CertiK: Tougher AML Enforcement Looms in 2026, Smart-Contract Audits Moving Toward Mandatory

CertiK, a Web3 security firm, has published its "State of Digital Asset Regulation 2026" report, mapping out global regulatory developments. The report says that by April 2026, major jurisdictions including the U.S., the European Union, Hong Kong and Singapore will have largely rolled out their core frameworks, signaling the sector's shift into broad-based compliance. CertiK identifies anti-money laundering (AML) enforcement as the top regulatory risk, overtaking debates around whether tokens qualify as securities. It estimates global AML-related penalties topped $900 million in the first half of 2025, elevating transaction monitoring to a central compliance requirement. The report also notes that smart-contract security audits are moving beyond best practice toward becoming a prerequisite for licensing and token listings. On stablecoins, CertiK sees regulatory approaches increasingly aligning around principles such as full reserve backing and licensed issuance, while differences between jurisdictions continue to complicate compliance. As rules converge and enforcement tightens, CertiK concludes the industry has entered an "era of strict compliance." The key challenge for firms is no longer whether to comply, but how quickly they can build and operationalize compliance capabilities. Multi-jurisdiction licensing, AML investment and ongoing security audits are becoming baseline requirements for institutional-scale growth. (Source: Foresight News)