Assessing the Criminal Capabilities of Metaverse in Money Laundering; Challenges and Approaches

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Professor, Department of Criminal Law and Criminology, Faculty of Law, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran

2 PHD student of criminal law and criminology, Faculty of Law, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

The emergence and expansion of the metaverse has ushered criminal activity, especially economic crime, into a new phase. The unknown nature of the metaverse provide an ideal space for criminals to conceal their true identities behind avatars and, through the informal economy and the widespread use of virtual currencies, conduct their transactions outside the reach of legal oversight. In fact, this space allows offenders to move and settle large illicit amounts of money. Therefore, identifying the criminal potential of the metaverse and striving to regulate its various aspects in order to prevent crime actively and consciously is essential.This paper, written using a descriptive-analytical method and drawing from comparative and international sources, particularly the FATF document, is divided into two sections. The first part addresses the challenges in the metaverse and its potential for money laundering, while the second part, based on the FATF guidelines, provides recommendations for preventing money laundering.The findings of the research indicate the lack of necessary and essential regulations for proper governance in this area, such that the application of outdated regulations, which have not been updated to match technological developments, has led to ambiguity. This highlights the necessity of proactive policymaking and regulation in this domain.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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Criminal Law Research
Volume 17, Issue 1 - Serial Number 33
Papers
July 2026
Pages 87-102

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