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Related insights:

RESIDENCY Applying for residence in Malta

Any EU, EEA or third country national who resides in Malta for more than 3 months is obliged to apply for a Residence Permit. There are various grounds upon which an applicant may apply to require a residence permit

01 Oct 2019

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Updated list - June 2025

High Risk and Non-Cooperative Jurisdictions

By:

Andre Azzopardi

18 Jun 20253 min read

The FATF identifies jurisdictions with weak measures to combat money laundering and terrorist financing (AML/CFT) in two FATF public documents that are issued three times a year.

Contents

The FIAU endorses such documents through a Guidance Note on High Risk and Non-Cooperative Jurisdictions published in June 2025 and as a result, subject persons are obliged to comply with the FATF public documents.

Updates to the FATF Jurisdictions list for June 2025

Category 1 - Jurisdictions that have strategic AML/CFT deficiencies and to which counter-measurs apply.	Category 2 - Jurisdictions with strategic AML/CFT deficiencies that have not made sufficient progress in addressing the deficiencies or have not committed to an action plan developed with the FATF to address the deficiencies.	Category 3 - Jurisdictions with strategic AML/CFT deficiencies that have developed an action plan with the FATF and have made a high-level political commitment to address their AML/CFT deficiencies
Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)		Algeria
Iran		Angola
Myanmar		Bolivia * NEW *
		Bulgaria
		Burkina Faso
		Cameroon
		Côte d'Ivoire
		Democratic Republic of the Congo
		Haiti
		Kenya
		Lebanon
		Lao PDR
		Monaco
		Mozambique
		Namibia
		Nepal
		Nigeria
		South Africa
		South Sudan
		Syria
		Venezuela
		Vietnam
		Virgin Islands * NEW *
		Yemen

Countries Removed from Increased Monitoring (Grey List)

Three countries successfully completed their action plans and were removed from FATF's increased monitoring:

Croatia
- Demonstrated substantial progress in addressing strategic AML/CFT deficiencies
Mali
- Successfully implemented required reforms to counter money laundering and terrorist financing
United Republic of Tanzania
- Completed its action plan with significant improvements to its AML/CFT framework

Current Status of High-Risk Jurisdictions

The FATF continues to identify the following jurisdictions as high-risk, subject to countermeasures (the "black list"):

North Korea
Iran
Myanmar

Implications for Financial Institutions

Enhanced Due Diligence Requirements

Financial institutions must apply enhanced due diligence measures when dealing with customers, transactions, or business relationships connected to jurisdictions under increased monitoring. This includes:

Increased scrutiny of transactions
Enhanced customer identification and verification procedures
More rigorous ongoing monitoring of business relationships
Additional documentation and reporting requirements

Compliance Considerations

Organisations should immediately update their AML/CFT compliance programs to reflect these changes by:

Updating screening systems and sanctions lists
Revising risk assessment frameworks
Training staff on new jurisdictional risks
Implementing appropriate transaction monitoring controls

Contact Us for Expert AML/CFT Guidance

Navigating the complexities of FATF jurisdictional changes and their compliance implications can be challenging. Our team of experienced AML/CFT specialists is here to help your organisation stay compliant and mitigate financial crime risks.

How We Can Help

Compliance Program Updates
- Assistance with updating your AML/CFT policies and procedures to reflect FATF changes
Risk Assessment Services
- Comprehensive evaluation of your jurisdictional risk exposure
Training and Education
- Staff training on new compliance requirements and best practices
Regulatory Guidance
- Expert interpretation of FATF requirements and their practical application

High Risk and Non-Cooperative Jurisdictions

Updates to the FATF Jurisdictions list for June 2025

Category 1 - Jurisdictions that have strategic AML/CFT deficiencies and to which counter-measurs apply.

Category 2 - Jurisdictions with strategic AML/CFT deficiencies that have not made sufficient progress in addressing the deficiencies or have not committed to an action plan developed with the FATF to address the deficiencies.

Category 3 - Jurisdictions with strategic AML/CFT deficiencies that have developed an action plan with the FATF and have made a high-level political commitment to address their AML/CFT deficiencies

Countries Removed from Increased Monitoring (Grey List)

Croatia

Mali

United Republic of Tanzania

Current Status of High-Risk Jurisdictions

North Korea

Iran

Myanmar

Implications for Financial Institutions

Enhanced Due Diligence Requirements

Compliance Considerations

Contact Us for Expert AML/CFT Guidance

How We Can Help

Compliance Program Updates

Risk Assessment Services

Training and Education

Regulatory Guidance

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High Risk and Non-Cooperative Jurisdictions

Updates to the FATF Jurisdictions list for June 2025

Category 1 - Jurisdictions that have strategic AML/CFT deficiencies and to which counter-measurs apply.

Category 2 - Jurisdictions with strategic AML/CFT deficiencies that have not made sufficient progress in addressing the deficiencies or have not committed to an action plan developed with the FATF to address the deficiencies.

Category 3 - Jurisdictions with strategic AML/CFT deficiencies that have developed an action plan with the FATF and have made a high-level political commitment to address their AML/CFT deficiencies

Countries Removed from Increased Monitoring (Grey List)

Croatia

Mali

United Republic of Tanzania

Current Status of High-Risk Jurisdictions

North Korea

Iran

Myanmar

Implications for Financial Institutions

Enhanced Due Diligence Requirements

Compliance Considerations

Contact Us for Expert AML/CFT Guidance

How We Can Help

Compliance Program Updates

Risk Assessment Services

Training and Education

Regulatory Guidance

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