The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) has released its Fiscal Year 2025 Year in Review, summarizing its activities, priorities, and results in protecting the financial system from illicit activity.
FinCEN’s mission is to protect the financial system from illicit activity, combat money laundering and terrorist financing, and promote national security by strategically using financial authorities and intelligence.

Supporting National Security Priorities

In FY2025, FinCEN used its resources to advance key national security and law enforcement priorities, including:
  • Countering cartels and drug trafficking
  • Imposing financial pressure on Iran
  • Combating fraud and cyber-enabled crime
  • Fighting child sexual exploitation
FinCEN also continued to modernize the U.S. anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing (AML/CFT) framework and supported the Department of the Treasury’s efforts to encourage responsible growth and use of digital assets.

Key FY2025 Accomplishments

FinCEN reported the following outcomes for FY2025:
  • Efficiency: $10 billion saved through deregulatory actions
  • Effectiveness: More than 90% of surveyed law enforcement, intelligence, and other partners indicated that Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) information is valuable
  • Engagement: 596 events conducted to engage and train stakeholders on AML/CFT topics
  • Impact: $991 million returned to victims of fraud through the Rapid Response Program since 2015
  • Enforcement: Over $1.3 billion in civil money penalties issued in FY2025
  • Whistleblowing: 198 new whistleblower tips, complaints, and referrals evaluated in FY2025

FinCEN FY2025 at a Glance

Source: Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) Year in Review FY2025

Rapid Response Program (RRP)

FinCEN’s Rapid Response Program (RRP) assists in recovering funds stolen through cyber-enabled financial crimes, including business email compromise. The program enables rapid sharing of financial intelligence with law enforcement and international financial intelligence units (FIUs).
FY2025 RRP Activity
  • 392 total referrals, including 320 on behalf of individuals
  • 815 financial transactions identified, including 320 from individuals and 495 from businesses
  • Over $362.6 million reported to the RRP in FY2025
  • $182.2 million (50%) frozen by partners in FY2025
  • $95.5 million returned to victims in FY2025
Cumulative RRP Impact (since 2015)
  • 96 foreign jurisdictions have received fraud proceeds and worked with FinCEN
  • More than $1.76 billion frozen
  • $991 million returned to victims

Suspicious Activity Reporting (SARs)

In FY2025, FinCEN reported a total of 4.8 million Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs), representing an increase of approximately 0.1 million compared to FY2024.

Of these, 1.26 million SARs were filed by money services businesses (MSBs).

The most frequently reported SAR activity types included:

  • Money laundering: approximately 2 million reports
  • Fraud: approximately 1.8 million reports
  • Structuring: approximately 1.25 million reports

SARs continue to support law enforcement activity, including:

  • 79.7% of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) investigations being associated with SARs
  • 5,957 FBI arrests linked to SARs
  • 2,795 FBI convictions linked to SARs

Source: Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) Year in Review FY2025

Enforcement and Whistleblower Programme

FinCEN oversees enforcement of the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) and investigates financial institutions, non-financial businesses, and individuals for BSA violations.
Since 2021, FinCEN has operated a whistleblower program to protect the integrity of the U.S. financial system by encouraging individuals to report potential violations. The program offers financial incentives and protections for those who provide relevant information.
FinCEN has issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on whistleblower incentives and protections to support full program implementation. Whistleblowers may submit award applications once the rule is finalized.
In FY2025:
  • 198 whistleblower tips, complaints, and referrals were evaluated
  • Over $1.3 billion in civil money penalties were issued

Summary

The FY2025 Year in Review highlights FinCEN’s ongoing use of financial intelligence, regulatory tools, and partnerships to combat illicit finance and support law enforcement and national security goals.
As regulatory expectations evolve, financial institutions must maintain effective AML/CFT frameworks that meet current requirements and support ongoing compliance.
At Neopay Global, we help firms develop and maintain compliance frameworks that meet regulatory expectations across jurisdictions, including the United States and Canada.