Policy Forum 

# Fifty-Five Years of the Bank Secrecy Act 

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Date and Time 

October 15, 2025 11 AM - 12 PM EDT 

Location 

Cato Institute, 1000 Massachusetts Ave, NW, Washington, DC 

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##### Featuring 

[![Nicholas Anthony Cropped](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/author_picture/public/2025-02/NicholasAnthony-cropped.jpg?itok=f4HYrot7)](/people/nicholas-anthony) 

[Nicholas Anthony](/people/nicholas-anthony)

Research Fellow, Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives

[ 

](https://x.com/EconWithNick) 

![Naomi Brockwell](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/author_picture/public/2025-09/naomi-brockwell-circle.jpeg?itok=I-Q_M7eA) 

Naomi Brockwell 

President, Ludlow Institute

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](https://twitter.com/naomibrockwell) 

[![Norbert Michel Cropped](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/author_picture/public/2025-01/norbert-m-cropped.jpg?itok=8WIx97Dk)](/people/norbert-michel) 

[Norbert J. Michel](/people/norbert-michel)

Vice President and Director, Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives, Cato Institute

[ 

](https://x.com/norbertjmichel) 

Since its passage in 1970, the Bank Secrecy Act has fundamentally transformed the relationship between Americans and their financial institutions, creating an unprecedented surveillance apparatus that monitors virtually every financial transaction. What began as a tool to combat tax cheats has evolved into a comprehensive system of financial monitoring that affects everyone.

This timely discussion will explore how the Bank Secrecy Act has shaped modern banking, its implications for Fourth Amendment protections, and the urgent need for reform in an era of increasing digital surveillance. Our panel will examine the intersection of financial privacy, technological innovation, and constitutional rights, offering insights into how we can restore the balance between security and liberty.

Join us for a critical examination of the Bank Secrecy Act as it reaches its 55th anniversary—a milestone that calls for urgent reflection on the state of financial privacy in America.

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