Igor Inacio, a former research fellow at the Centre, developed his master’s dissertation within the framework of the Master’s in Business Law and Technology at NOVA School of Law, under the supervision of Professor Athina Sachoulidou. His research focused on decentralized finance, non-fungible tokens, and the risks of financial crime within the crypto ecosystem.
WhatNext.Law is pleased to share the publication of the thesis entitled:
“Decentralized Finance, Non-Fungible Tokens and Money Laundering: Is the European Union Legal Framework Ready to Address Financial Crime Risks Arising from the Crypto Business While Fostering Innovation?”
The dissertation examines the foundations of Decentralized Finance (DeFi), with particular emphasis on Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) and the challenges these innovations pose to the European Union’s legal framework for combating money laundering and terrorist financing. The author explores the transformative impact that these developments may have on the art market and the creative industries, as well as the financial crime risks stemming from the increased ability to conceal the proceeds of crime through blockchain technology.
The dissertation further analyses the existing and emerging European regulatory framework—including AMLD5, AMLD6, the MiCA Regulation, and the FATF Recommendations—identifying gaps in the protection against financial crime within the crypto space and proposing solutions to ensure that EU legislation keeps pace with technological innovation without compromising the integrity of the financial system.
WhatNext.Law congratulates the researcher on this important contribution.
