Under the Bank Secrecy Act, what triggers currency transaction reporting?

• A. A cash transaction exceeding $10,000 in a single day.
• B. A cash transaction of any amount.
• C. Only transactions by foreign persons.
• D. No reporting for cash transactions.

Answer: (A)

The main idea is that large cash movements are tracked under the Bank Secrecy Act. A Currency Transaction Report is filed whenever a cash transaction crosses the $10,000 threshold in a single business day. This threshold is the trigger that prompts banks and other financial institutions to report the activity to regulators, helping to detect potential money laundering or illicit activity. It doesn’t matter who the transaction is with—anyone moving more than $10,000 in cash in one day requires reporting. Small cash transactions below this amount aren’t reported. In practice, related transactions within the same 24-hour period that add up to more than $10,000 may also need reporting to prevent evasion, but the fundamental trigger is surpassing the $10,000 mark in one day.