latest blog & article

The Latest Blog & Article section of Fincheck LLC shares expert insights on finance, tax, accounting, and business updates to help you make informed financial decisions.

 
Red Flags Before Kickoff: FinCEN’s FIFA World Cup Human Trafficking Notice and the 5-Week Sprint Ahead

Red Flags Before Kickoff: FinCEN’s FIFA World Cup Human Trafficking Notice and the 5-Week Sprint Ahead

A FinCheck LLC perspective on operationalizing FIN-2026-HTWORLDCUP across MSBs, fintechs, gaming platforms, and BaaS sponsors before June 11,…

Beyond the SDN List: Operationalizing FinCEN’s May 2026 IRGC Alert in Your AML Program

Beyond the SDN List: Operationalizing FinCEN’s May 2026 IRGC Alert in Your AML Program

On May 11, 2026, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) issued one of the most operationally consequential alerts…

The Travel Rule at Five: Why Most VASPs Still Fail FATF Recommendation 16 in 2026

The Travel Rule at Five: Why Most VASPs Still Fail FATF Recommendation 16 in 2026

Five years after the Financial Action Task Force pushed Recommendation 16 — the so-called Travel Rule — into…

The Independent AML Audit in 2026: Top Findings Regulators Are Citing — and How to Fix Them Before They Become Consent Orders

The Independent AML Audit in 2026: Top Findings Regulators Are Citing — and How to Fix Them Before They Become Consent Orders

Every quarter, my team and I close out a fresh batch of independent AML audits across fintechs, money…

The Sweepstakes Casino Reckoning: How the 2026 State Ban Wave Is Reshaping AML & Compliance for the Entire Vendor Stack

The Sweepstakes Casino Reckoning: How the 2026 State Ban Wave Is Reshaping AML & Compliance for the Entire Vendor Stack

On May 6, 2026, three more U.S. states — Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Louisiana — edged within striking distance…

The PEP Paradox: Why Politically Exposed Persons Screening Is Quietly Failing — and How to Rebuild It in 2026

The PEP Paradox: Why Politically Exposed Persons Screening Is Quietly Failing — and How to Rebuild It in 2026

Two decades after the Financial Action Task Force introduced Politically Exposed Persons (PEP) requirements, screening for political risk…

Sponsor Bank Reckoning: Why BaaS Fintech Partnerships Need an AML Reset in 2026

Sponsor Bank Reckoning: Why BaaS Fintech Partnerships Need an AML Reset in 2026

The era of treating Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS) as outsourced compliance is officially over. After the Synapse collapse, a wave…

276 Arrests, Nine Scam Centers Down: What the Global Pig-Butchering Crackdown Means for FinTechs, MSBs and Crypto Firms

276 Arrests, Nine Scam Centers Down: What the Global Pig-Butchering Crackdown Means for FinTechs, MSBs and Crypto Firms

In late April 2026, an international task force led by Dubai Police, with the FBI, China’s Ministry of…

Black Axe in Zurich: Romance Scams, Mule Networks, and the AML Blind Spots Every Financial Institution Must Close

Black Axe in Zurich: Romance Scams, Mule Networks, and the AML Blind Spots Every Financial Institution Must Close

On April 28, 2026, Swiss authorities — supported by Europol and German federal police — executed coordinated raids…

Southwest Border GTO 2026: Inside FinCEN’s Expanded MSB Reporting Net

Southwest Border GTO 2026: Inside FinCEN’s Expanded MSB Reporting Net

Why this matters right now On March 10, 2026, FinCEN renewed and significantly expanded the Southwest Border Geographic…

When Stablecoins Count as Tangible Net Worth — What the New CSBS MTMA Guidance Means for Money Transmitters

When Stablecoins Count as Tangible Net Worth — What the New CSBS MTMA Guidance Means for Money Transmitters

While federal lawmakers debate the GENIUS Act and Washington writes the rulebook for payment stablecoins, something quieter —…

