Abstract

MENACHO-INGA, Wilmer Gerardo; PROANO-REYES, Gladis Margot  and  CASTRO-SANCHEZ, Fernando de Jesús. The use of cryptocurrencies and money laundering in Ecuador. Noesis [online]. 2025, vol.7, n.esp2, pp.832-851.  Epub Dec 31, 2025. ISSN 2739-0365.  https://doi.org/10.35381/noesisin.v7i2.620.

This research conducts a critical legal analysis of the regulatory framework for cryptocurrencies and the effectiveness of measures to combat money laundering in Ecuador. Given the regulatory vacuum surrounding the exponential growth of these digital assets, a qualitative methodology is used, involving a review of doctrinal documents, regulatory texts, scientific articles, and case studies. The analysis identifies that the decentralized and pseudonymous nature of cryptocurrencies presents significant challenges for financial authorities, facilitating their potential use for illicit activities. It concludes that effective money laundering prevention is directly linked to the implementation of a robust and adapted regulatory framework. Such regulation should require ecosystem actors to implement Know Your Customer (KYC) protocols and suspicious transaction reporting, strengthening institutions' ability to track and identify fraudulent transactions without hindering financial innovation.

Keywords : Cryptocurrencies; blockchain; crypto assets; money laundering; miners..

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in Spanish     · Spanish ( pdf )