Guatemala updates anti-money laundering laws to meet international standards
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Guatemala’s Congress recently approved a new anti-money laundering law, Decree 15-2026, which went into effect on September 17th, to align the country with recommendations from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).
The law combines two previous decrees, Decree 67-2001 and Decree 58-2005, to simplify financial controls and reduce the risk of non-compliance. Lawmakers created the law to address gaps in the previous system, specifically the difficulty of identifying the ultimate beneficiaries of financial transactions.
The new law expands the scope of entities required to comply with anti-money laundering regulations. In addition to traditional financial institutions, the law now includes real estate companies, vehicle sales businesses, cryptocurrency exchanges, notaries, lawyers, accountants, and auditors under supervision. These obligated parties must now conduct due diligence, identify beneficial owners, and appoint a compliance officer, as well as evaluate transactions based on user profiles.
The law establishes both administrative and criminal penalties for violations, including fines of up to US$625,000 (Q4 million) for companies and potential cancellation of legal status for repeat offenders. While the law does not target the informal economy or criminalize cash use, it sets fixed penalties of 6 to 20 years for money laundering and 30 years for terrorism-related offenses. President Bernardo Arévalo stated that the law will end the impunity previously enjoyed by criminals and corrupt actors.
