AML Compliance in 2026: What Regulated Firms Should Be Preparing For
Anti-money laundering compliance is becoming more complex, more technology-driven and more closely linked with sanctions, fraud and financial crime controls. For firms operating in the UK, EU or US, 2026 is not a year to treat AML as a routine policy refresh. Regulators are raising expectations around beneficial ownership, cryptoasset exposure, sanctions evasion, AI-enabled fraud, customer risk assessment and the quality of ongoing monitoring. The direction of […]
Manual vs automated AML compliance
Manual vs automated AML compliance Anti-money laundering requirements are constantly evolving. As a result, many regulated firms are reassessing how they manage compliance—specifically, whether to rely on manual processes, invest in automation, or use a blend of both. But first, let’s be clear about what we’re actually comparing. What manual compliance looks like in practice […]
AI A Tomorrow Problem
The electronic identity verification (eIDV) industry frequently highlights the measures it uses to combat fraud, AI-driven attacks, and synthetic identities, pointing to advancements such as passport chip verification (PCV). However, the core issue is simple: we are waiting for the fire before deciding how to fight it. AI has created two fundamental challenges. The first […]
Red Flags of Money Laundering in Real Estate Transactions
Real estate is a common avenue for money laundering due to the high value and liquidity of properties. Suspicious activity may include unusually complex transactions, such as multiple transfers, layered ownership, or frequent refinancing, which can obscure the source of funds. Large cash payments or deals made without a clear financial history are also major […]
Customer Due Diligence (CDD) vs Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD): What’s the Difference?
In today’s risk-driven regulatory environment, understanding the difference between Customer Due Diligence (CDD) and Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD) is essential for maintaining strong AML compliance. Global standards set by organizations such as FATF require businesses to apply a risk-based approach when onboarding and monitoring customers. Customer Due Diligence (CDD) is the standard verification process applied […]
How technology is transforming AML compliance
Anti-Money Laundering (AML) compliance is rapidly evolving as financial crime becomes more complex and global. Regulatory expectations from authorities such as FATF and FinCEN are pushing institutions to adopt smarter, technology-driven solutions. Artificial intelligence and machine learning are transforming transaction monitoring by identifying suspicious patterns in real time and significantly reducing false positives. Artificial Intelligence […]
UBO vs PSC: What’s the Difference?
Understanding who ultimately controls a company is a key part of modern compliance. Two terms often used are UBO (Ultimate Beneficial Owner) and PSC (Person with Significant Control) and while they overlap, they are not the same. What Is a UBO? A UBO is the individual who ultimately owns or controls a company and benefits […]
AML & Compliance Trends to Watch This Year
AML and compliance expectations continue to evolve as regulators respond to increasingly complex financial crime risks. Businesses of all sizes must remain aware of the key trends shaping compliance this year. Increased Regulatory Enforcement Regulators are issuing higher fines and expanding enforcement beyond large institutions to include SMEs and startups. Weak or outdated compliance programs […]
AML Compliance for Real Estate Agents
The real estate sector is widely recognised as vulnerable to money laundering due to the high value of transactions and the ability to obscure the origin of funds through property purchases. Criminals may use property investments to integrate illicit money into the legitimate economy, store wealth anonymously, or move funds across borders. As a result, […]
The Difference Between AML and KYC
Although AML and KYC are often used interchangeably, they are not the same. KYC is a component of AML, not a substitute for it. Anti-Money Laundering (AML) refers to the entire framework of laws, regulations, policies, and procedures designed to detect and prevent financial crime. It includes customer due diligence, transaction monitoring, sanctions screening, PEP […]
