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# Recital 160

*In force · Regulation (EU) 2024/1624, OJ L, 2024/1624, 19.6.2024 · Checked against EUR-Lex on 26 Oct 2026 · [Official source](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32024R1624)*

The anonymity of crypto-assets exposes them to risks of misuse for criminal purposes. Anonymous crypto-asset accounts, as well as other anonymising instruments, do not allow the traceability of crypto-asset transfers, and make it difficult to identify linked transactions that might raise suspicion or to apply an adequate level of customer due diligence. In order to ensure effective application of AML/CFT requirements to crypto-assets, it is necessary to prohibit the provision and the custody of anonymous crypto-asset accounts or accounts allowing for the anonymisation or the increased obfuscation of transactions by crypto-asset service providers, including through anonymity-enhancing coins. That prohibition does not apply to providers of hardware and software or providers of self-hosted wallets insofar as they do not possess access to or control over those crypto-asset wallets.