Monaco leaves the FATF grey list: what changes for owners and buyers

 

It became official on 30 October 2026. Meeting in plenary session in Paris from 28 to 30 October, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) confirmed Monaco's removal from its “grey list”, the list of jurisdictions under increased monitoring for anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing. It is a decision the Principality's financial community had been waiting for, and one that directly concerns owners and buyers of exceptional properties in Monaco.

 

Two years of reforms welcomed by the FATF

Placed on the grey list in June 2024, the Principality has now been removed after completing its action plan and following an on-site visit by the FATF in September 2026, which proved conclusive. As early as June 2026, the FATF had already concluded, on a preliminary basis, that the plan had been largely completed.

 

The reforms carried out since 2024 focus on six areas:

• Risks that have been better identified, particularly those related to tax fraud committed abroad.
• Increased international cooperation to identify and seize criminal assets.
• Firmer sanctions against defaulting professionals and in the event of a breach of transparency on the beneficial owners of companies.
• A strengthened supervisor: the staff of the Monegasque Financial Security Authority (AMSF) has quadrupled, to reach 80 people by the end of 2026.
• A more efficient justice system, with effective criminal sanctions for money laundering.
• More seizures and confiscations of property of suspicious origin.

 

For the Prince's Government, this exit is not a finish line: reforms are continuing, with a view to the next evaluation of Monaco by the Council of Europe's MONEYVAL Committee.

 

For buyers: a more favourable environment, including financing

First and foremost, this is a major vote of confidence. The international community now formally recognises the robustness of Monaco's framework, reinforcing the Principality's standing as one of the safest and most transparent places to invest in prime real estate.

On the lending side, the Principality enters this new phase in excellent health. The grey list never held back financing: according to Monaco Hebdo, outstanding loans at Monaco's banks rose by more than 4% in 2025 to around €30 billion, with no bank leaving the Principality. The end of FATF monitoring now removes a point of concern from international banks' assessment of Monaco, one more advantage for buyers financing their purchase.

Formalities set to ease, in two stages. In France, the Monetary and Financial Code requires additional due diligence on transactions linked to a country on either the FATF list or the European Commission's list. The first condition has fallen away since 30 October. The EU list remains: Monaco still appears on it, and it does not automatically follow the FATF. Once Brussels updates it, the basis for these additional checks will disappear for banks and professionals across the European Union.

The closest precedent gives a sense of timing: Gibraltar and the United Arab Emirates, removed from the FATF list in February 2024, left the EU list around eighteen months later. In the meantime, a well-prepared financing file remains key, and this is precisely what our consultants anticipate with every buyer.

 

For owners: an additional asset when selling

For owners considering a sale, this decision strengthens the Principality's appeal to an international clientele that pays close attention to the reputation of the jurisdictions in which it invests.

Standard checks naturally remain in place: identification of the parties and beneficial owners, source of funds. But they now take place in a jurisdiction recognised as meeting the highest international standards, which reassures overseas buyers and their advisers. For vendors, it is a tangible selling point when marketing an exceptional property.

The best way to secure a sale remains a complete file prepared in advance, particularly when the property is held through a company.

 

Our view

Leaving the FATF grey list is excellent news for Monaco's financial centre and its property market. It rewards two years of reform, strengthens the Principality's credibility and paves the way for lighter formalities once the EU list follows suit. A decisive milestone, in a market that has never ceased to attract.

Our BARNES Monaco consultants support every transaction to this standard and are following developments on the EU list closely, so that we can keep you informed as soon as they take effect. Considering buying or selling an exceptional property in the Principality? Our team is at your disposal.