Compliance, decoded.
Field-tested guides, regulation explainers and engineering write-ups on AML screening, KYC verification and the FATF Travel Rule.
Sanctions Screening Explained: Lists, Sources, and Workflows
The technical anatomy of sanctions screening: how lists are normalised, how the matching engine actually decides, how screening plugs into onboarding and transaction flows, and the operational workflow when a hit lands.
OFAC vs UN vs EU vs UK Sanctions Lists Compared
The four largest sanctions regimes — OFAC SDN, UN Consolidated, EU Consolidated and UK HMT OFSI — compared across scope, matching nuance, update cadence, format and binding force. Which regime applies to which scenario.
What Is a VASP? Definition, Categories, Obligations
FATF's 2018 VASP definition is the foundational concept in global crypto regulation. This article covers the formal definition, the five activity categories, the AML/KYC and Travel Rule obligations that follow, the EU's CASP equivalent under MiCA, and the practical scope analysis for exchanges, custodians and OTC desks.
Turkey's Remote Customer Onboarding Regulation Explained
Turkey's BDDK Remote Customer Onboarding Regulation, effective May 2021, set the framework for banks and EMIs to acquire customers without physical presence. This article explains the regulation, compares it to EU and UK frameworks, and translates it for cross-border institutions evaluating Turkey market entry.
UK Travel Rule and JMLSG Guidance for VASPs
The UK Travel Rule for cryptoasset transfers came into force on 1 September 2023 through amendments to MLR 2017. The UK regime differs from the EU TFR in two important ways: a £1,000 threshold for transfers between hosted and unhosted wallets (TFR uses €0 for all transfers), and a risk-based 'sunrise' flexibility where counterpart VASPs cannot exchange Travel Rule data. This guide covers the JMLSG Sector 22 interpretation, threshold and geographic scope, beneficiary VASP verification, FCA expectations, the common operational failure modes and a side-by-side comparison with the EU TFR — written for compliance and product teams at UK-registered cryptoasset firms and international CASPs serving UK customers.
UK MLR 2017 (Money Laundering Regulations) Explained
The Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information on the Payer) Regulations 2017 (SI 2017/692) is the UK's core AML/CTF regulation. In force since 26 June 2017, the 2020 amendment brought cryptoasset firms into scope and the 2023 amendment introduced the UK Travel Rule. This guide covers regulated entity categories, the risk-based approach, CDD/EDD standards, PEP rules, beneficial ownership identification, the SAR reporting line to the NCA, the multi-supervisor regime (FCA/HMRC/professional bodies) and the practical compliance checklist for international firms expanding into the UK market.
UK Financial Regulation Guide: FCA, MLR 2017, and JMLSG
UK financial regulation rests on the FCA, PRA and PSR architecture, with AML rules anchored in MLR 2017 and operationalised through JMLSG guidance. This guide walks through the FCA cryptoasset registration regime, MLR 2017 obligations, JMLSG Sector 22 and the UK Travel Rule, EMI authorisation, and the most important post-Brexit divergences from EU rules. Written for compliance, legal and product leaders weighing UK market entry, with realistic costs and timelines.
UK E-Money Institution FCA Authorisation Roadmap
Conducting e-money business in the UK requires FCA authorisation as an authorised E-Money Institution (EMI). This 9-step roadmap covers pre-application, the FCA application form, the regulatory business plan, financial projections, IT and cyber security, the safeguarding plan, SMCR appointments, the post-Brexit absence of passporting and the gateway requirements. It includes the £350,000 initial capital requirement, realistic 9-15 month timelines, £150K-£400K cost ranges and the specific pitfalls international fintechs encounter when entering the UK e-money market.
Turkey Financial Compliance: The AML/KYC Regulatory Guide
Turkey's AML/KYC architecture is fragmented across four overlapping regulators (MASAK, SPK, BDDK, CBRT) and a stack of secondary legislation that keeps shifting. This pillar guide gives international operators and Turkish compliance teams a single reference: which law sits under which authority, reporting deadlines, thresholds, customer onboarding rules and the operational details that consume the most analyst hours in real deployments.
Travel Rule by Jurisdiction: EU vs UK vs Turkey
Travel Rule is a global standard, but implementation varies by jurisdiction — sometimes in ways that feel small but matter operationally. This guide compares the EU's TFR (€0 threshold, December 2024), the UK's MLR 2017 amendment (£1,000 threshold, September 2023), and Turkey's emerging KVHS framework. A decision-hub article for VASPs operating across all three markets.
The Travel Rule Sunrise Problem and Practical Workarounds
The sunrise problem is the operational gap created by uneven global adoption of the FATF Travel Rule. This article covers the causes, the jurisdictional map, the three main fallback strategies (reject, hold, retain), real-world gap rates, and near-term trends — particularly for exchanges with EU/UK/US transfer flows.
FATF Travel Rule: The Definitive Guide for VASPs
The Travel Rule — FATF Recommendation 16 adapted to virtual asset transfers — mandates that originator and beneficiary data accompany crypto transfers between VASPs. This guide covers scope, the IVMS 101 data standard, the sunrise problem, jurisdictional differences (EU, UK, Turkey), and an 8-step implementation architecture for crypto exchanges, custodians and licensed VASPs in EU/UK markets.
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