smartKYC is proud to announce that we have been named the winner of Most Innovative KYC Investigation & Due Diligence at the A-Team Insight Innovation Awards 2026.

We are proud to announce that smartKYC has been shortlisted in two categories at the 2026 National Technology Awards:

The UK legal profession is entering a very different era of anti-money laundering (AML) regulation. With the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) becoming the sole AML and counter-terrorist financing (CTF) regulator for professional legal services replacing the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), law firms will soon be held to the same expectations that banks have lived with for years.

In the fast-evolving world of compliance and due diligence, understanding the difference between screening and monitoring isn’t just semantic, it’s strategic. For financial institutions, regulated industries, and global corporates, understanding these two pillars of Know Your Customer (KYC) is critical to building robust, proactive risk management programs.

In the constantly evolving world of financial crime compliance, Know Your Customer (KYC) processes remain both indispensable and increasingly complex. As institutions face growing regulatory demands, exploding volumes of data, and a constantly shifting threat landscape, artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a powerful tool to automate and enhance due diligence.

In the pursuit of Know Your Customer (KYC) and broader financial crime and third-party risk compliance, open-source intelligence (OSINT) has emerged as a vital weapon. By definition, OSINT refers to data collected from publicly available sources, such as news websites, blogs, company registries, court databases, and social media. Its value lies in its ability to surface risk-relevant information that traditional data providers may miss, especially in relation to reputational, political, legal, or ESG-related concerns.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming compliance functions, with adverse media screening among its most high-impact use cases. By automatically scanning open-source data for reputational risks, financial crime links, or ESG red flags, AI-powered tools promise to enhance Know Your Customer (KYC) and supplier screening processes and reduce human workload. But what happens when AI gets it wrong?

In today’s globalized compliance landscape, adverse media screening plays a critical role in identifying potential risks associated with individuals and entities. However, a fundamental challenge arises from how different legal systems approach privacy and transparency, particularly when it comes to naming individuals in media reports.

In today’s complex regulatory environment, adverse media screening (AMS) plays a critical role in Know Your Customer (KYC), Anti-Money Laundering (AML), and Counterparty Risk Management. Financial institutions, multinational corporations, and other regulated industries must ensure that they are not unknowingly engaging with individuals or entities involved in criminal activities, financial misconduct, or reputational risks.

In the modern complex regulatory environment, Know Your Customer (KYC) screening is a cornerstone of compliance for financial institutions, corporations, and regulated industries.

The role of Know Your Customer (KYC) analysts has undergone a profound transformation over the past decade, shaped largely by advances in technology, particularly artificial intelligence (AI) and more recently, Generative AI. Historically, the job of a KYC analyst revolved around manually processing large amounts of data, reviewing customer profiles, performing ID verifications, cross-referencing watchlists, conducting adverse media screening, and ensuring compliance with ever-changing regulatory standards.