FATF Recommendation 16 — Virtual Asset Travel Rule
FATF (Financial Action Task Force) Recommendation 16 (the Travel Rule) as applied to virtual assets requires Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs) to obtain, hold, and transmit originator and beneficiary information for virtual asset transfers exceeding USD/EUR 1,000. Adopted in 2019 as part of FATF's Updated Guidance on Virtual Assets and VASPs. Implementation varies by jurisdiction: EU via Transfer of Funds Regulation (TFR) recast, US via FinCEN rules, Singapore via PSA, Japan via JFSA guidance. Key challenge: technical implementation for blockchain transactions lacking a natural messaging layer. Solutions include TRUST (Travel Rule Universal Solution Technology), OpenVASP, and Shyft Network.
Framework summaries on this platform are AI-assisted interpretations for educational and compliance planning purposes. They do not reproduce or replace the official standards. Refer to the authoritative source for the definitive text. Framework names and trademarks belong to their respective organisations.
Framework Domains (2)
Implementation
Giving effect to provisions through national laws, collective agreements, or other appropriate means.
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| Art. 12 | Data Ownership |
| Art. 13 | Data Security and Privacy |
| Art. 14 | Direct Data Flows |
| BS65000-IM-01 | Resilience Assessment |
| BS65000-IM-02 | Scenario Planning |
| BS65000-IM-03 | Continuous Improvement |
| FATF-TR-IMP-01 | Technical Solutions |
| FATF-TR-IMP-02 | Jurisdictional Adoption |
| FATF-TR-IMP-03 | VASP AML/CFT |
| ILO-C149-08 | Article 8 — Implementation through national laws, collective agreements, or other means |
| ISO-8000-IMP-01 | Quality Measurement |
| ISO-8000-IMP-02 | Quality Improvement |
| ISO-8000-IMP-03 | Sector Applications |
| PBD-IMP-01 | GDPR Article 25 |
| PBD-IMP-02 | Design Methodology |
| PBD-IMP-03 | Organisational Integration |
Travel Rule Requirements
VASP information transmission obligations
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| FATF-TR-RQ-01 | Originator Information |
| FATF-TR-RQ-02 | Beneficiary Information |
| FATF-TR-RQ-03 | Unhosted Wallets |
| FATF-TR-TRR-01 | Information Requirements |
| FATF-TR-TRR-02 | VASP Obligations |
| FATF-TR-TRR-03 | Unhosted Wallets |
Maps to 654 other frameworks
Frequently Asked Questions
What is FATF Recommendation 16 — Virtual Asset Travel Rule?
FATF Recommendation 16 — Virtual Asset Travel Rule is a compliance framework from International (FATF — 40 members) with 2 domains and 22 controls. FATF (Financial Action Task Force) Recommendation 16 (the Travel Rule) as applied to virtual assets requires Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs) to obtain, hold, and transmit originator and beneficiary information for virtual asset transfers exceeding USD/EUR 1,000. Adopted in 2019 as part of FATF's Updated Guidance on Virtual Assets and VASPs. Implementation varies by jurisdiction: EU via Transfer of Funds Regulation (TFR) recast, US via FinCEN rules, Singapore via PSA, Japan via JFSA guidance. Key challenge: technical implementation for blockchain transactions lacking a natural messaging layer. Solutions include TRUST (Travel Rule Universal Solution Technology), OpenVASP, and Shyft Network. It is used by organisations to establish and maintain compliance with industry standards and regulatory requirements.
How many controls does FATF Recommendation 16 — Virtual Asset Travel Rule have?
FATF Recommendation 16 — Virtual Asset Travel Rule has 22 controls organised across 2 domains. The largest domains are Implementation (16 controls), Travel Rule Requirements (6 controls). Each control defines specific requirements that organisations must implement to achieve compliance.
What frameworks does FATF Recommendation 16 — Virtual Asset Travel Rule map to?
FATF Recommendation 16 — Virtual Asset Travel Rule maps to 654 other compliance frameworks. The top mapping partners are ILO Nursing Personnel Convention C149 (1977) (64% coverage), EU Anti-Money Laundering Directive (AMLD6 / Directive 2018/1673) (64% coverage), ISO 8000 — Data Quality (64% coverage). Use our comparison tool to explore control-level mappings between frameworks.
How do I get started with FATF Recommendation 16 — Virtual Asset Travel Rule compliance?
Start your FATF Recommendation 16 — Virtual Asset Travel Rule compliance journey by running a self-assessment on our platform to identify your current compliance posture. Our AI advisory can answer specific questions about FATF Recommendation 16 — Virtual Asset Travel Rule requirements, and cross-framework mapping helps you leverage existing controls from other frameworks you may already comply with. Create a free account to access all 22 controls and track your progress.
Start Your Compliance Journey
Create a free account to run self-assessments, get AI advisory, and track your compliance progress across 692 frameworks.
Get Started Free →Free forever — no credit card required