Languages
Polish, English
Areas of practice
Aleksandra Walas
Lawyer
Full biography
Aleksandra Walas is a Managing Counsel with a focus on financial regulatory and fintech matters.
UBO / Ultimate Beneficial Owner in Poland
This article outlines the concept of Ultimate Beneficial Owner (UBO) under Polish anti-money laundering law and its relevance to companies operating in Poland. It explains the process for identifying beneficial owners within corporate structures, including multi-tier ownership. The piece also discusses reporting obligations to the Central Register of Beneficial Owners and the penalties for non-compliance. It highlights particular challenges in complex ownership structures and trusts.27 August, 2026
Power of Attorney for Bank Accounts in Poland
This article explains how powers of attorney for bank accounts operate in Poland, including the process for granting authority at a bank branch. It discusses the requirement for both account holder and proxy to appear in person with valid identification. The piece also covers cross-border considerations, including notarization and apostille requirements for powers granted abroad. It touches on inheritance-related access restrictions to bank accounts after the account holder's death.13 August, 2026
AMLA Harmonises AML Enforcement Across the EU: Four Categories of Breaches
The article outlines how the EU's Anti-Money Laundering Authority (AMLA) is standardizing enforcement approaches across member states. It describes four categories of AML breaches and their associated regulatory consequences. The piece is relevant for financial institutions and crypto-asset service providers subject to AML obligations. It situates the changes within the broader EU AML/CFT reform agenda.13 August, 2026
New FATF Guidelines for DeFi: Control Over the Protocol and AML Obligations
This article reviews new FATF guidance addressing decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols and the associated AML obligations. It examines the criteria FATF uses to determine when a DeFi arrangement is considered sufficiently decentralized to fall outside traditional regulatory categories. The piece discusses implications for developers, operators and users of DeFi platforms. It also considers how the guidance may influence national implementations of AML rules for crypto markets.6 August, 2026Talk to our legal team
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