Maha Al-Saadi

On October 7, the FDIC and the OCC jointly issued a proposal to define “unsafe or unsound practice” under section 8 of the FDIA. If adopted, the proposal is likely to result in the issuance of fewer MRAs by the agencies and fewer instances of banks becoming subject to the negative consequences that accompany a “less-than-satisfactory” CAMELS rating.   Subscribe to our memos: https://lnkd.in/dEuHB5Z Learn more: https://lnkd.in/euT2c9Yq

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Soli AI | Turning AML Alerts into Structured Case Intelligence An AML alert is only the starting point. The real work begins when an investigator has to connect: 🚨 Why was it flagged? 📄 What evidence supports the concern? 🔗 Are related transactions or entities involved? ⚖️ Which risk indicators matter? The information often already exists. The challenge is that it is spread across different systems, records and investigation steps. Soli is being designed to bring these fragmented signals together as structured case intelligence. Within a governed environment, Soli can help organise: 🧩 Case Context — what is happening 📚 Supporting Evidence — what supports the concern ⚠️ Risk Indicators — what requires attention 🧠 Structured Reasoning — how the signals connect 👤 Analyst Review — where the final judgement remains The objective is not to let AI make the AML decision. It is to give investigators a clearer, explainable and traceable foundation for making that decision. Alert → Context → Evidence → Reasoning → Decision Because the real value of AI in AML is not finding one more signal. It is helping investigators understand what the signals mean together. #Saolix #SoliAI #AML #GovernedAI #FinancialCrime #ComplianceTechnology #AILabPage

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Over 100 jurisdictions now collect beneficial ownership data, and almost none of it connects effectively across borders. Today Open Ownership is publishing the blueprint for fixing that. "Connecting Ownership Data: Practical Pathways to Tackle Cross-Border Financial Crime" is the product of a year's work by our Expert Taskforce on Interoperable Beneficial Ownership Data - 50+ experts convened with LSEG Risk Intelligence and Global Coalition to Fight Financial Crime. The timing is important: right now the EU is deciding how its registers will connect and who will have access, and countries' implementation of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF)'s strengthened Recommendation 24 is now being assessed through mutual evaluations and a new UK presidency (cc Giles Thomson) starting soon that will prioritise cross-border data sharing. This report is for the people doing that work. Inside: three dimensions of interoperability, five plausible scenarios that bring this to life and nine recommendations. Huge thanks to Andon Rumenov for authoring this alongside Louise Russell-Prywata and Julie R. from my team. https://lnkd.in/e9gY6iK8

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🕙 SAGA #003 "THE GREY LIST TRAP"- EPISODE 2: THE EFFECTIVENESS TRAP STOP CELEBRATING RECORD SAR VOLUMES. IT IS A FAILURE. Under the new FATF Methodology (Dec 2025), filing 10,000 Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) is no longer a defense. It is an admission of "System Flooding". The Grey List is no longer triggered by a lack of reporting. It is triggered by the "Funnel of Failure": Massive Input (Defensive Filing) ➔ Zero Output (Asset Recovery). The IO.3 Shift : Assessors now penalize "Defensive Filing" as a failure of Preventive Measures. The only metric that protects your license is the Conversion Rate : How many of your alerts actually led to a law enforcement investigation ? If the answer is <1%, your detection model is technically compliant but effectively useless. 👉 Swipe to audit your Conversion Funnel. 📥 Download the IO.3 Intelligence Brief (10 pages) in the first comment. #FATF #IO3 #Effectiveness #Banking #DefensiveFiling #AssetRecovery #TheAMLReviewer

US Regulators Propose Changes to Community Bank Leverage Ratio Framework 📅 Date: 25 November 2025 📍 Source: Federal Reserve, USA 🛡 Subject: Community Banks Key Highlights: 🔧 Case Overview: U.S. federal banking regulators have proposed revisions to the Community Bank Leverage Ratio (CBLR) framework to reduce regulatory burden and provide community banks with greater capital management flexibility. The proposal aims to better reflect the unique business models and risk profiles of community banks. 🔍 Findings: The proposal recommends: Lowering the CBLR requirement from 9% to 8% Extending the grace period from 2 to 4 quarters for banks that fall out of compliance Retaining capital levels comparable to (or higher than) risk-based requirements Maintaining a leverage ratio double the minimum required for non-CBLR banks These changes are expected to streamline reporting, enhance optionality, and support community banks’ ability to serve local economies. 💼 Regulatory Implications: The proposal reinforces regulators’ commitment to tailored supervision, balancing reduced compliance burden with strong safeguards. While simplifying capital rules, the framework maintains robust capital expectations to ensure safety and soundness across the sector. 📌 Strategic Insight: For community banks, the revised CBLR offers clearer regulatory pathways, improved resilience planning, and greater operational flexibility—critical for navigating evolving market conditions. Proactive evaluation of capital strategy, opt-in decisions, and scenario impacts will be essential. Link: https://lnkd.in/gqiEcGfa 🔔 Follow RegLex for updates on U.S. banking regulations, capital frameworks, and enforcement actions shaping the financial system. #USBanking #FDIC #FederalReserve #OCC #RegLexUpdates #CommunityBanks #CapitalRequirements #RiskManagement #FinancialRegulation #BankSupervision

