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The Asian tiger mosquito <i>Aedes albopictus</i> is a competent vector for several human arboviruses including dengue, chikungunya and Zika viruses. Mosquitoes also harbor insect-specific viruses (ISVs) that may modulate host physiology and potentially affect the transmission of viruses that are pathogenic to vertebrates, thus representing a potential tool for vector control strategies. In <i>Ae. albopictus</i> we identified a novel anphevirus (family <i>Xinmoviridae;</i> order <i>Mononegavirales</i>) provisionally designated here as Aedes albopictus anphevirus (AealbAV). AealbAV contains a ~12.4 kb genome that is highly divergent from currently known viruses but displays gene content and genomic organization typical of known anpheviruses. We identified AealbAV in several publicly available RNA-Seq datasets from different geographical regions both in laboratory colonies and field collected mosquitoes. Coding-complete genomes of AealbAV strains are highly similar worldwide (>96% nucleotide identity) and cluster according to the geographical origin of their hosts. AealbAV appears to be present in various body compartments and mosquito life stages, including eggs. We further detected AealbAV-derived vsiRNAs and vpiRNAs in publicly available miRNA-Seq libraries of <i>Ae. albopictus</i> and in samples experimentally coinfected with chikungunya virus. This suggests that AealbAV is targeted by the host RNA interference (RNAi) response, consistent with persistent virus replication. The discovery and characterization of AealbAV in <i>Ae. albopictus</i> will now allow us to identify its infection in mosquito populations and laboratory strains, and to assess its potential impact on <i>Ae. albopictus</i> physiology and ability to transmit arboviruses.