The private credit market is starting to show signs of stress and Luxembourg is more exposed than it might seem at first sight.
Surely, the problem does not start in Luxembourg. The loans are not made to companies in Luxembourg, and many of the investment managers are not based there either. In reality, the economic risk sits elsewhere. Continue reading Private Credit stress and Luxembourg funds: what should be done now
A Luxembourg AIF can be fully exposed to crypto-assets. The AIFM, managing the fund, does NOT need to obtain a crypto-specific license.
Not because of a compliance lack, but because of how the framework is currently designed.
When approaching Crypto exposure in investment funds, the CSSF has drawn a clear line between direct and indirect exposure. In practice, that line might be more theoretical than real. Continue reading Crypto exposure without a Crypto license: when indirect exposure becomes full exposure
On February 4th 2026, the CSSF has published a new FAQ related to the exposure of Crypto-Assets in the UCITS funds. This change in orientation of the CSSF has been taken with enthusiasm by many players. The message that many understood was very simple: crypto on the UCITS funds is now allowed. From now on, UCITS investors will be exposed to crypto-assets. The reality is far from it. Continue reading Crypto and UCITS: what has really changed? Very little
If you enjoy reading our articles and want to support our mission of sharing valuable insights on AML and investment funds, the easiest way to help is by subscribing to the Fundiligence newsletter.For us it is very important, for you it is FREE. The UCITS framework has been one of the most regulatory successful stories in the investment fund world and Today the UCITS funds … Continue reading UCITS VI: why It matters and why the fund industry needs It
The European Commission is preparing a proposal to expand central supervision over Europe’s key financial markets, including stock exchanges, clearing houses, and crypto exchanges. The initiative, expected to form part of December’s “Markets Integration Package,” aims to reinforce Europe’s competitiveness and reduce fragmentation across its capital markets.
Europe’s markets are often described as fragmented, with many national regulators and hundreds of trading and post-trading entities. A single EU supervisor, similar to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), seems the solution to bring more uniformity and global weight. Continue reading ESMA and the future of EU supervision: Why Europe should build on the CSSF model, not replace it
The European Union has made it clear: crypto is now part of the regulated financial system. With MiCA finally in place, crypto-asset service providers, CASPs, have to meet the same kind of expectations that apply to any other financial firms.
The ESMA goal is simple: make authorization consistent across the European Union. ESMA wants all regulators to apply the same standards, whether a company applies in Paris, Madrid, or Vilnius. A firm that wants a license will need people, systems, and real decision-making power inside the EU. Continue reading The ESMA view on CASPs: Substance, control, and oversight
In the past decade, virtual assets have grown from a $10 billion niche market to a trillion-dollar industry, reshaping global finance, with Luxembourg emerging as a key hub for their adoption and regulation. As of mid-2024, the Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier reported a 30% increase in the number of registered Virtual Asset Service Providers compared to the previous year, highlighting the growing institutional and alternative investment fund interest in digital assets Continue reading Implementing an AML/CFT Due Diligence framework for Virtual Assets investments
Tokenization of shares has the potential to bring significant innovation to Luxembourg’s financial services sector and surely worldwide, offering opportunities to improve processes and operational efficiency in the Investment fund Sector. But today, is tokenization truly beneficial for an investment funds in Luxembourg? The answer is most probably NO – at least not within the current regulatory framework. Continue reading Tokenization in the Fund Industry: why it is the future but not yet the present, and a possible solution
Luxembourg has long played a leading role in the European asset management industry, particularly in liquid assets, with the UCITS framework solidifying its reputation for regulatory excellence. Recently, however, Ireland has become the main European attractive destination for liquid asset flows, pushing Luxembourg to expand its expertise in alternative investments such as private equity, infrastructure, and real estate. Continue reading How Luxembourg can compete with Ireland for the UCITS market leadership – A comparative review
In 2024, Italy’s financial regulators reported a troubling development: a significant drop in Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) from the gambling sector. The Financial Intelligence Unit, noted that SARs from gambling companies fell by 25% in the first half of the year compared to the same period in 2023. This decrease, particularly in a high-risk sector like gambling, has raised concerns about the adequacy of compliance … Continue reading The decline of Suspicious Activity Reports in Italy’s gambling sector: A growing AML concern