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The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has updated its Jurisdictions under Increased Monitoring list as of 13 February 2026. These jurisdictions are actively working with the FATF to address strategic deficiencies in their AML/CFT/CPF frameworks but remain subject to enhanced monitoring until improvements are made. Key changes: • Kuwait has been added to the list of jurisdictions under increased monitoring. • Papua New Guinea is also newly included. The FATF reiterates that financial institutions and DNFBPs must apply: • Enhanced customer due diligence (EDD) • Increased transaction monitoring • Enhanced reporting obligations • Proportionate countermeasures where required What this signals for institutions: • Heightened cross-border transaction scrutiny • Increased regulatory expectations around sanctions and proliferation financing controls • Stronger board oversight of high-risk jurisdiction exposure • Greater emphasis on documented risk assessments and enhanced monitoring frameworks At Acrion, we continue to support institutions in strengthening AML governance frameworks, risk assessments and regulatory readiness in line with evolving FATF standards. If you would like to assess your exposure to high-risk jurisdictions or review your enhanced due diligence controls, we would be pleased to connect. Read the full publication HERE: https://lnkd.in/dUVzteBC #AcrionLtd #RegulationWatch #FATF #AML #CFT #Compliance #RiskManagement #EDD #Sanctions #FinancialCrime

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de Risk Partners was proud to co-sponsor and participate in the Compliance Conference (Sanctions, AML & CFT for Banking & Finance in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia), organised by Neilson Smith. The event brought together AML and sanctions leaders, regulators, and government officials from across Saudi Arabia, the GCC, and the US - a powerful forum to explore the evolving future of financial compliance. 💡 Our Key Takeaways Our CEO & Founder, Ravi de Silva, joined a panel on the transformative role of AI and digital assets in financial services. He emphasised how technology can enhance both the effectiveness and efficiency of AML and sanctions compliance - critical priorities for the year ahead. Ravi shared how de Risk Partners’ Integrated Compliance Solutions are helping institutions overcome cost, implementation, and fragmentation challenges to make AI-driven compliance both accessible and actionable. A recurring theme throughout the conference was the desire to harness AI for financial crime prevention - yet many organisations still face uncertainty about how to deploy it effectively. Our Compliance as a Service (CaaS) offering directly addresses this need, enabling firms to integrate AI securely and affordably. A big thank you to Batoul Assi and Christos Christou from LuLu Exchange for their engaging presentations and conversations. Their work truly reflects the spirit of collaboration that’s driving innovation across our industry. Across all discussions, one theme was clear - compliance leaders are eager to adopt AI, but the landscape remains fragmented. At de Risk Partners, we’re bridging that gap with integrated, tech-enabled solutions that empower financial institutions to innovate confidently and transform compliance into a true strategic advantage. We’re proud to have supported this landmark event and extend congratulations to all speakers, organisers, and attendees for setting a new standard for collaboration in the region. For the latest news and interviews from de Risk Partners, head over to our channel page: https://lnkd.in/g5Yn5Rsw

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Senior Associate Bassem Ehab and AML/CFT Compliance Officer Mohamed Shalaby examine the latest regulatory expectations for UAE DNFBPs on Ultimate Beneficial Ownership (UBO) identification.   The analysis highlights practical steps to trace ownership through nominees and complex structures, detect red flags, and comply with Federal Decree-Law No. 10 of 2025 and Cabinet Resolution No. 109 of 2023. By following these guidelines, businesses can strengthen compliance frameworks, mitigate financial crime risks, and ensure transparency in client relationships.   Read the full analysis here: https://lnkd.in/dtCDke8x

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Supervisory reviews in the UAE increasingly focus on how AML decisions are evidenced and governed, rather than the volume of documentation produced. Many firms are confident in their frameworks, but the real test comes when supervisors assess how those controls operate in practice. Gaps often appear in the same areas: unclear escalation rationale, weak evidence supporting risk decisions, or governance that doesn’t function as intended. These are the points that determine whether a firm is genuinely inspection‑ready. Independent inspection‑readiness reviews help firms understand how their AML framework performs under real supervisory scrutiny and address issues before they become findings. Where an independent assessment is required, Refyn provides senior‑led AML/FC reviews aligned to UAE supervisory expectations.

