FATF-related Statements & Updates

The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) leads global action to tackle money laundering, terrorist and proliferation financing.  The FATF researches how money is laundered and terrorism is funded, promotes global standards to mitigate the risks, and assesses whether countries are taking effective action. Hong Kong has been a member of the FATF since 1991 and is fully committed to meeting international obligations on anti-money laundering (AML), counter-financing of terrorism (CFT) and counter proliferation financing.

The FATF publishes two public documents three times a year, identifying jurisdictions with strategic deficiencies in their AML/CFT and counter proliferation financing regimes, and works with them to address those deficiencies that pose a risk to the international financial system.

High-Risk Jurisdictions subject to a Call for Action (i.e. “black list”)

This statement identifies jurisdictions that have significant deficiencies in their AML/CFT and counter proliferation financing regimes.  For all countries identified as high-risk, the FATF calls on all members and other jurisdictions to apply enhanced due diligence, and in the most serious cases, apply counter-measures to protect the international financial system from the ongoing money laundering, terrorist financing, and proliferation financing risks emanating from the jurisdictions.

High-risk Jurisdictions subject to a Call for Action – 21 February 2025

Jurisdictions under Increased Monitoring (i.e. “grey list”)

This statement identifies jurisdictions that have strategic deficiencies in their AML/CFT and counter proliferation financing regimes but have committed to resolve swiftly the identified strategic deficiencies within agreed timeframes and are subject to increased monitoring.  The FATF does not call for the application of enhanced due diligence to be applied to these jurisdictions, but encourages its members and other jurisdictions to apply a risk-based approach and take into account the FATF information in their risk analysis.

Jurisdictions under Increased Monitoring – 21 February 2025