EU and eight nations sign treaty protocol for cross-border crypto seizures
CIE News ·
Based on reporting by Bitcoin.com News; not yet independently confirmed.
According to Bitcoin.com News, the EU and eight allied nations signed a Warsaw Convention protocol allowing authorities to freeze crypto transactions and split recovered funds exceeding €10,000.
The European Union, the United Kingdom, and seven other nations signed an Additional Protocol to the Council of Europe’s Warsaw Convention to target illicit cryptocurrency activity, Bitcoin.com News reported on October 18, 2026. The participating nations—which also include Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Luxembourg, Monaco, Montenegro, and San Marino—agreed to expand cross-border enforcement capabilities against money laundering and terrorism financing.
Under the treaty framework, national Financial Intelligence Units gain powers to suspend crypto transactions and execute urgent asset confiscations without prior notice if a transaction risk exists. Signatory states are tasked with establishing Asset Recovery Offices and Asset Management Offices to confiscate and hold seized digital assets, while virtual assets and virtual asset service providers are officially integrated into the convention's scope.
According to Bitcoin.com News, sums exceeding €10,000 recovered through joint efforts will be distributed equally among the participating countries, with priority given to affected victims. The protocol also directs signatory nations to enact legislation permitting the allocation of confiscated crypto assets toward public-interest programs and social reuse.
Key facts
- Warsaw Convention protocol signed
- €10,000 asset split threshold
- Cross-border transaction freezes
- EU and 8 allied nations
Read the original at Bitcoin.com News