed within the designated timeframe due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and other related circumstances. Consequently, Myanmar was placed under the list of jurisdictions subject to enhanced due diligence (EDD) measures—not the list of jurisdictions subject to countermeasures in October 2022. Myanmar has not been placed on the FATF “Black List” of jurisdictions requiring Countermeasures, like North Korea and Iran; rather, it is included only in the category requiring enhanced due diligence (EDD).

5. Subsequently, in order to complete the remaining items of its Action Plan within the stipulated timeframe, Myanmar has consistently submitted progress reports to the Asia Pacific Joint Group (APJG) every four months, attended face-to face meetings to provide necessary clarifications, and participated in the FATF plenary meetings.

6. In recognition of the substantial progress Myanmar has made in complying with and implementing the FATF recommendations—such as enhancing its understanding and identification of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing (ML/TF) risks, amending the Counter-Terrorism Law and the Trust Law, and enacting the new Assets Preservation and Management Law—the FATF has formally acknowledged these advancements. Following the FATF Plenary held in Paris, France, in October 2025, the FATF issued a statement noting that Myanmar, which had previously been implemented with eight recommended actions, now has only four remaining. Myanmar continues to be listed under Enhanced Due Diligence. Through its relevant ministries, Myanmar has established clear timelines and is making concerted, vigorous, and effective efforts to prioritize and implement the four outstanding actions that remain.

7. According to the Basel AML Index 2025, published by the Basel Institute on Governance, out of 177 assessed countries and territories, Laos ranks 7th, Vietnam ranks 19th, and Nepal ranks 49th, while the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and Iran are not included in the ranking. Furthermore, it was observed that essential standards and methodologies required for strong international compliance—such as those of the FATF—were not fully evaluated in this index.

8. The Basel AML Index 2025 does not comprehensively cover all jurisdictions globally and does not rely on the robust standards and methodologies established by FATF and APG. At a time when Myanmar is striving for political and economic stability and making measurable progress in cooperation with FATF, the publication of such rankings disregards Myanmar’s improvements and fails to accurately reflect the close collaboration between FATF and Myanmar. Therefore, we express our strong objection to the Basel Institute on Governance’s Basel AML Index 2025 publication.

Myanmar AML/ CFT Working Group

11-12-2025

The General Administration Department, which is the supervisory authority, held a Sectoral Risk Assessment Workshop for Real Estate Agents and Precious Metal trading businesses on 19 June 2023 at Hotel Max Nay Pyi Taw.

Credit from Global New Light of Myanmar , June 21, 2023

This is a Power Point Presentation that was read and compiled on Scam Prevention Detection and Response by the Four Major Banks report released by ASIC (Australian Securities & Investments Commission) in April 2023; Report No. (Report 761) what was sent to Myanmar Financial Intelligence Unit from FICG.

The contents of the report are mainly written about banks sector. The report examines how Australian banks deal with online fraud(Scam) and how they will counter.

Jointly organized by the Central Bank of Myanmar and Bank of China (Hong Kong) Yangon Branch, the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Financing of Terrorism Forum was held at the Central Bank of Myanmar in Yangon, 20 April 2023.

Credit from The Global New Light of Myanmar