Fenergo report shows fines issued by US regulators decreased by 61%.
U.S. enforcement of anti-money laundering rules slowed last year, due to workforce shifts and enforcement capacity constraints, financial compliance software provider Fenergo said in a report.
Globally, penalties tied to anti-money laundering (AML), know-your-customer (KYC), sanctions, and customer due diligence (CDD) rules totaled $3.8 billion in 2025, down from $4.6 billion a year earlier. The U.S. remained the largest enforcement jurisdiction by value, accounting for $1.67 billion in fines.
Digital asset firms faced the largest share of U.S. penalties, representing 43% of fines issued. Banks accounted for 30%.
Sanctions-related enforcement remained a key driver, including a $216 million penalty issued to venture capital firm GVA Capital for violations of Russia- and Ukraine-related sanctions.
The drop in regulatory penalties “is more about capacity and priorities than any softening of expectations,” said Rory Doyle, head of financial crime policy at Fenergo. Doyle indicated those causes are temporary, and financial firms “should continue to anticipate a more active regulatory landscape.”
