Crypto-assets and decentralised finance (DeFi) are transforming the financial system – but they are also creating new opportunities for criminals.

Crypto-assets can be used to conceal criminal proceeds, transfer funds rapidly across borders and support transnational criminal networks. Their misuse may also be linked to cybercrime, informal value-transfer systems, sanctions evasion, terrorist financing and other forms of economic crime.

The rapid growth of DeFi presents additional challenges. Permissionless access, automated transactions, cross-border operations and the absence of conventional intermediaries can make it difficult for authorities to identify those involved, establish jurisdiction, trace assets and secure reliable evidence.

These developments are placing increasing pressure on law enforcement, prosecutorial and judicial authorities. Expertise and resources remain unevenly distributed, while authorities must also assess the cost, transparency and reliability of blockchain analysis technologies. At the same time, courts and prosecutors face the complex responsibility of evaluating and presenting complex digital evidence in criminal proceedings.

Against this background, the Council of Europe’s Economic Crime and Cooperation Division (ECCD) organised a roundtable on 22-23 September 2026, bringing together competent authorities from across Europe to examine the growing use of crypto-assets and DeFi in money laundering, terrorist financing and other forms of economic crime.

The meeting provided a forum for participants to exchange practical experience and consider how investigative, prosecutorial and judicial systems can adapt. Discussions focused on strengthening cross-border cooperation, improving access to relevant information, collecting, preserving and using digital evidence effectively, and addressing remaining legal, technical and institutional gaps.

The roundtable formed part of the Council of Europe’s ongoing support to member States and beyond through guidance, training, capacity-building and institutional assistance. The Council of Europe’s ECCD is helping authorities strengthen their legal, technical and human resource capacities, while contributing to discussions on criminal justice standards and more sustainable solutions for blockchain analysis.

Practical cooperation is also being advanced through the recently adopted Additional Protocol to the Council of Europe Convention on Laundering, Search, Seizure, and Confiscation of the Proceeds from Crime and on the Financing of Terrorism (Warsaw Convention CETS No. 198). The Protocol will facilitate competent authorities’ access to data held by virtual asset service providers.

By bringing authorities together, the exchange helped identify remaining gaps, supported further capacity building and promote stronger international cooperation in responding to the criminal misuse of crypto-assets and DeFi.