On 22 October 2026, the Albanian Parliament adopted the new law “On the Prevention of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing”, marking an important step towards strengthening the integrity of the financial system, economic security, and Albania’s commitments in the European integration process.

The law aims to align Albania’s legal framework with four key European Union legal acts in the field of anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing, in line with European standards and the obligations arising from the EU accession negotiations, particularly under Chapter 4, “Free Movement of Capital”. Through this alignment, Albania aims to become the first country in the Western Balkans to harmonise its legal framework with this EU legislative package.

The new legal framework provides for stronger supervisory mechanisms and institutional capacities, more effective national and international cooperation, and improved information exchange among competent authorities. It also seeks to reinforce the analytical and coordination roles of the responsible institutions and enhance the effectiveness of supervision across the financial and non-financial sectors, including independent professionals.

Key innovations introduced by the law include:

• Strengthened obligations for obliged entities in preventing money laundering and reporting suspicious activities;
• Specific requirements for crypto-asset service providers;
• The application of a risk-based approach to supervision;
• Enhanced cooperation and information exchange among competent authorities.

The law is scheduled to enter into force on 1 January 2028, allowing institutions and affected entities sufficient time to adapt their systems, strengthen their capacities, and improve cooperation mechanisms.

The adoption of this law represents a significant development in modernising Albania’s legal framework, strengthening financial transparency, and enhancing the country’s ability to prevent and combat money laundering and terrorist financing in line with European Union standards.