Mexico and the EU Join Forces to Target Global Crypto Money Laundering

The announcement was made during the 8th EU-Mexico summit, where Mexico and the EU signed a trade agreement to decrease dependence on the U.S. The two governments would be focused on cooperating to curb this kind of crypto-linked illicit activity.

Key Takeaways:

• After securing a €5B deal, Mexico and the EU will next collaborate to curb global crypto money laundering.
• The talks will focus on targeting groups like the Sinaloa Cartel, which use crypto flows to launder money globally.
• Both governments will next advance a dialogue to deal with crypto threats.

Mexico and the EU To Collaborate To Curb Crypto Money Laundering Activities

Even as the use of cryptocurrency assets and digital currency to launder money from illicit activities has grown, states are also coming together to exchange information and increase vigilance on these flows.

Roberto Velasco Álvarez, Mexicos Foreign Minister, and Kaja Kallas, Vice-President of the European Commission, revealed that the two countries are examining ways to collaborate to curb crypto money laundering activities across both jurisdictions.

The announcement was made during a press conference at the 8th Mexico-EU Summit, where Mexicos President, Claudia Sheimbaum, and Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, signed a trade agreement that encompasses a €5 billion investment in Mexico.

“Concerning security cooperation between Mexico and the European Union, we have discussed today how criminal organizations are conducting activities on a global scale—such as money laundering—and, of course, matters related to the use of cryptocurrencies for these types of illicit activities,” Álvarez stated.

Furthermore, he indicated that the two parties intended to “maintain a dialogue and explore opportunities for cooperation to confront these threats and activities.”

Mexico‘s and the EU’s collaboration is relevant, given that the Sinaloa Cartel, one of the largest drug trafficking organizations in the western hemisphere, has activities in Europe.

In May 2025, Europol and the French National Gendarmerie dismantled an organization that produced and distributed methamphetamine with the coordination and help of the Sinaloa cartel. The group also operated using cryptocurrency to facilitate their illegal financial transactions.

Recently, the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned six individuals and two companies for their involvement in money laundering activities.

The group received cash in bulk from the sale of illicit drugs in the U.S. and exchanged it for cryptocurrency to be sent to the Sinaloa Cartel in Mexico, according to the OFAC.

In July 2025, the DEA also seized $10 billion in cryptocurrency linked to cartel activities.