When ACH Meets Stablecoins: The New AML Frontier at the On- and Off-Ramp

When ACH Meets Stablecoins: The New AML Frontier at the On- and Off-Ramp

Reading NACHA’s 2026 White Paper Through a Financial Crime Lens — and What Banks, Wallet Providers, and Stablecoin…

Fraud–AML Convergence: Why Siloed Financial Crime Programs Are Breaking in 2026

Fraud–AML Convergence: Why Siloed Financial Crime Programs Are Breaking in 2026

Regulators, criminals, and boards are all pushing the same message — it is time to tear down the…

Correspondent Banking De-Risking in 2026: Why MSBs and Fintechs Are Being Shut Out — and Five Moves to Preserve Banking Relationships

Correspondent Banking De-Risking in 2026: Why MSBs and Fintechs Are Being Shut Out — and Five Moves to Preserve Banking Relationships

Last quarter, three Money Service Businesses I advise received nearly identical letters: “After a comprehensive review of your…

The GENIUS Act Meets the BSA: What the New Stablecoin AML and Sanctions Rules Mean for Compliance Teams

The GENIUS Act Meets the BSA: What the New Stablecoin AML and Sanctions Rules Mean for Compliance Teams

On April 8, 2026, the U.S. Department of the Treasury dropped what many in the compliance community have…

From Rule Books to Reasoning Machines: How Agentic AI Is Redefining AML Transaction Monitoring in 2026

From Rule Books to Reasoning Machines: How Agentic AI Is Redefining AML Transaction Monitoring in 2026

There is a crisis hiding in plain sight inside most financial institutions’ compliance operations. It has nothing to…

EU AMLA Is Live: Europe’s New AML Watchdog and What It Means for Your Business

EU AMLA Is Live: Europe’s New AML Watchdog and What It Means for Your Business

On 24 March 2026, the European Anti-Money Laundering Authority (AMLA) held its first public hearing — a moment…

iGaming & Sweepstakes in the USA: The Rising AML & Financial Crime Frontier

iGaming & Sweepstakes in the USA: The Rising AML & Financial Crime Frontier

The United States iGaming and sweepstakes industry has experienced explosive growth over the past several years, attracting millions…

The Biggest AML Reform in a Generation: What FinCEN’s Proposed Rule Means for Your Compliance Programme

The Biggest AML Reform in a Generation: What FinCEN’s Proposed Rule Means for Your Compliance Programme

On 7 April 2026, United States financial regulators took a step that compliance professionals have been anticipating —…

KYC Compliance Services: What Every FinTech Startup Needs to Know Before You Scale

KYC Compliance Services: What Every FinTech Startup Needs to Know Before You Scale

For a fintech startup, the path from product launch to regulated operations can feel like navigating a maze…

How to Register as an MSB with FinCEN: A Step-by-Step Compliance Guide

How to Register as an MSB with FinCEN: A Step-by-Step Compliance Guide

  If you’re building a fintech company, launching a crypto exchange, or operating a payment processing platform in…

UK AML Regulations for FinTech & Crypto Firms: What You Need to Know in 2026

UK AML Regulations for FinTech & Crypto Firms: What You Need to Know in 2026

A practical guide for fintech founders, crypto operators, and compliance professionals navigating the UK regulatory landscape. The Compliance…

Crypto AML Regulations in the United States

Crypto AML Regulations in the United States

The cryptocurrency industry in the United States has moved from experimental technology to mainstream financial infrastructure. Billions of…

Money Transmitter License in USA – Complete Guide

Money Transmitter License in USA – Complete Guide

Money Transmitter License in USA: Complete Compliance Guide for 2026 Getting a money transmitter license in the USA…

AML Compliance Consulting Services for FinTech Companies

AML Compliance Consulting Services for FinTech Companies

AML Compliance Consulting Services for FinTech Companies Navigating the complex world of anti-money laundering regulations can make or…

What is AML Compliance and Why It Matters for FinTech

What is AML Compliance and Why It Matters for FinTech

The FinTech revolution has transformed how billions of people access financial services. But this innovation comes with a…