Moldovan Authorities deepen expertise on Virtual Assets during OSCE Study Visit to Germany

On 22-23 April, the OSCE organized a study visit to Germany on virtual assets, bringing together representatives from Moldova, and specifically from the Ministry of Finance, State Tax Service, Office for Prevention and Fight against Money Laundering, National Bank of Moldova and the National Commission for Financial Markets. The activity aimed to strengthen institutional capacities to regulate and supervise virtual assets and address associated money laundering risks, in line with evolving European regulatory standards. This visit comes at a particularly timely moment, as Moldova is currently advancing the development of its national legislative framework on virtual assets.

Hosted at the European Central Bank (ECB) in Frankfurt, the visit facilitated exchanges with experts from Germany’s Federal Financial Supervisory Authority, the EU Anti-Money Laundering Authority, the German Financial Intelligence Unit and the European Central Bank. Participants received an overview of Germany’s regulatory approach to crypto assets, including implementation of the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) legislation, as well as the institutional allocation of supervisory responsibilities and coordination mechanisms among authorities. 

“As many different actors are involved in the area of crypto assets, sharing knowledge and information is key for ensuring a holistic view and aligning on standards and requirements. That is why exchanges such as this one are very important. The ECB welcomes this initiative and we look forward to further co-operation,” said Fiona van Echelpoel, Deputy Director General, Market Infrastructure and Payments at the ECB.

The study visit enabled practical peer-to-peer exchanges and strengthened co-operation between Moldovan authorities and EU counterparts, supporting Moldova’s ongoing efforts to develop a coherent regulatory and supervisory framework for virtual assets aligned with international standards. 

“This study visit offers a timely platform for practical exchanges between Moldovan authorities, EU institutions and German counterparts at a crucial stage of Moldova’s work on virtual assets legislation. Strengthening institutional knowledge and international co-operation remains essential for building effective and internationally aligned regulatory and supervisory frameworks,” highlighted Zurab Sanikidze, Senior Project Officer at the OSCE Secretariat.

The study visit was organized as part of the OSCE extrabudgetary project “Innovative policy solutions to mitigate money-laundering risks of virtual assets,” implemented by the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities, with support from Germany, Italy, Poland, Romania, the United Kingdom, and the United States.