The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group (WBG) have introduced a 12-point framework to help countries prevent and tackle cyber-enabled fraud in digital financial services as the expansion of online transactions creates new opportunities for financial crime.
The framework, known as the Bangkok Blueprint, outlines key considerations for identifying vulnerabilities, strengthening fraud prevention and improving coordination among institutions responsible for combating digital financial crime.
The IMF and World Bank managements unveiled the blueprint in collaboration with the Bank of Thailand during the 2026 IMF–World Bank annual meetings in Bangkok, Thailand.
According to the institutions, cyber-enabled fraud is increasingly connected to transnational organised crime and has emerged as one of the major criminal threats globally, alongside drug trafficking and money laundering.
The initiative comes as the growth of digital financial services has expanded access to financial transactions and other services but also enabled fraudsters to operate more quickly and across wider networks.
Governor of the Bank of Thailand, Vitai Ratanakorn, said cyber-enabled fraud had become a global challenge that required coordinated action across countries and institutions.
“Cyber-enabled fraud has become a global challenge that no country or institution can tackle alone,” Ratanakorn said.
Managing director of the IMF, Kristalina Georgieva, stressed that international cooperation was necessary to protect public confidence in digital financial services.
“Trust is the foundation of every financial system,” she said.
“As digital finance expands, countries must work together to combat cyber-enabled fraud and preserve confidence in the technologies that support growth and inclusion.”
Similarly, the World Bank Group’s Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer, Anshula Kant, said stronger safeguards were essential to ensure that individuals and businesses could benefit from digital financial services without being exposed to avoidable risks.
“Digital financial services can be a powerful driver of economic opportunity, jobs, and financial inclusion in developing economies,” Kant said.
She added that stronger protection against fraud would help people use digital financial services confidently and benefit from the opportunities they offer.
Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister, Ekniti Nitithanprapas, also called for stronger cooperation to match the growing interconnectedness of digital finance.
“As digital finance becomes increasingly interconnected, our response to fraud must be equally connected,” he said.
The Bangkok Blueprint is structured around five pillars: establishing strategic and legal foundations; strengthening fraud prevention and response; leveraging existing risk-mitigation and enforcement frameworks; expanding domestic and cross-border cooperation; and promoting consumer protection and resilience.
The framework also emphasises accountability and timely information-sharing among public and private sector institutions.
This coordination is considered important because digital fraud schemes can span multiple channels, including social media, digital platforms, e-commerce services and telecommunications networks.
Through the blueprint, the IMF, World Bank and their partners are seeking to help countries strengthen their responses to digital financial fraud while preserving public trust in the technologies supporting financial inclusion and economic development.
