# AML

> Anti-money laundering. The rules and checks that stop crypto being used to hide the origin of dirty money.

Canonical URL: https://fudfomo.co/glossary/aml
Source: What The Block! Dictionary v1.0 (last updated 2026-04-25), browsable at https://wtb.fudfomo.co.

## Definition

AML stands for anti-money laundering. It is a broad set of rules that financial firms, including most crypto exchanges, have to follow.

In practice it means platforms monitor transactions, file suspicious activity reports, and may freeze funds linked to known bad actors. AML rules sit alongside KYC and are a major reason exchanges ask the questions they do.

## Regulatory context

AML rules in crypto follow the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) standards and are enforced by national regulators such as the FCA, FinCEN, and the European Banking Authority.

## Related terms

- [KYC](https://fudfomo.co/glossary/kyc): Know Your Customer. The identity checks an exchange runs before letting you trade.
- [CEX](https://fudfomo.co/glossary/cex): A centralised exchange. A regulated platform where you buy and sell crypto using an account.
- [Custody](https://fudfomo.co/glossary/custody): Who holds your crypto and the keys to it. Self-custody means you do, custodial means a company does.

## See the full catalogue

What The Block! covers more than 2,000 plain-English crypto terms, delivered as embeddable hover-state tooltips for crypto exchanges. https://wtb.fudfomo.co