For EU regulation, 2026 is the year of supervisory friction

EU financial regulation in 2026 will mean tougher scrutiny from supervisors and fewer new rules. With major frameworks on fund regulation, anti-money laundering, sustainability and market structure largely in place, the focus is shifting from lawmaking to enforcement. Across liquidity management, delegation and distribution, AML oversight and transparency requirements, experts see firms entering a year shaped by supervisory interpretation and uneven application.

Edmond de Rothschild convicted of money laundering, fined €25 mln

In a landmark judgment with international resonance, a Luxembourg district court has, for the first time, convicted a domestic bank of money laundering, ordering the confiscation of 25 million euro from Edmond de Rothschild (Europe) S.A. for its role in the cross-border misappropriation of funds from Malaysia’s 1MDB sovereign wealth fund.

Luxembourg tax authority to get special AML unit

Luxembourg has decided to establish a special anti-money laundering (AML) unit within its tax administration following parliamentary approval. The head of financial supervisor CSSF, meanwhile, expressed his concern over the use of ‘outdated systems’ at the AML teams of asset and wealth management firms.