In November 2024, the General Prosecutor's Office and the Financial Monitoring Agency of Kazakhstan hosted two specialized training sessions on the criminal use of virtual assets and blockchain technology. Organized by the OSCE in collaboration with national agencies, these workshops underscored the importance of mitigating money laundering risks and enhancing investigative capacities in the digital financial realm.
The first session, held at the General Prosecutor's Office building in Astana, aimed to equip senior officials with foundational knowledge about blockchain technology and its potential for misuse in criminal activities. The programme provided a comprehensive overview of blockchain fundamentals, the challenges of addressing pseudonymity in cryptocurrency transactions, and effective methods for tracing illicit activities.
Led by international experts, the training introduced tools and methodologies for tracking cryptocurrency transactions, analyzing illicit wallets, and collaborating with virtual asset service providers. Case studies, including real-world incidents, provided participants with practical insights into managing digital threats.
On the following day, the Financial Monitoring Agency hosted a similar workshop at its headquarters. Tailored to the needs of financial oversight professionals, this session focused on mitigating money laundering risks associated with virtual assets. Participants delved into the fundamentals of blockchain technology, explored methods to combat illicit activities, and examined high-profile cyberattack case studies. An interactive session on cryptocurrency wallets equipped participants with hands-on experience to bolster their investigative capabilities.
"The rapid evolution of digital financial technologies presents both opportunities and challenges. These workshops exemplify the OSCE's commitment to supporting Kazakhstan and other participating states in building the capacity to effectively combat financial crimes in the digital era," said Kurban Babayev, Economic Adviser at the OSCE Secretariat.
These workshops represent a key step in Kazakhstan's efforts to enhance its digital financial security infrastructure. Through initiatives like these, the OSCE and national institutions are laying the groundwork for a robust and collaborative response to the challenges posed by the criminal use of virtual assets and blockchain technologies.
These activities are part of an OSCE extra-budgetary project on "Innovative policy solutions to mitigate money-laundering risks of virtual assets", funded by Germany, Italy, Poland, Romania, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The project supports OSCE participating States in building national capacities to mitigate criminal risks related to virtual assets.
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