George Filippakis

A multidiscliplinary approach to Law, Finance and Technology

  • EBA advises on the new AML regime: how compliance teams should start preparing

    The European Banking Authority’s (EBA) recent response to the European Commission’s Call for Advice marks a significant step toward operationalising the new EU Anti-Money Laundering Authority (AMLA). While this may sound like another layer of bureaucracy, for compliance professionals across banks, investment firms, and payment institutions, the implications are real and immediate. The document provides…

  • A roadmap for obliged entities under the new EU AML framework

    The European Union’s new AML package, which consists of Regulation (EU) 2024/1620 (AMLAR), Regulation (EU) 2024/1624 (AMLR), and Directive (EU) 2024/1640 (AMLD), marks the most far-reaching reform of Europe’s anti-money laundering rules to date. Its impact will be felt across a wide spectrum of financial institutions, including banks, investment firms, insurers, payment institutions, crypto-asset service…

  • The ESAs’ autumn 2025 warning to Europe’s financial system

    Every six months the three European Supervisory Authorities (EBA, ESMA, and EIOPA) publish a Joint Committee Report on risks and vulnerabilities. The Autumn 2025 edition comes at a particularly unsettled time, shaped by tariff shocks from the US, ongoing wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, and rising defence spending across Europe. While the report…

  • Mapping of Delegated Regulation 2018/389 on strong customer authentication

    The Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2018/389, which is often referred to as the RTS on Strong Customer Authentication (SCA) and Common and Secure Communication (CSC), is one of the most practical and influential instruments under PSD II. For compliance and legal professionals, it provides the technical backbone of how secure digital payments and data sharing…

  • Instant payments equals instant risks and why real time monitoring is now essential

    The EU is making instant payments a standard feature of the financial system. For customers, that’s a win given money moves in seconds across borders. But for banks and regulators, it’s also a new headache. Instant payments don’t just speed up legitimate transfers. They also give criminals the ability to move illicit funds faster than…

  • What AMLA means for the crypto industry

    On 1 July 2025, the new European Anti-Money Laundering Authority (AMLA) officially launched its supervisory powers. Barely a month into its mandate, AMLA made its stance on crypto crystal clear: firms active in the sector must put strong anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorist financing (CFT) safeguards in place from day one. This isn’t just a…

George Filippakis

Attorney at Law