Qatar Is Under Fire For Not Taking Sufficient Action Against Crypto Companies.

Qatar Central Bank (QCB) has received strong criticism from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) for inadequate enforcement of regulations against virtual asset service providers. In a report released on May 31, the global watchdog emphasized the need for Qatar to enhance its capabilities in combating various forms of criminal activity, including taking action against virtual asset service providers.

The report stressed the importance of Qatar increasing its understanding of complex money laundering and terrorist financing methods. This highlights that although the Qatar Financial Center Regulatory Authority (QFCRA) announced in December 2019 that virtual asset services are prohibited in the Qatar Financial Center (QFC), more efforts are needed to effectively enforce this regulation. QFCRA has warned of penalties for companies involved in providing or facilitating the exchange of crypto assets.

Although Qatar has made significant progress in gathering beneficial ownership information through its unified registration, the FATF report reveals that there are still inadequate controls in place to ensure the accuracy and timeliness of the data collected. Authorities are urged to improve their investigative capabilities to fight money laundering more effectively, as their sophisticated analytical tools are not being fully utilized.

Despite the ban on virtual asset service providers, Qatar has expressed interest in exploring potential central bank digital currency (CBDC) use cases. In June 2022, Qatar Central Bank (QCB) announced that they are in the basic stage of issuing a CBDC. QCB Governor Sheikh Bandar bin Mohammed bin Saoud Al Thani stated that the central bank is carefully evaluating the advantages and disadvantages of CBDCs while also considering the appropriate technology and platforms.

Qatar needs to strengthen its efforts in enforcing regulations against virtual asset service providers and increase its understanding of the growing forms of financial crime. By enhancing its investigative capabilities and ensuring accurate and up-to-date information, Qatar can effectively combat money laundering and terrorist financing. In addition, exploring central bank digital currencies demonstrates Qatar’s interest in technological advances in the financial sector.