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The purpose of this paper is to examine the influence that the occurrence of greenwashing has on the consumer perception of corporate social responsibility (CSR).

This paper observed the market indication that a consistent undermining of authentic commitment to CSR taints consumer perception. Investigating how the motivations behind greenwashing contribute to the presentation of CSR was the first means of examining the market forces. Consumer orientation was used as a guiding principle to consider the short- and long-term perspective of a greenwasher.

Individual instances of greenwashing contribute to a collective deterioration of marketplace trust in the promises of CSR. The negative influence on CSR is not isolated to the greenwashing perpetrator but casts a wider effect. The consequences of greenwashing are not isolated but widely dispersed.

Whilst much of the literature focuses on the stigmatisation of individual firms, it is crucial to note how marketplace trust is eroded. In addition, the perception of CSR-related regulations is for example influenced but rarely recognised as a consequence of greenwashing behaviour.

The purpose of this paper is to illustrate how the Wirecard scandal has highlighted the need for further reforms in Germany and Europe, exposing institutional and market oversight weaknesses, particularly in terms of market integrity and investor protection.

To provide a comprehensive picture of the situation, this paper is based only on relevant studies, which focus on the topic of interest, namely, the context of the Wirecard collapse in June 2020. It also examines how internal and external governance and monitoring mechanisms failed to uncover major fraud within the German payments group earlier.

This study shows that this is by no means an isolated or unpredictable incident, and the allegations of accounting fraud had been known for several years, thanks to warnings from the Financial Times. In addition, the paper reviews the serious shortcomings revealed in the Wambach report. The report provided private details of the Wirecard audit and documents on the relationship between Wirecard management and the auditor. All of this can serve as a reference point for institutional and market oversight architecture in Germany and Europe and pave the way for future research.

The paper contributes to the literature by highlighting the implications of the Wirecard scandal and the lessons that can be learned from what was one of Germany’s biggest corporate scandals especially at a time when many are already affected by the impact of COVID-19 on the entire financial services industry.

The operational resilience of financial service providers is strained to an unprecedented extent following the Russian aggression in the Ukraine and the subsequent implementation of targeted economic sanctions. This paper aims to consider how operational resilience supports financial service providers in implementing sanctions.

The demand made of financial service providers by economic sanction is considered through the lens of operational resilience. Practical problems for the providers are aligned with economic sanctions policies.

A well-established system of operational resilience enables financial service providers to meet compliance requirements of economic sanctions with greater ease.

The literature does not credit operational resilience as a systemic capacity of corporations and rather presents it as a specialised feature. In addition, the role of the regulatory bodies is often dismissed despite directly inciting the practical problems faced.

This study aims to review the current EU approach to regulating crypto assets. It highlights the key points, opportunities and risks of the MiCA regulation, which is designed to provide a comprehensive regulatory framework for digital assets in the EU.

To do so, the authors extensively reviewed the literature and reports from several advisory and watchdog bodies and international organizations.

Although MiCA is an ambitious piece of legislation, there are still many unresolved issues and questions that the new regulation raises. Controversially several items have also been excluded from the MiCA regulations, including decentralized finance, non-fungible tokens unless they qualify under the existing cryptocurrency categories, as well as central bank digital currencies.

This study also addresses the Liechtenstein Token Act Regulation, which is considered to have served as a model for the EU MiCA Directive and the regulation of cryptocurrencies at the European level.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the nuances of the consequences of greenwashing in the consumer and financial markets. Greenwashing is discussed frequently but in very abstract terms. Hence, a closer examination of the palpable consequences elucidates the ripple effects of this widespread phenomenon.

Focal points are the concept of green marketing, the stigmatization of corporations in the media and the regulatory consequences of greenwashing behaviour across consumer and financial markets. The two markets are paralleled in order to trace the novelties as well as the points of commonality in greenwashing.

The current consequences are an insufficient deterrence in both markets. The regulatory trend in both markets is leaning towards more stringent and punitive measures, which will likely affect the efficacy of the deterrence factor.

The influence on consumer perception is identified both as a motivating factor for greenwashing and as one of the most immediate elements which is negatively influenced by its exposition. In addition to the fact that greenwashing practices are common across the two markets, this paper identifies that a systemic deterioration of investor trusts significantly compromises the potential of sustainable finance and impacts investment in the financial market, mirrored in the negative consequences on consumer reactions to greenwashed products.

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how cryptocurrencies are used to launder money and how solutions from Liechtenstein’s novel blockchain legislation could be used to tackle the issue.

Within the scope of the literature review, the characteristics of cryptocurrencies and how these characteristics facilitate money laundering are discussed. To investigate concrete methods that money launderers use, a qualitative study with 10 presumed money launderers and 18 prevention experts was conducted. The results were subsequently tested quantitatively. Thereafter, the novel Liechtenstein blockchain act is discussed and it is detailed how the legislation could contribute to the establishment of an international standard in blockchain regulation.

