The European Union’s Anti-Money Laundering Authority is preparing to assume full supervisory powers by 2028, according to its official 2026–2028 programming documents, as the bloc advances plans for centralized oversight of high-risk financial institutions, including those linked to crypto-asset activity.
The roadmap is set out in AMLA’s Single Programming Document for 2026–2028, which details a phased expansion of staffing, supervisory tools, and direct oversight responsibilities following the authority’s operational launch in mid-2025. The plans were reported this week by Reuters.
Phased transition toward direct supervision
Under the programming framework, AMLA is expected to complete methodological and risk-assessment groundwork during 2026, begin identifying entities for direct supervision in 2027, and reach full operational capacity in 2028. At that stage, the authority is expected to directly supervise around 40 high-risk financial institutions across the European Union.
As part of its preparatory phase, AMLA is expected to conduct a data collection and calibration exercise in 2026 to test common risk assessment models that will inform the selection of entities for direct supervision in 2027, according to the authority’s planning documents.
The authority is headquartered in Frankfurt and is scaling its workforce toward a target of 432 staff, having already met its initial hiring objectives for 2025.
Crypto risks highlighted in supervisory planning
AMLA’s multi-year planning documents identify crypto-asset activity and novel payment channels as areas requiring enhanced supervisory focus as part of the EU’s broader anti-money-laundering and counter-terrorist-financing strategy.
The authority has said it is working toward a harmonised EU-wide risk assessment methodology that will be applied consistently by AMLA and national supervisors, reinforcing a common supervisory approach to emerging risks across member states.
Speaking on the sidelines of a conference in Brussels, AMLA board member Derville Rowland said supervisory attention would be directed toward sectors where financial-crime risks are most acute, a category that includes parts of the crypto market, according to Reuters.
Legal foundation and mandate
AMLA was formally established under Regulation (EU) 2024/1620, adopted as part of the EU’s broader AML reform package, which created a single authority to coordinate supervision, enforce harmonized rules, and address weaknesses exposed by past cross-border money-laundering cases.
AMLA’s establishment follows the transfer of anti-money-laundering and counter-terrorist-financing coordination tasks from the European Banking Authority, ensuring continuity of supervisory standards as the new authority builds toward full operational capacity.
The authority commenced operations on 1 July 2025, initially focusing on coordination, rule-setting, and capacity-building, with direct supervisory powers scheduled to expand progressively under the 2026–2028 plan.
Toward centralized EU AML oversight
Once fully operational, AMLA is expected to play a central role in aligning supervisory practices across member states, coordinating with national authorities and financial intelligence units, and applying consistent AML standards to institutions operating across borders — including those providing crypto-asset services.
The programming document provides markets and regulated entities with the clearest timeline to date for the EU’s transition toward centralized AML supervision, marking a structural shift in how financial-crime risks will be addressed across the bloc.
