Virtual Assets: Risks and Challenges in Following the Money Trail from Environmental Crimes in Colombia and Peru is a research study developed by the Fundación para la Conservación y el Desarrollo Sostenible – FCDS Perú, which explores how cryptocurrencies and other digital assets may be used to move and launder money derived from illicit activities that directly affect the Amazon, such as illegal mining, logging, and wildlife trafficking.
Through a rigorous comparative analysis of Colombia and Peru, the report examines the dynamics of the crypto ecosystem, its regulatory gaps, the most common money laundering typologies, and the involvement of criminal networks operating in Amazonian territories. The study draws on specialized sources, international cases, and the insights of experts in environmental and financial crimes, with the aim of providing a comprehensive understanding of an emerging phenomenon that links the digital world with the illicit environmental economy.
This publication seeks to contribute to public debate and policy-making to strengthen financial traceability, international cooperation, and the regulation of virtual assets in the region. In doing so, FCDS Perú reaffirms its commitment to protecting the Amazon biome and combating the illegal economies that threaten environmental sustainability from new digital frontiers.
