Karen Ottoni

Traditional AML/CFT frameworks for cross-border payments were built around correspondent banking, a model that relies on centralised oversight and intermediary controls. However, the rise of payment tokens on blockchain introduces greater transparency, real-time traceability, and enhanced enforcement capabilities—enabling regulators and financial institutions to detect, monitor, and act on illicit activity more efficiently than ever before. 

As the global financial system undergoes a paradigm shift toward tokenized payments, it is crucial to re-examine payment control mechanisms in this new landscape. This roundtable will convene leading regulators, financial institutions, and blockchain experts to explore: 

1.  How blockchain-based payment tokens enhance monitoring, detection, and enforcement – Are decentralized networks more transparent than traditional banking rails? What are the limitations? 
2. Redesigning payment controls for a tokenized world – Should AML/CFT rules evolve to account for programmability, smart contracts, and decentralised compliance models? 
3. Moving forward: Bridging regulatory principles with tokenized payments – How can policymakers, financial institutions, and blockchain innovators collaborate to ensure payment security without compromising efficiency?