In Short
The Situation: On April 7, 2026, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network ("FinCEN") issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking ("NPRM") to fundamentally reform anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism ("AML/CFT") program requirements under the Bank Secrecy Act ("BSA"). The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation ("FDIC"), National Credit Union Administration ("NCUA"), and Office of the Comptroller of the Currency ("OCC") issued a joint NPRM to implement and remain consistent with FinCEN's proposed changes.
The Change: The proposed rules would: (i) establish a two-tiered enforcement framework distinguishing program establishment from implementation; (ii) reorient compliance requirements toward a risk-based approach; (iii) expand FinCEN's oversight role; and (iv) recognize innovative technologies and law enforcement cooperation as mitigating factors when considering enforcement actions.