Anca Dragu announces new rules for crypto-assets in Moldova, including mandatory licensing and penalties for breaches of anti-money laundering regulations
The Republic of Moldova will apply a new law on crypto-assets starting in March 2027. The law was drafted based on the European MiCA regulation, National Bank of Moldova Governor Anca Dragu announced on Thursday at the “Digital Finance in Central and Eastern Europe” Forum, held in Bucharest.
Under the new provisions, crypto-asset service providers will have to obtain licenses and submit to the supervision of a competent authority. Licenses may be revoked in the event of serious breaches of anti-money laundering regulations.
Anca Dragu explained that the measures are important not only for financial innovation, but also for reducing the risks of evading international sanctions and transferring illicit funds. The governor said that the law was drafted by the NBM and approved by Parliament.
At the forum, Dragu also presented the digitalization projects of Moldova’s financial system. The NBM is analyzing the interconnection of the national MIA instant payment system with the Eurosystem’s TIPS platform, in order to deepen the Republic of Moldova’s integration into European financial infrastructure.
The National Bank is also developing internal tools based on artificial intelligence, including a system of AI agents intended for the institution’s activities. Anca Dragu stressed that digitalization must be accompanied by security, transparency and consumer protection, and that artificial intelligence should support, not replace, human judgment.
Context: AMLA warns about risks to crypto traceability in the EU, while Moldova recently investigated cryptocurrency fraud
A few months earlier, the European Anti-Money Laundering Authority (AMLA) presented MEPs with preliminary findings on blockchain transactions associated with providers operating in the EU, signaling an increase in identified exposure to illicit activities and preparing coordinated checks on compliance with traceability rules (including the “travel rule”). In the assessment presented, stablecoins played an important role in the illicit exposure detected, while the authority highlighted the difficulties of tracking money across borders and the need for more consistent enforcement of existing rules.
Meanwhile, authorities in the Republic of Moldova announced arrests in a case involving a network of call centers that allegedly defrauded victims through fake “investments” in cryptocurrencies. The investigation concerned alleged fraud and money laundering, with raids conducted and equipment and documents seized; according to investigators, the group allegedly generated significant sums monthly and recruited employees to coordinate the centers and manage the scheme’s financial and accounting operations.
