New Zealand's AML/CFT 2026-2030 Strategy: Cutting Red Tape, Boosting Enforcement

Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee has released New Zealand’s Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) National Strategy for 2026–2030, aiming to streamline compliance and strengthen enforcement against serious crime. The strategy emphasizes a risk-based approach to reduce unnecessary paperwork for low-risk transactions while enhancing focus on genuine risks, supported by a single AML/CFT supervisor under the Department of Internal Affairs from July 2024. This reform seeks to provide clearer guidance, reduce compliance costs, and deliver significant regulatory relief, building on previous efforts to simplify customer verification and improve the AML/CFT system.