The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS) successfully hosted the milestone 20th edition of its Cyber Brown Bag Series, focusing on "Virtual Assets in the Caribbean: Managing Risk in the Face of this Opportunity".

The virtual session, which was held on 17 September 2026, in collaboration with Pinaka Consulting Ltd, brought together a wide range of regional stakeholders, including representatives from government, law enforcement, financial intelligence units, regulatory authorities, academia and the private sector. It aimed to address how virtual assets and tokenisation are rapidly reshaping the international financial system while introducing complex regulatory, security and investigative challenges to the Caribbean.

Welcoming participants at the session, Mr. Dale Joseph, Chief Analyst, Cyber, CARICOM IMPACS, emphasised that the diverse gathering reflected a growing regional recognition that cyber security, financial security and technological innovation are deeply interconnected and demand a coordinated regional response.

He also highlighted both the vast potential and the serious exposure brought on by digital transformation. “The rapid growth of virtual assets and blockchain-based technologies is transforming the global financial ecosystem. These innovations present tremendous opportunities for economic development, financial inclusion, cross-border transactions and digital innovation. At the same time, they introduce new regulatory, security and investigative challenges that require careful consideration and proactive action", he explained.

Mr. Joseph added that as a Region, the Caribbean must position itself to capitalise on the benefits of emerging technologies while strengthening its ability to mitigate associated risks, including cyber-enabled financial crime, fraud, money laundering, terrorist financing and other forms of illicit activity. “Achieving this balance demands collaboration among policymakers, regulators, security practitioners, financial institutions and technology experts", he noted.

Featured guest presenter Mr. Shiva Bissessar, Principal Consultant, Pinaka Consulting Ltd, provided expert insights into the virtual asset landscape, blockchain compliance and financial crime risk management. He provided actionable insights to equip regional stakeholders with the knowledge and tools to navigate the evolving digital finance landscape, centred around three core pillars.

Firstly, foundational discussions examined the transformative role of virtual assets, tokenisation and Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs) within both global and regional financial systems, highlighting how these innovations can drive economic development, financial inclusion and cross-border trade if managed effectively.

Secondly, the session addressed regulatory alignment by mapping Caribbean law enforcement and regulatory responses directly against international standard-setting bodies, including the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), Financial Stability Board (FSB) and International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO), to ensure regional compliance and counter money laundering and terrorist financing.

Finally, participants explored advanced investigative techniques, focusing on how cutting-edge blockchain analytics and Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) tools can be actively deployed by law enforcement and financial intelligence units to trace illicit flows, disrupt ransomware operations and dismantle cross-border financial crime networks.

Grounded in CARICOM IMPACS’ motto of "Mutual Security Through Partnership", the session closed with an urgent call for ongoing regional collaboration. Attendees were urged to actively bridge the gap between innovation and defence, ensuring that the Caribbean not only adapts to the digital asset revolution but leads the way in securing its financial borders.