Global Organised Crime Index 2025: The fight against financial crime is not going well.

According to the Global Organised Crime Index, the fight against financial crime is not going well in 2025.

Here's the summary:

• "In terms of global pervasiveness, financial crimes remain the most prevalent criminal market in 2025, with a score of 6.21.
• Of the 15 markets measured by the Index, this market also saw the most significant expansion since 2023 (+0.24, up from 5.98) and is the only market indicator consistently ranked among the top five in all continents (taking the top spot in both Africa and Europe).
• This extensive global scope reflects not only the broad spectrum of crimes encompassed within the financial crimes category – from traditional offences, such as embezzlement and tax evasion, to sophisticated cyber-enabled schemes like online scams and business email compromise – but also its growing appeal, as it is generally perceived as a low-risk, low-cost form of crime.
• Notably, 78 countries recorded worsening financial crime markets since 2023.

Visualising the Trend

Financial crime is now the most pervasive criminal market globally, scoring 6.21 in the 2025 Index—higher than drug trafficking and cybercrime.

Here’s how it compares:

Key Observations:

• Financial crime leads all markets.
• Drug trafficking remains high but slightly below financial crime.
• Cybercrime is close behind, reflecting digital convergence.
• Arms and environmental crimes rank significantly lower.

Main Drivers Behind Financial Crime Growth

Recent reports highlight several converging factors fuelling this surge:

1. Digital Transformation & Cyber Enablement
• Criminals exploit AI, virtual assets, and decentralised finance (DeFi) for laundering and fraud.
• Business Email Compromise (BEC) and online scams are increasingly sophisticated. [CodeInterpreter | InteractiveChart]
2. Economic Pressures
• Inflation, job insecurity, and trade disruptions push consumers toward counterfeit goods and illicit financial channels. [secretariat-intl.com]
3. Low-Risk Perception
• Financial crime is seen as low-cost, low-risk, especially compared to violent crimes.
• Weak enforcement and fragmented cross-border cooperation exacerbate this perception. [financialcrime.lu]
4. Globalisation & Mobility of Criminal Networks
• Foreign actors and transnational cooperation among criminal groups have sharply increased since 2023. [secretariat-intl.com]

Regulatory Responses in 2025

Regulators are stepping up, but challenges remain:

• FATF Guidance Updates
• Enhanced National Risk Assessments and beneficial ownership transparency to close anonymity gaps. [globalinitiative.net]
• AI & Compliance Oversight
• EU AI Act and similar frameworks demand model risk management and human oversight in compliance systems. [flagright.com]
• Crypto & Stablecoin Regulation
• Proposed U.S. GENIUS Act introduces a federal framework for stablecoins, tightening AML standards. [flagright.com]
• Sanctions & Enforcement
• Expanded sanctions regimes targeting illicit financial flows linked to geopolitical actors. [finscan.com]
• Public-Private Collaboration
• Regulators emphasise cross-border partnerships and technology-driven compliance frameworks to tackle emerging threats. [stout.com]

Implications for Compliance Professionals

• Invest in AI-driven monitoring and real-time analytics for fraud detection.
• Strengthen beneficial ownership checks and adapt to new transparency rules.
• Prepare for crypto-focused AML frameworks and evolving sanctions regimes.
• Foster collaborative intelligence sharing across jurisdictions.

Source

 https://ocindex.net/report/2025/