Money laundering can have negative effects on a country’s currencies and interest rates, as it distorts the allocation of resources and the demand and supply ofmoney. According to the IMF1, money laundering can also adversely affect currencies and interest rates as launderers reinvest funds where their schemes are less likely to be detected, rather than where rates of return are higher. This can create artificial fluctuations and imbalances in the exchange and interest rates, and undermine the effectiveness of monetary policy. For example, if launderers invest in low-yield assets such as government bonds or real estate, they may drive up the prices and lower the yields of these assets, while reducing the availability of funds for more productive investments. This can also affect the inflation and growth prospects of the country.
1: Macroeconomic Implications of Money Laundering by Peter J. Quirk, IMF Working Paper, 1996
2: Understanding Money Laundering: How It Impacts the Global Economy by Tookitaki, 2019
3: Money Laundering by U.S. Department of the Treasury, 2021
4: The Consequences of Money Laundering and Financial Crime by John McDowell and Gary Novis, U.S. Department of State, 2001
