CertiK Publishes Digital-Asset Regulation Report, Flags Tougher AML Rules and Broader Audit Requirements

Global Web3 security company CertiK said on April 29 that it had released a report titled "Digital Asset Regulation Landscape 2026," detailing regulatory trends across major jurisdictions and shifts in the industry's structure.

The report found that the digital-asset industry has entered a full compliance phase as regulatory frameworks take effect in major jurisdictions including the US, the European Union, Hong Kong and Singapore.

CertiK highlighted three key changes: stronger anti-money laundering enforcement, the integration of smart-contract security audits into formal regulatory systems, and the global convergence of stablecoin standards. The company said regulators are shifting their focus from determining the legal nature of assets to controlling the flow of funds, making transaction monitoring and suspicious-transaction response capabilities a key competitive factor. In the US, securities-related enforcement has declined while AML-related fines and sanctions have expanded.

In the security sector, smart-contract audits are becoming mandatory rather than optional. Major jurisdictions including Hong Kong, the United Arab Emirates and Singapore have incorporated security reviews into licensing processes, and some require periodic audits. CertiK said a large share of past hacking incidents occurred without prior security audits, underscoring the need for tighter regulation.

In the stablecoin sector, global regulatory standards are aligning quickly. Major jurisdictions are adopting common principles including fiat-currency reserves, limits on algorithmic structures, external audits of reserves and licensing systems for issuers. Detailed requirements still differ by country.

The environment for institutional investors is also changing. As the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision introduces prudential rules for crypto assets, capital requirements are being applied differently by asset type. That could channel institutional funds toward assets with stronger regulatory compliance profiles.

CertiK said these changes are making compliance costs a permanent operating expense, with the regulatory burden rising for companies operating across multiple jurisdictions.

"The era of ambiguity in digital-asset regulation is already over," Stefan Muehlbauer, CertiK's head of US government policy, said. "The key competitive edge now will be how quickly firms can meet regulatory requirements."