Financial crime has evolved into a complex and multifaceted area of law that intersects with various legal domains, including criminal law, banking and financial regulations, corporate law, tax law, customs law, public international law, and geopolitics. It is no longer restricted to traditional offenses like money laundering but now encompasses a broader range of activities such as transnational corruption, organized tax fraud, violations of economic sanctions, asset misappropriation, market manipulation, financial fraud, criminal financing networks, and the misuse of crypto-assets and digital infrastructure. Addressing these issues today requires a multi-level approach that includes criminal charges, preventive measures, transparency requirements for the true owners of assets, collaboration among financial intelligence units, asset seizure, international legal assistance, and adherence to standards set by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), an intergovernmental organization that sets global anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing policies. In France, the legal framework includes provisions such as articles 324-1 and following of the Penal Code, as well as Title VI of Book V of the Monetary and Financial Code. At the European Union level, a major legislative package adopted in 2024 aims to reshape the anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing (AML/CFT) landscape. This includes a directly applicable regulation, an institutional directive, and the establishment of the European Authority against Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing (AMLA), which will play a central role in supervising and coordinating AML/CFT efforts across the EU. A geopolitical analysis highlights a significant tension: the push for global financial transparency faces resistance due to the diversity of national sovereignties, differences in institutional capabilities, varying sanction regimes, regulatory competition, and the application of certain legal norms beyond national borders. Moving forward, the main challenge will not be increasing the number of obligations, but ensuring that these measures are effective, proportionate, respect fundamental rights, and promote cooperation between states. The study provides a detailed analysis of financial crime, structured into multiple sections. It begins with a general introduction and then explores the definition and evolution of financial crime, the legal distinction of money laundering, and the identification of underlying offenses and proof of proceeds. It also examines the French preventive framework, the role of TRACFIN—a French financial intelligence unit—and the European Union’s efforts to create a unified AML/CFT space. The analysis continues with a look at AMLA and the transformation of regulatory oversight, international standards, international cooperation and conflicts of sovereignty, the impact of crypto-assets and blockchain technology on financial crime, the role of beneficial owners, shell companies, and financial opacity, as well as topics such as corruption, tax fraud, customs violations, organized crime, economic sanctions, financial geopolitics, the protection of fundamental rights, corporate responsibility, investigative procedures, evidence collection, and asset seizure. Finally, it outlines perspectives for the years 2026–2035 and concludes with a general summary.