ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group have launched a framework to help countries prevent, detect and address cyber-enabled fraud in digital financial services, according to a joint statement issued by the two organisations.

Known as the Bangkok Blueprint, the framework was developed in coordination with the Bank of Thailand and released during the 2026 IMF-World Bank Group Annual Meetings.

The blueprint sets out 12 considerations to help countries identify vulnerabilities and develop comprehensive and coordinated responses to cyber-enabled financial fraud.

The IMF and World Bank said digital finance had expanded access to financial services and improved innovation and efficiency. However, it had also enabled fraud to occur with greater speed, scale and sophistication.

Cyber-enabled fraud was increasingly linked to transnational organised crime and was ranked by Interpol among the most serious global crime threats, alongside drug trafficking and money laundering, the statement said.

“Cyber-enabled fraud has become a global challenge that no country or institution can tackle alone,” said Vitai Ratanakorn, Governor of the Bank of Thailand.

“The Bangkok Blueprint reflects our shared commitment to strengthen cooperation, build trust and promote a safe and inclusive digital financial future for all,” he added.

The blueprint is organised around five pillars: establishing strategic and legal foundations; strengthening the fraud-mitigation cycle; using existing risk-mitigation and enforcement frameworks; expanding domestic and cross-border cooperation; and promoting consumer protection and resilience.

“Trust is the foundation of every financial system. As digital finance expands, countries must work together to combat cyber-enabled fraud and preserve confidence in the technologies that support growth and inclusion,” said Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the IMF.

The statement noted that fraud schemes frequently involve social-media companies, digital platforms, e-commerce businesses and telecommunications networks.

The blueprint therefore calls for clear accountability and timely cooperation between public authorities and private sector companies, both within countries and across borders.

Countries are encouraged to adapt the blueprint’s 12 considerations to their legal systems, institutional arrangements and market conditions.

“Digital financial services can be a powerful driver of economic opportunity, jobs and financial inclusion in developing economies,” said Anshula Kant, Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer of the World Bank Group.

“Strengthening protection against fraud is essential to ensuring that people can use these services with confidence and fully benefit from the opportunities they create,” she added.

Ekniti Nitithanprapas, Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister, said increasingly interconnected digital financial services required an equally connected response to fraud.

“The Bangkok Blueprint provides a foundation for stronger cooperation and collective action to protect citizens and strengthen trust in the digital economy,” he said.