Honduras passes Beneficiary Final law to boost anti‑money‑laundering

On June 16, the Honduran National Congress approved the Transparency and Final Beneficiary Registration Law. The legislation creates a centralized register, managed by the Financial Intelligence Unit, to identify the natural persons who ultimately own or control companies, foundations and other legal structures.

Officials said the measure will close gaps used by organized crime, drug traffickers and terrorist financiers, and will bring Honduras in line with international transparency standards. Commissioned of the National Banking and Insurance Commission (CNBS), Gustavo Solórzano emphasized that “the purpose of this law is to identify the natural persons behind legal structures so they cannot be used for money‑laundering.” Critics from the business sector warn of added administrative burdens, but regulators argue the law will reduce ghost companies, improve public‑procurement oversight and strengthen compliance for firms.

Experts highlighted that the register will give prosecutors faster access to ownership data, supporting investigations into corruption, narcotrafficking and other financial crimes.