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Robust measures and processes are required to meet anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorism financing obligations. In this STEP Journal article @Steve Muscat Azzopardi TEP from Binderr explains why trustees should embrace digital tools to meet growing AML and compliance expectations. 📖Read the article: https://lnkd.in/eBR69qwd Did you find this article useful? Share it with your network! #STEPCPD #AML

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AML/CTF (anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing) is no longer a “big firm” problem for SMSFs. The next phase of AML/CTF reform is set to expand obligations across the SMSF ecosystem - pulling more accountants, advisers and service providers into scope. What’s changing isn’t just regulation. It’s the expectation around process discipline, documentation, and ongoing monitoring. For SMSF teams, this is a shift from reactive compliance to operational readiness - where how you record, evidence and review matters just as much as what you lodge. The firms that prepare early won’t just stay compliant. They’ll reduce friction across every SMSF file. Now is a good time to review whether your SMSF processes are built for a more formal compliance environment. Learn how structured SMSF workflows support ongoing compliance: https://lnkd.in/gYs6hesY #SMSF #AMLCTF #SMSFCompliance #FinancialServices #RegulatoryChange #PracticeOperations #RiskAndCompliance #WealthRecords

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The FATF has published a new report on Offshore Virtual Asset Service Providers (oVASPs), highlighting a growing compliance challenge in crypto. 📢 The key takeaway is that the sector's biggest AML/CFT risks are not always technological. They are increasingly jurisdictional. 🌐 oVASPs operate in one jurisdiction while serving customers in another. 🫥 This cross-border model is not inherently problematic, but when platforms operate from jurisdictions with weak or inconsistent AML/CFT frameworks, regulatory gaps and supervisory blind spots emerge. ⚠️ The FATF highlights several risks and challenges linked to offshore providers: • Platforms actively targeting users in jurisdictions where they are not licensed • Regulatory arbitrage between countries with different frameworks • Nested VASP relationships that obscure underlying customers and transaction flows • Limited physical presence, making supervision and enforcement difficult • Fragmented corporate structures that complicate investigations • The “Sunrise Issue” 🤝 For compliance teams, this reinforces an important reality: Crypto compliance is increasingly a cross-border supervision challenge. 📋 The report also outlines several good practices to mitigate these risks, including: • Improving detection of offshore providers using multiple intelligence sources (blockchain analytics, STRs, OSINT) • Clearly defining what constitutes the active provision of services into a jurisdiction • Requiring licensing or registration for offshore VASPs serving domestic users • Strengthening domestic coordination and international supervisory cooperation • Enhancing due diligence on nested VASP relationships 🔒 For the private sector, the FATF provided even further guidance advising that VASPs should: • assess exposure to offshore platforms • monitor nested relationships • apply group-wide AML/CFT controls • avoid relationships with unlicensed or unregistered VASPs 🚨 As global virtual asset markets continue to evolve, cross-border regulatory gaps are becoming a defining compliance risk for the sector.

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📢 The Financial Services Regulatory Authority (#FSRA) of #ADGM has published #ConsultationPaper No. 9 of 2025, proposing a comprehensive framework for activities involving fiat-referenced tokens (#FRTs). The paper expands oversight beyond issuance to include custody, payment services, and intermediation, while also setting clear standards for the acceptance of both domestic and foreign FRTs. 💡 Key highlights: - FSRA to maintain a list of “Accepted FRTs” (including USDC, USDT, USDP, and approved dirham stablecoins). - New rules for custodians and payment providers handling FRTs. - Introduction of FRT Intermediation as a regulated activity. - Prohibition on issuing dirham-denominated FRTs. The consultation is open until 7 October 2025, a chance for industry voices to help shape the UAE’s evolving digital asset framework. More below 👇 https://lnkd.in/dBSE7z77

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The ADGM FSRA has released a Thematic Review on AML/CFT for Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs) — highlighting strong awareness but major gaps in execution. In this quick explainer, we break down: 🔹 Key findings from the review 🔹 FSRA’s expectations for licensed firms 🔹 The core message: Awareness without execution is not compliance. Presented by 10 Leaves – get in touch for more! #10Leaves#ADGM #FSRA #VASPs #Compliance #AML #CFT #TheRiffle #DigitalAssets

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Understanding ADGM’s Guidance on Crypto Mining Activities The Abu Dhabi Global Market has issued detailed guidance clarifying how crypto mining activities are regulated within its commercial and supervisory framework, setting clear expectations for entities operating in or from ADGM. Our latest briefing highlights key regulatory focus areas, including: ✅ Classification of crypto mining as a licensed commercial activity ✅ Mandatory commercial licensing and regulatory oversight ✅ Governance, cybersecurity, and operational resilience requirements ✅ Transparency obligations, including UBO and on-chain asset disclosures ✅ Enhanced scrutiny for large-scale and global mining operations Watch the video to understand how ADGM is shaping a responsible, risk-based approach to crypto mining and what businesses must do to remain compliant. #ADGM #CryptoMining #DigitalAssets #Regulation #Compliance #Blockchain #RiskManagement #10Leaves

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