A new FATF report reveals serious and evolving terrorist financing (TF) threats, warning that many countries are still struggling to detect and prosecute these crimes effectively. Despite global efforts, nearly 70% of jurisdictions assessed show significant shortcomings in addressing TF risks.
The Comprehensive Update on Terrorist Financing Risks, co-led by France and the UN Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED), highlights how terrorist groups continue to exploit both traditional and modern financial systems—from cash couriers and hawala networks to social media, gaming platforms, and virtual assets.
Key insights from the report include:
- Increased use of mixed, digital methods to fund terrorism, blending conventional tools with emerging technologies.
- Greater decentralisation of terrorist financing, with local cells and regional hubs adapting tactics to their contexts.
- The rise of lone actors, often younger individuals, using microfinancing and tech-based tools to raise and move funds.
- Convergence of terrorism financing with organised crime, adding complexity to tracking and disruption.
- Risks to humanitarian aid, especially in conflict zones, where there’s potential for aid to be misused for terrorist purposes.
The report draws on data from over 80 countries, 10+ years of case studies, and more than 840 stakeholder submissions. It emphasizes the urgent need for stronger global coordination, risk-based measures, and enhanced public-private partnerships to detect and disrupt TF activity.
UN CTED Executive Director Natalia Gherman welcomed the report as a model of international collaboration, noting its role in helping states strengthen their response in line with UN Security Council mandates.
To read the full report, please click here.