Virtual Currencies: New Challenges to the Right to Privacy? An Assessment under the V AML Directive and the GDPR

The purpose of this article is to analyse virtual currencies, with specific regard to Bitcoins, in light of a specific human right, the right to privacy, which constitutes the red thread of the legal arguments. In the first part, this contribution will reflect on the effectiveness of the Fifth European Union Anti-Money Laundering Directive (V AML Directive) in 'regulating' the exchange between fiat and virtual currencies for the purpose of anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing. In the second part, it will explore whether the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is applicable or not to the virtual currencies network.