Money launderers continue to abuse cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin as vehicles for financial crime. The Liechtenstein Blockchain Act could serve as a benchmark for regulators around the world aiming to solve the issue.

Current anti-money laundering regulations are rather ineffective when it comes to cryptocurrencies.

The findings of this paper illustrate that new and innovative means for combating money laundering are needed. In particular, this paper provides insights into cryptocurrency crime and Liechtenstein’s response for legislators, law enforcement, compliance officers and regulatory authorities.

Liechtenstein’s blockchain act, as a potential remedy to money laundering, has thus far not received international attention.

This study aims to analyze the relationship between financial sustainability and peer-to-peer (P2P) lending platforms.

To do so, an extensive literature review on sustainability, FinTech, P2P lending and their associated risks was conducted using a fundamentally theoretical and descriptive methodology.

In addition, this study shows that finance can accelerate the transition to a low-carbon circular economy by allocating investments in sustainable projects and businesses. Moreover, FinTech P2P lending platforms can help to vitalize green digital finance by using the internet and information technology in the lending market. Nevertheless, anonymous lending and borrowing ventures can produce potential risks such as money laundering, terrorist financing, fraud risk and information asymmetry.

Sustainable finance remains an emerging and relevant area; however, the literature has not sufficiently addressed compliance concerns. To address this gap, this study aims to contribute to the literature by analyzing the link between sustainable finance and P2P platforms and drawing attention to the compliance risks listed above.

The purpose of this paper is to illustrate how money launderers circumvent compliance measures by using exchange offices to launder incriminated funds.

The three-step process entailed carrying out unofficial interviews with money launderers, which gave first insight into the issue, followed by expert interviews that were reviewed by means of a qualitative study. The findings of the qualitative study were processed during the subsequent quantitative research.

Although exchange offices are a known threat to anti-money laundering efforts, they continue to be highly applicable. As exchange offices are responsible for their own compliance measures, compliance officers employed by other institutions do not encounter money laundering through exchange offices regularly.

The findings of the study are limited to the experiences of the interviewed experts, which, naturally, are highly subjective. Further, they are geographically limited, as certain areas were not represented in the study.

During the literature review, a research gap was identified. The present study attempts to partially fill the same. The illustrated findings aimed at facilitating an improvement of anti-money laundering measures. The insights into the minds of money launderers provide valuable information for legislators, compliance officers and authorities.

Presently, the majority of the literature focuses on the issue of money laundering from a compliance perspective. However, accurately understanding how money launderers circumvent the existing prevention measures requires an exploration of their approaches. To effectively inhibit money laundering, it is necessary to gain a holistic overview of the issue, which entails the observation of both perspectives.

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how illicit funds are laundered by using the gold method in German-speaking European countries.

To identify approaches to money laundering via gold, 60 semi-standardized interviews with money launderers and compliance officers were conducted. Further, a quantitative survey of 200 compliance officers was administered.

The gold trade in European German-speaking countries remains extraordinarily suitable for money laundering. In particular, it may be used for placement and layering.

The implications are based on the statements of 60 interviewees, including both money launderers and compliance officers. Thus, the derived results are limited to the perspectives of these 60 persons.

Based on this study’s findings, gaps in the existing anti-money laundering measures are identified. Documenting these inconsistencies should provide compliance officers, law enforcement agencies and legislators with valuable insights into the minds of money launderers.

As this study explores the perspectives of both compliance officers and money launderers, it provides a broad overview of the issues. Most existing literature fails to observe money laundering from the launderers’ perspective, focusing instead on methods to prevent money laundering. Effective prevention requires profound knowledge of how criminals operate. Only by adopting criminals’ perspective can compliance officers effectively spot money-laundering methods.

The purpose of this paper is to exemplify how money launderers in European German-speaking countries use deposit boxes to place incriminated funds.

During a qualitative content analysis of 60 semi-standardized expert interviews with both criminals and prevention experts and a quantitative survey of 200 compliance officers, concrete money laundering techniques using deposit boxes were identified.

Deposit boxes may be used to place incriminated funds or prepare for their subsequent placement. Thus, the method is highly suitable to the demands of small-scale money laundering.

The study’s qualitative findings are limited to the perspectives of the 60 interview partners. The interviews were conducted in a semi-standardized fashion.

The present paper aims at identifying gaps in existing anti-money laundering mechanisms to provide compliance officers, law enforcement agencies and legislators with worthwhile insights into the minds of criminals.

The present paper illustrates how money launderers operate to avoid detection, capturing the perspective of the launderer. Thus, the reader is granted access to highly valuable information that is supposed to facilitate the introduction of new anti-money laundering measures. Moreover, it shows how compliance officers view the issue and what they consider to be important to the successful implementation of compliance mechanisms. Moreover, the officers’ statements will exhibit which methods they do and do not engage with on a daily basis.