On September 2, 2026, FinCEN updated its Frequently Asked Questions on the Geographic Targeting Order (GTO) requiring money services businesses (MSBs) located in certain ZIP Codes in New Mexico and Texas near the U.S. southwest border  to report cash transactions of $1,000 or more with FinCEN. FinCEN renewed the GTO and is effective from September 3, 2026, through March 1, 2027.

On September 2, 2026, FinCEN, together with the Federal Reserve, FDIC, NCUA, and OCC, issued a joint statement to clarify that confidentiality requirements related to Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) do not preclude banks from communicating with their customers regarding potentially fraudulent transactions and other suspicious activity or account closures. The statement does not alter existing Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) legal or regulatory requirements or establish new supervisory expectations.

On September 2, 2026, FinCEN reissued a Geographic Targeting Order (GTO) to help law enforcement combat illicit activity and associated money laundering by Mexico-based cartels and other criminal actors along the southwest border of the United States. The GTO subjects certain money services businesses (MSBs) to enhanced reporting requirements with FinCEN.

On August 17, 2026, FinCEN held an outreach event bringing together law enforcement and financial sectors to address health care benefits fraud, specifically focusing on the exploitation of hospice care services. Participants discussed new and emerging health care fraud schemes targeting federal and state health insurance programs, associated financial typologies and red flag indicators, and opportunities to boost awareness around hospice care fraud.

On August 13, 2026, FinCEN issued a Financial Trend Analysis showing that financial institutions flagged nearly $5 billion linked to suspected human smuggling over a three-year period. The report analyzed 67,540 BSA reports associated with suspected human smuggling activity filed between January 1, 2023 and December 31, 2025

On August 11, 2026, FinCEN issued a final rule that permanently removes the requirement for U.S. companies and U.S. persons to report beneficial ownership information to FinCEN under the Corporate Transparency Act. FinCEN also announced that it will delete previously reported information by U.S. persons from the beneficial ownership information database. 

On August 7, 2026, FinCEN renewed its Geographic Targeting Order (GTO) designed to combat fraud in Minnesota and protect U.S. taxpayers. In early January, the Agency issued a Geographic Targeting Order requiring all banks and money transmitters located in Hennepin County and Ramsey County, Minnesota, to file reports with FinCEN of certain international funds transfers of $3,000 or more. 

On August 3, 2026, FinCEN assessed a $125,000,000 civil money penalty against UBS Financial Services Inc. (UBSFS) for willful violations of the Bank Secrecy Act. According to FinCEN’s press release, this is the largest penalty ever imposed against a broker-dealer for BSA violations to date.

On July 27, 2026, FinCEN issued a statement of enforcement policy in support of economic recovery and earthquake relief efforts in Venezuela. The statement was made in consultation with the Internal Revenue Service, Federal Reserve, FDIC, NCUA, and OCC. 

On July 24, 2026, FinCEN issued an Alert urging financial institutions to detect, prevent, and report suspicious activity connected to fraud schemes targeting student aid programs administered by the Federal government.  According to FinCEN, fraud rings use stolen and fraudulent identities and other tactics to unlawfully acquire funds from Federal student aid programs, resulting in losses to Federal student aid programs and real students facing difficulties enrolling in classes.