Cayman Islands: Money Laundering

The Cayman Islands Monetary Authority has published two new Rules introducing binding requirements for regulated financial service providers regarding anti-money laundering, counter-terrorist financing...

The Cayman Islands has established itself as a premier jurisdiction for private funds, with over 18,000 regulated closed-ended funds benefiting from tax neutrality, flexible regulatory frameworks, and proximity to the United States. This comprehensive guide examines the legal structures, registration requirements, ongoing compliance obligations, and regulatory landscape that make the Cayman Islands an attractive domicile for private equity, venture capital, real estate, infrastructure and credit strategies.

CIMA’s new AML / CFT / CPF Compliance Rule and Sanctions Rule, effective 18 September 2026, introduce binding compliance, governance, risk management and sanctions screening requirements for all regulated financial service providers in the Cayman Islands.

For BVI investment business licence holders ("Licensees") for the reporting period ending 31 December 2025...

Premier and Minister for Financial Services and Commerce, the Hon. André Ebanks will head the Cayman Islands delegation attending the upcoming Financial Action Task Force Plenary in Mexico as part of the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force contingent, as the Cayman Islands continues to strengthen its preparations for the 2027 mutual evaluation of its antimoney laundering, counter-terrorist financing, and counter-proliferation financing (AML/CTF/CPF) regime.

Updates are being implemented via 2025 amendment regulations across funds, insurance, banking/trust and accountancy legislation.

The Cayman Islands is the leading jurisdiction for the offshore investment funds industry due to its combination of flexible and appropriate regulation...

Our conversation with the FRA on the updates to the Cayman Islands' Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) brought together our Regulatory experts, Colm Dawson and Ian Mason, along with RJ Berry, OBE, Director of the Cayman Islands Financial Reporting Authority (FRA).

Over the past 25 years, the Cayman Islands has become a pre-eminent jurisdiction for the formation of alternative investment funds, with nearly 13,000...