US Regulator Slams Crypto Bank Anchorage for AML Lapses
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The US Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) has found some lapses with the know-your-customer (KYC
Know Your Customer (KYC)
Know Your Customer (KYC) is the process via which the broker is verifying the true identity of its clients in order to comply with multiple regulations. KYC is used to assess the suitability of customers when it comes to anti-money laundering regulations, any type of financial fraud and determining whether they are potentially risky for the brokerage.In particular, KYC guidelines in financial services mandate that individuals make a cohesive effort to verify the identity, suitability, and risks involved with maintaining a business relationship. KYC processes are also utilized by companies for the purpose of ensuring their proposed customers, agents, consultants, or distributors are anti-bribery compliant. In an age of identity theft and myriad hacking, KYC has become a major emphasis by regulators.As such, banks, insurers, export creditors and other financial institutions are increasingly demanding that customers provide detailed due diligence information. These regulations had initially been imposed only on the financial institutions, having now extended to the non-financial industry, fintech, virtual assets dealers, and many non-profit organizations.Regulators Taking No Chances with Identities Regulated brokers in the retail industry are very stringent when applying appropriate KYC verifications after financial watchdogs worldwide have become stricter in monitoring their compliance with the procedure in recent years. Not only brokers use KYC, the procedure is also widely used by banks, and any financial companies that provide insurance or credit and require appropriate due diligence. Most major jurisdictions in the financial space mandate KYC requirements as well as all regulated brokers.The vast majority of these countries have adopted KYC standards as mandatory only during the past two decades. This has helped curb illicit behavior and has become a fixture of the industry.
Know Your Customer (KYC) is the process via which the broker is verifying the true identity of its clients in order to comply with multiple regulations. KYC is used to assess the suitability of customers when it comes to anti-money laundering regulations, any type of financial fraud and determining whether they are potentially risky for the brokerage.In particular, KYC guidelines in financial services mandate that individuals make a cohesive effort to verify the identity, suitability, and risks involved with maintaining a business relationship. KYC processes are also utilized by companies for the purpose of ensuring their proposed customers, agents, consultants, or distributors are anti-bribery compliant. In an age of identity theft and myriad hacking, KYC has become a major emphasis by regulators.As such, banks, insurers, export creditors and other financial institutions are increasingly demanding that customers provide detailed due diligence information. These regulations had initially been imposed only on the financial institutions, having now extended to the non-financial industry, fintech, virtual assets dealers, and many non-profit organizations.Regulators Taking No Chances with Identities Regulated brokers in the retail industry are very stringent when applying appropriate KYC verifications after financial watchdogs worldwide have become stricter in monitoring their compliance with the procedure in recent years. Not only brokers use KYC, the procedure is also widely used by banks, and any financial companies that provide insurance or credit and require appropriate due diligence. Most major jurisdictions in the financial space mandate KYC requirements as well as all regulated brokers.The vast majority of these countries have adopted KYC standards as mandatory only during the past two decades. This has helped curb illicit behavior and has become a fixture of the industry.
Read this Term) and anti-money laundering (AML
Anti-Money Laundering (AML)
Anti-money laundering (AML) is a term that describes laws, processes, and regulations that are intended to prevent illegally obtained funds from being disguised as income gained through legitimate means. The fundamental purpose of the AML laws is to help safeguard, detect, and report suspicious activity including the predicate offenses to money laundering and terrorist financing, such as securities fraud and market manipulation.Most exchanges have AML measures that include identity verification (Know-Your-Customer checks) and bots that monitor for suspicious trading activity.AML Laws at WorkAML laws take explicit aim at corruption, tax evasion, market manipulation, and the trade of illegal goods. Much of their emphasis also looks to bring to light the efforts individuals or entities utilize to conceal these crimes.Essentially, AML procedures are intended to make it harder for criminals to “hide the loot.” Often, money launderers attempt to disguise their illicitly-obtained funds by funneling it through a legitimate cash business, like a regulated cryptocurrency exchange. Therefore, it is up to the businesses to ensure that they aren’t unwillingly part of a money-laundering scheme.One of the most prevalent issues to combat is laundering, which involves running money through a legitimate cash-based business owned by the criminal organization or its associates. A supposedly legitimate business can then deposit the money, which the criminals can subsequently withdraw.Launderers can also target foreign accounts to make deposits it, depositing cash below several regulatory thresholds that fail to garner suspicion. In the US for example, many transfers or cash payments under $10,000 are unlikely to draw the attention of regulatory authorities.Additionally, money launderers can move cash into dishonest brokers who are willing to ignore existing regulations in return for large commissions.
