The year 2025 has marked a significant increase in awareness and compliance with legal obligations by businesses regarding the declaration of beneficial owners, one of the key pillars of transparency and the fight against money laundering in Albania.

According to official data from the Bank of Albania, last year, 5,356 entities declared their beneficial owners in the relevant Registry, marking an increase of 27% compared to 2024.

This positive trend reflects not only an increase in formal compliance with the law but also a gradual change in business culture, where transparency is increasingly seen as an added value and not simply as an administrative obligation.

A beneficial owner is considered a natural person who owns or controls, directly or indirectly, a legal entity, or on whose behalf a transaction or economic activity is carried out. Its identification is essential to prevent the concealment of real ownership through formal structures, nominal partners, or shell entities.