CertiK Report: AML Enforcement Tightens, Smart Contract Audits Become Licensing Requirement

Gate News message, April 28 — Web3 security firm CertiK released its "2026 State of Digital Asset Regulation" report, providing a comprehensive analysis of global regulatory trends. As of April 2026, major jurisdictions including the United States, European Union, Hong Kong, and Singapore have substantially implemented their regulatory frameworks, marking the industry's entry into a comprehensive compliance phase.

Anti-money laundering (AML) enforcement has replaced securities classification as the primary regulatory risk, with global AML-related fines exceeding $900 million in the first half of 2025. Transaction monitoring capabilities are now a core compliance requirement. Simultaneously, smart contract security audits have evolved from industry best practice to a mandatory requirement for licensing approval and token listing.

Global stablecoin regulatory frameworks are converging around principles of full reserve backing and licensed issuance, though cross-jurisdictional compliance gaps persist. The industry has entered a "strong compliance era," with CertiK noting that companies' core challenge has shifted from "whether to comply" to "how to rapidly build and implement compliance capabilities." Multi-jurisdictional licensing, AML investments, and continuous security audits are now foundational thresholds for institutional growth.