The International Monetary Fund, IMF, and the World Bank Group have unveiled a framework to help countries combat cyber-enabled fraud in digital financial services.
The framework, known as the Bangkok Blueprint, was released on Wednesday in collaboration with the Bank of Thailand during the 2026 IMF-World Bank Group Annual Meetings in Bangkok, Thailand.
According to the institutions, the blueprint provides a high-level framework to help countries prevent, detect and respond to the growing threat of fraud involving digital financial services.
They said the rapid expansion of digital finance had improved access to financial services, innovation and efficiency but had also created opportunities for fraudsters to operate faster and across wider networks.
The institutions noted that cyber-enabled fraud was increasingly linked to transnational organised crime, adding that INTERPOL had ranked it among the most threatening crimes globally, alongside drug trafficking and money laundering.
Speaking on the initiative, Vitai Ratanakorn, Governor of the Bank of Thailand, said the growing threat required coordinated action across countries and institutions.
“Cyber-enabled fraud has become a global challenge that no country or institution can tackle alone. The Bangkok Blueprint reflects our shared commitment to strengthen cooperation, build trust, and promote a safe and inclusive digital financial future for all,” he said.
The blueprint outlines 12 key considerations to help countries identify vulnerabilities and develop coordinated responses to cyber-enabled fraud.
It seeks to strengthen confidence in digital financial services by promoting a more coordinated approach across sectors and jurisdictions.
IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said trust remained central to the stability of financial systems as digital services continued to expand.
“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,” she said.
The framework is built around five pillars: establishing strategic and legal foundations; strengthening fraud prevention and response; leveraging existing risk-mitigation and enforcement mechanisms; expanding domestic and cross-border cooperation; and promoting consumer protection and resilience.
Anshula Kant, Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer of the World Bank Group, said stronger protection against fraud was necessary to ensure that people could benefit from digital financial services.
She said digital finance could expand economic opportunities, create jobs and improve financial inclusion, particularly in developing economies.
“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 said.
The blueprint recognises that fraud schemes often cut across social media, digital platforms, e-commerce and telecommunications networks.
It therefore emphasises clear accountability and timely cooperation between public and private sector institutions, both within countries and across international borders.
The framework also encourages countries to adapt its 12 considerations to their respective legal systems, institutions and market conditions.
Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister, Ekniti Nitithanprapas, said the growing interconnectedness of digital financial services required a similarly coordinated response to fraud.
He said the blueprint would provide a foundation for stronger cooperation and collective action to protect citizens and build trust in the digital economy.
The IMF and World Bank Group said the initiative was aimed at creating a safer and more trusted financial ecosystem, enabling countries to maximise the benefits of digital finance for economic opportunity, financial inclusion and sustainable growth.