Anti-money laundering (AML) is a term that describes laws, processes, and regulations that are intended to prevent illegally obtained funds from being disguised as income gained through legitimate means. The fundamental purpose of the AML laws is to help safeguard, detect, and report suspicious activity including the predicate offenses to money laundering and terrorist financing, such as securities fraud and market manipulation.Most exchanges have AML measures that include identity verification (Know-Your-Customer checks) and bots that monitor for suspicious trading activity.AML Laws at WorkAML laws take explicit aim at corruption, tax evasion, market manipulation, and the trade of illegal goods. Much of their emphasis also looks to bring to light the efforts individuals or entities utilize to conceal these crimes.Essentially, AML procedures are intended to make it harder for criminals to “hide the loot.” Often, money launderers attempt to disguise their illicitly-obtained funds by funneling it through a legitimate cash business, like a regulated cryptocurrency exchange. Therefore, it is up to the businesses to ensure that they aren’t unwillingly part of a money-laundering scheme.One of the most prevalent issues to combat is laundering, which involves running money through a legitimate cash-based business owned by the criminal organization or its associates. A supposedly legitimate business can then deposit the money, which the criminals can subsequently withdraw.Launderers can also target foreign accounts to make deposits it, depositing cash below several regulatory thresholds that fail to garner suspicion. In the US for example, many transfers or cash payments under $10,000 are unlikely to draw the attention of regulatory authorities.Additionally, money launderers can move cash into dishonest brokers who are willing to ignore existing regulations in return for large commissions.
Read this Term) provisions of Anchorage Digital Bank, which was granted a conditional national bank charter.
The regulator issued a consent order against the company for the compliance failures, to which the crypto bank also agreed. It issued a cease and desist order and requires Anchorage to revamp its KYC and AML provisions and also accelerate hires.
The order also requires a bank secrecy officer to oversee Anchorage’s compliance with the Bank Secrecy Act, which is deemed as the US’ backbone of banking KYC and AML.
Further, the company needs to form a compliance committee with at least three members and also have to review its existing high-risk clients.
“The OCC holds all nationally chartered banks to the same high standards, whether they engage in traditional or novel activities,” said Michael J. Hsu, the Acting Comptroller of the Currency. “When institutions fall short, we will take action and hold them accountable to ensure compliance with federal laws and regulations.”
The company has already consented to all the findings of the banking regulator and said it is “committed to taking all necessary and appropriate steps to remedy the deficiencies identified by the OCC.”
“The findings that were recently shared by the OCC reflect areas for improvement that were identified by the OCC in 2021 in its supervisory capacity,” Anchorage added.
Crypto Banks
Anchorage received its conditional national bank charter from the OCC in January 2021. It is one of the three crypto banks that has received some kind of approval from the federal banking regulator.
Now, the CEO of stablecoin issuer Circle also revealed his plans to obtain a federal banking charter, but the company is yet to apply for it. However, the OCC did not approve any license to crypto companies under the supervision of Acting Comptroller Hsu.
The US Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) has found some lapses with the know-your-customer (KYC
Know Your Customer (KYC)
Know Your Customer (KYC) is the process via which the broker is verifying the true identity of its clients in order to comply with multiple regulations. KYC is used to assess the suitability of customers when it comes to anti-money laundering regulations, any type of financial fraud and determining whether they are potentially risky for the brokerage.In particular, KYC guidelines in financial services mandate that individuals make a cohesive effort to verify the identity, suitability, and risks involved with maintaining a business relationship. KYC processes are also utilized by companies for the purpose of ensuring their proposed customers, agents, consultants, or distributors are anti-bribery compliant. In an age of identity theft and myriad hacking, KYC has become a major emphasis by regulators.As such, banks, insurers, export creditors and other financial institutions are increasingly demanding that customers provide detailed due diligence information. These regulations had initially been imposed only on the financial institutions, having now extended to the non-financial industry, fintech, virtual assets dealers, and many non-profit organizations.Regulators Taking No Chances with Identities Regulated brokers in the retail industry are very stringent when applying appropriate KYC verifications after financial watchdogs worldwide have become stricter in monitoring their compliance with the procedure in recent years. Not only brokers use KYC, the procedure is also widely used by banks, and any financial companies that provide insurance or credit and require appropriate due diligence. Most major jurisdictions in the financial space mandate KYC requirements as well as all regulated brokers.The vast majority of these countries have adopted KYC standards as mandatory only during the past two decades. This has helped curb illicit behavior and has become a fixture of the industry.
Know Your Customer (KYC) is the process via which the broker is verifying the true identity of its clients in order to comply with multiple regulations. KYC is used to assess the suitability of customers when it comes to anti-money laundering regulations, any type of financial fraud and determining whether they are potentially risky for the brokerage.In particular, KYC guidelines in financial services mandate that individuals make a cohesive effort to verify the identity, suitability, and risks involved with maintaining a business relationship. KYC processes are also utilized by companies for the purpose of ensuring their proposed customers, agents, consultants, or distributors are anti-bribery compliant. In an age of identity theft and myriad hacking, KYC has become a major emphasis by regulators.As such, banks, insurers, export creditors and other financial institutions are increasingly demanding that customers provide detailed due diligence information. These regulations had initially been imposed only on the financial institutions, having now extended to the non-financial industry, fintech, virtual assets dealers, and many non-profit organizations.Regulators Taking No Chances with Identities Regulated brokers in the retail industry are very stringent when applying appropriate KYC verifications after financial watchdogs worldwide have become stricter in monitoring their compliance with the procedure in recent years. Not only brokers use KYC, the procedure is also widely used by banks, and any financial companies that provide insurance or credit and require appropriate due diligence. Most major jurisdictions in the financial space mandate KYC requirements as well as all regulated brokers.The vast majority of these countries have adopted KYC standards as mandatory only during the past two decades. This has helped curb illicit behavior and has become a fixture of the industry.
