Middle East · Country coverage

AML/CTF Compliance in Qatar

Qatar regulates AML/CTF through the Qatar Financial Information Unit and Law No. 20 of 2019. See the obligations and how MemberCheck supports them.

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Screening coverage for Qatar
  • Sanctions & PEP screening
  • Adverse media checks
  • Customer identity verification
  • Jurisdiction risk checks
  • Ongoing monitoring

Key facts

AML supervisor / FIUQCB, QFMA and QFCRA (supervisors) / QFIU (FIU)
FATF statusMENAFATF member
Primary legislationLaw No. 20 of 2019 on Combating Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing
Overview

AML/CTF compliance in Qatar.

Qatar regulates money laundering and terrorism financing through Law No. 20 of 2019. Compliance is supervised by sector, chiefly by Qatar Central Bank, the Qatar Financial Markets Authority, and the Qatar Financial Centre Regulatory Authority, while the Qatar Financial Information Unit receives and analyses suspicious transaction reports and shares intelligence with competent authorities.

Financial institutions and designated non-financial businesses must run customer due diligence, identify beneficial owners, monitor transactions, and report suspicious activity to the QFIU. Supervisors expect documented risk assessments, sound record keeping, and controls proportionate to the risks a firm faces.

MemberCheck helps teams meet these obligations by screening customers and entities against global sanctions, PEP, and adverse-media data, verifying identities, and monitoring risk continuously, with a clear audit trail behind every decision.

Regulation

Key laws and regulators.

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AML/CTF supervisors

Qatar Central Bank supervises banks, exchange houses, and insurers; the Qatar Financial Markets Authority supervises the securities sector; the Qatar Financial Centre Regulatory Authority supervises firms authorised in the QFC. Designated non-financial businesses and professions are supervised by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and the Ministry of Justice.

Qatar Financial Information Unit (QFIU)

Qatar's financial intelligence unit. It receives, analyses, and disseminates suspicious transaction reports to law enforcement and competent authorities. It is not the compliance supervisor.

Law No. 20 of 2019

Qatar's principal AML statute, the Law on Combating Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing. It sets customer due diligence, record-keeping, and reporting duties for financial institutions and designated non-financial businesses.

MENAFATF membership

Qatar is a member of the Middle East and North Africa Financial Action Task Force, a FATF-style regional body that promotes the FATF standards across the region.

FATF 40 Recommendations

Through its MENAFATF membership, Qatar aligns its framework with the international standards for customer due diligence, reporting, and supervision.

Obligations

What regulated businesses must do.

  • Customer due diligence on customers and beneficial owners
  • Identify and verify beneficial ownership
  • File suspicious transaction reports (STRs) with the QFIU
  • Ongoing monitoring of customer transactions
  • Conduct and document risk assessments
  • Maintain records for the required retention period
1,000+
Global watchlists screened
<1s
Average screening response
24h
Watchlist refresh cycle
195
Countries covered
FAQ

Common questions.

Who supervises AML/CTF in Qatar?

Supervision is divided by sector. Qatar Central Bank supervises banks, exchange houses, and insurers, the Qatar Financial Markets Authority supervises the securities sector, and the Qatar Financial Centre Regulatory Authority supervises firms authorised in the Qatar Financial Centre. Designated non-financial businesses and professions are supervised by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and the Ministry of Justice. The Qatar Financial Information Unit (QFIU) is the financial intelligence unit, and it receives and analyses suspicious transaction reports rather than examining firms for compliance.

What is the main AML law in Qatar?

Law No. 20 of 2019 on Combating Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing is Qatar's principal AML statute, setting customer due diligence, record-keeping, and suspicious transaction reporting obligations.

Is Qatar a member of FATF?

Qatar is a member of MENAFATF, the FATF-style regional body for the Middle East and North Africa, and aligns its AML/CTF regime with the FATF 40 Recommendations.

How does MemberCheck support AML compliance in Qatar?

MemberCheck screens customers and entities against global sanctions, PEP, and adverse-media data, verifies identities, and monitors risk continuously, with an audit trail behind every decision.

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