Smarter Compliance for Fintech Growth – Part One

U.S. fintechs have become key players in the financial ecosystem, but rapid innovation now comes with tougher scrutiny. Regulators such as FinCEN, the OCC, and state agencies are applying bank-grade AML and FCC oversight, holding fintechs accountable to the same standards as traditional institutions. Enforcement actions against Block (Cash App), Wise US, and OKX highlight the heavy costs of underperforming—from multi-million-dollar fines to reputational fallout and partner derisking. Part 1 of this white paper examines why compliance now sits at the heart of fintech risk, the dangers of manual and siloed processes, and how AI-driven compliance frameworks can reduce false positives, accelerate onboarding, and transform compliance into a foundation for sustainable growth.