Portugal – Travel Rule implementation

Portugal has reinforced its legal framework for the prevention of money laundering and terrorist financing in the crypto-asset sector with the publication of Law No. 70/2025 of 22 December.

The statute ensures the national execution of Regulation (EU) 2023/1113 (the Travel Rule) and introduces a broad revision of Law No. 83/2017, aligning the Portuguese AML regime with the latest European standards applicable to transfers of funds and crypto-assets, as well as with FATF recommendations.

The new framework formally integrates crypto-asset service providers into the AML perimeter, clarifies key concepts relevant to crypto-asset transfers, and introduces enhanced risk-mitigation requirements, including specific measures for transfers involving self-hosted (unhosted) wallets.

It also confirms the Banco de Portugal as the competent authority for supervising compliance with the Travel Rule by payment service providers and crypto-asset service providers, strengthening supervisory coordination at both national and EU level.

Together with the MiCA implementing legislation, this reform represents a significant step towards a coherent, robust and harmonised regulatory environment for crypto-assets in Portugal.

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