United States

The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network writes the anti-money laundering rules under the Bank Secrecy Act. The federal banking agencies examine banks, while state regulators license and examine money transmitters, insurers and casinos. The Office of Foreign Assets Control administers sanctions, which apply to every line of business, including those outside the AML rules.

Yes, and federal rules rarely prescribe a method. Banks must verify identity with documents, database checks or both, and their procedures must cover customers who never visit a branch. Federal guidance of September 2026 lets mobile driver's licences count as government ID, and online gambling operators must confirm identity, age and location before the first bet.

For money transmission, including crypto, and for insurance and online gambling, yes. These licences are issued state by state, they follow the customer rather than the office, and a federal registration does not replace any of them. Online marketplaces, telehealth platforms and travel businesses need no federal operating licence, though clinicians and pharmacies are licensed by each state

The federal payment stablecoin law takes effect no later than 18 January 2027, and temporary relief for prescribing controlled drugs by video ends on 31 December 2026 unless extended. A rewrite of AML programme rules is still a proposal, the FCC's SIM-swap rules are adopted but not yet in force, and AML rules for investment advisers apply from 1 January 2028.

Telecom carriers, healthcare providers, most online marketplaces, travel businesses and public bodies are outside the federal AML regime, as are insurers selling term life, property, casualty and health cover. Their identity duties come from sector rules instead, such as FCC account security rules, HIPAA, aviation security data rules, marketplace seller verification and NIST guidelines.