Guatemala's Anti‑Money Laundering Law Effective September

Guatemala's Congress approved Decree 15‑2026, the Integral Law for the Prevention and Repression of Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing, which was published in the Diario de Centroamérica on 17 June 2026. The law will come into force three months later, in mid‑September 2026.

The legislation replaces the 25‑year‑old Law 67‑2001 and expands the range of obliged entities to include banks, cooperatives, pawnshops, real‑estate firms, vehicle dealers, virtual‑asset providers, and professionals such as lawyers, accountants and notaries. It introduces stricter due‑diligence requirements, mandatory reporting of suspicious transactions, and higher penalties for violations. A National Council for Coordination against Money Laundering (CONCLAF) and an autonomous compliance officer role are created to oversee implementation. The decree also aligns Guatemala’s framework with FATF‑GAFILAT standards ahead of the fifth mutual evaluation scheduled for early 2027.