OSCE Holds Seminar in Tashkent on Combating Money Laundering via Cryptocurrencies

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — On 29–30 October 2025, Tashkent hosted a two-day introductory seminar organized by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), focusing on combating money laundering using virtual assets and blockchain technologies.

The event brought together approximately 35 representatives from the General Prosecutor’s Office, the Academy of Law Enforcement Agencies, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the State Security Service, the Central Bank, and the Agency for Advanced Projects of Uzbekistan.

The seminar aimed to enhance participants’ knowledge of blockchain technologies and the risks associated with money laundering through virtual assets. Through practical exercises and case analyses, attendees studied real-world methods for tracking, analyzing, and investigating cryptocurrency transactions, including the use of blockchain analytics tools and transaction-tracking software provided by the OSCE.

The program covered key topics such as anonymity and pseudonymity in blockchain systems, tracking models based on unspent transaction outputs (UTXO) and account-based approaches, the functioning of decentralized exchanges and bridges, as well as analysis of recent cryptocurrency-related investigations, including ransomware, phishing, and asset recovery cases.

Opening the seminar, OSCE Senior Project Manager Zurab Sanikidze highlighted that this was the first introductory seminar on virtual assets held in Uzbekistan. He emphasized the OSCE’s commitment to supporting national institutions in aligning with international standards and strengthening their capacity to investigate financial crimes involving virtual assets.

“Working with virtual assets is a key focus in today’s world. It requires law enforcement agencies to continuously enhance their knowledge and practical skills in this area. In this context, we welcome and highly value the OSCE’s initiative in organizing this practical seminar and express our readiness for further cooperation,” said Sardor Ikramov, Head of the International Cooperation Department of the Economic Crime Division at the General Prosecutor’s Office of Uzbekistan.

The event was organized with the support of the OSCE Project Coordinator in Uzbekistan under the OSCE extrabudgetary project “Innovative Policy Solutions to Mitigate Money Laundering Risks Using Virtual Assets,” implemented by the OSCE Office of the Coordinator of Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA). The project is funded with contributions from Germany, Italy, Poland, Romania, the United Kingdom, and the United States.