The OSCE conducted an introductory two-day workshop on combating money laundering involving virtual assets and blockchain-based finance on 29 and 30 October 2025 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
The event brought together around 35 representatives from the General Prosecutor's Office, the Law Enforcement Academy, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the State Security Service, the Central Bank, and the National Agency for Perspective Projects of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
The workshop aimed to enhance participants' understanding of blockchain technologies and the associated money-laundering risks of virtual assets. Through practical exercises and case studies, participants explored real-world techniques to trace, analyze, and investigate cryptocurrency transactions, including the use of blockchain forensic tools and tracing software provided through the OSCE.
Sessions covered key topics such as anonymity and pseudonymity in blockchain systems, unspent transaction outputs (UTXO) and account-based tracing models, decentralized exchanges and bridges, and recent cryptocurrency-related investigations, including ransomware, phishing, and asset recovery scenarios.
Opening the event, Zurab Sanikidze, OSCE Senior Project Officer/Project Manager, highlighted that this was the first introductory workshop on virtual assets in Uzbekistan. He reaffirmed OSCE's commitment to supporting national institutions in enhancing their compliance with international standards and strengthening investigative capacities to address financial crimes involving virtual assets.
"Working on virtual assets is one of our key priorities in today's modern world. It requires that law enforcement agencies continuously improve their knowledge and practical skills in this field. In this regard, we welcome and appreciate the OSCE's initiative to conduct this practical workshop and express our readiness for continued co-operation in the future," stated Sardor Ikramov, Head of the Division of International Co-operation at the Department for Combating Economic Crimes at the General Prosecutor's Office of Uzbekistan.
The event was organized in co-operation with the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan, as part of the OSCE extra-budgetary project "Innovative Policy Solutions to Mitigate Money-Laundering Risks of Virtual Assets", implemented by the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA). The project receives financial support from Germany, Italy, Poland, Romania, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
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