Read this Term) and anti-money laundering (AML
Anti-Money Laundering (AML)
Anti-money laundering (AML) is a term that describes laws, processes, and regulations that are intended to prevent illegally obtained funds from being disguised as income gained through legitimate means. The fundamental purpose of the AML laws is to help safeguard, detect, and report suspicious activity including the predicate offenses to money laundering and terrorist financing, such as securities fraud and market manipulation.Most exchanges have AML measures that include identity verification (Know-Your-Customer checks) and bots that monitor for suspicious trading activity.AML Laws at WorkAML laws take explicit aim at corruption, tax evasion, market manipulation, and the trade of illegal goods. Much of their emphasis also looks to bring to light the efforts individuals or entities utilize to conceal these crimes.Essentially, AML procedures are intended to make it harder for criminals to “hide the loot.” Often, money launderers attempt to disguise their illicitly-obtained funds by funneling it through a legitimate cash business, like a regulated cryptocurrency exchange. Therefore, it is up to the businesses to ensure that they aren’t unwillingly part of a money-laundering scheme.One of the most prevalent issues to combat is laundering, which involves running money through a legitimate cash-based business owned by the criminal organization or its associates. A supposedly legitimate business can then deposit the money, which the criminals can subsequently withdraw.Launderers can also target foreign accounts to make deposits it, depositing cash below several regulatory thresholds that fail to garner suspicion. In the US for example, many transfers or cash payments under $10,000 are unlikely to draw the attention of regulatory authorities.Additionally, money launderers can move cash into dishonest brokers who are willing to ignore existing regulations in return for large commissions.
Anti-money laundering (AML) is a term that describes laws, processes, and regulations that are intended to prevent illegally obtained funds from being disguised as income gained through legitimate means. The fundamental purpose of the AML laws is to help safeguard, detect, and report suspicious activity including the predicate offenses to money laundering and terrorist financing, such as securities fraud and market manipulation.Most exchanges have AML measures that include identity verification (Know-Your-Customer checks) and bots that monitor for suspicious trading activity.AML Laws at WorkAML laws take explicit aim at corruption, tax evasion, market manipulation, and the trade of illegal goods. Much of their emphasis also looks to bring to light the efforts individuals or entities utilize to conceal these crimes.Essentially, AML procedures are intended to make it harder for criminals to “hide the loot.” Often, money launderers attempt to disguise their illicitly-obtained funds by funneling it through a legitimate cash business, like a regulated cryptocurrency exchange. Therefore, it is up to the businesses to ensure that they aren’t unwillingly part of a money-laundering scheme.One of the most prevalent issues to combat is laundering, which involves running money through a legitimate cash-based business owned by the criminal organization or its associates. A supposedly legitimate business can then deposit the money, which the criminals can subsequently withdraw.Launderers can also target foreign accounts to make deposits it, depositing cash below several regulatory thresholds that fail to garner suspicion. In the US for example, many transfers or cash payments under $10,000 are unlikely to draw the attention of regulatory authorities.Additionally, money launderers can move cash into dishonest brokers who are willing to ignore existing regulations in return for large commissions.
Read this Term) provisions of Anchorage Digital Bank, which was granted a conditional national bank charter.
The regulator issued a consent order against the company for the compliance failures, to which the crypto bank also agreed. It issued a cease and desist order and requires Anchorage to revamp its KYC and AML provisions and also accelerate hires.
The order also requires a bank secrecy officer to oversee Anchorage’s compliance with the Bank Secrecy Act, which is deemed as the US’ backbone of banking KYC and AML.
Further, the company needs to form a compliance committee with at least three members and also have to review its existing high-risk clients.
“The OCC holds all nationally chartered banks to the same high standards, whether they engage in traditional or novel activities,” said Michael J. Hsu, the Acting Comptroller of the Currency. “When institutions fall short, we will take action and hold them accountable to ensure compliance with federal laws and regulations.”
The company has already consented to all the findings of the banking regulator and said it is “committed to taking all necessary and appropriate steps to remedy the deficiencies identified by the OCC.”
“The findings that were recently shared by the OCC reflect areas for improvement that were identified by the OCC in 2021 in its supervisory capacity,” Anchorage added.
Crypto Banks
Anchorage received its conditional national bank charter from the OCC in January 2021. It is one of the three crypto banks that has received some kind of approval from the federal banking regulator.
Now, the CEO of stablecoin issuer Circle also revealed his plans to obtain a federal banking charter, but the company is yet to apply for it. However, the OCC did not approve any license to crypto companies under the supervision of Acting Comptroller Hsu.
Cryptocurrency
