The Financial Action Task Force has called for stronger partnerships between public authorities and private institutions as criminal payments become faster, more digital and more fragmented across borders. Its July 2026 report surveys information-sharing models and the data-protection arrangements that support them.
The core challenge is practical: banks, fintechs and other regulated firms see different parts of a transaction chain, while investigators hold context that may turn an unusual payment into a meaningful lead. Carefully governed partnerships can help connect those fragments without weakening privacy safeguards or due process.
The implementation question
The report is not a licence for indiscriminate data exchange. Effective partnerships need a legal basis, clear purpose, accountable access controls and a process for testing whether shared indicators actually improve detection and disruption.
