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Addressing AML Compliance at Digital Banks in SE Asia with Tookitaki

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Tookitaki
4 min
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The financial industry in Southeast Asia is undergoing a transformative period, with digital banking playing a significant role in driving economic growth in the region. With over 675 million people and 71 million micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, Southeast Asia is a breeding ground for digital-first business models. The ASEAN-6 countries of Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines are leading the way in digital financial services, with many new digital banks being granted licenses in recent years. With its strong internet user base at over 460 million, while a great majority of them remain unbanked, Southeast Asia expects a digital banking boom in the coming years.  

However, as the digital banking landscape continues to evolve, digital banks in the region face increasing risks of non-compliance with Anti-Money Laundering (AML) regulations. In this blog, we will discuss how Tookitaki's platform can help digital banks in Southeast Asia mitigate AML compliance risks and stay compliant in today's ever-changing environment.

AML Compliance Challenges for Digital Banks in Southeast Asia

While digital banks in the region have the potential to provide greater access to financial services for the large population of unbanked individuals and micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), they also face unique challenges in terms of AML compliance. One of the key challenges faced by digital banks in Southeast Asia is the lack of a consistent regulatory environment across the region. Each country in Southeast Asia has its own set of AML regulations, which can make it difficult for digital banks to ensure compliance across multiple jurisdictions. Additionally, the regulatory landscape is rapidly evolving, with regulators in some countries issuing new licenses for digital banks and others in the process of developing regulations for the sector. Another challenge is the evolving financial crime landscape where digitally-enabled criminals are likely to abuse the shortcomings in the digital financial system and regulations. 

These challenges can have a significant impact on digital banks' operations and bottom line. The lack of a consistent regulatory environment can increase the complexity and cost of compliance, making it difficult for digital banks to efficiently manage their AML risks. Furthermore, non-compliance can result in hefty fines and reputational damage, which can hurt digital banks' bottom line. Therefore, it is crucial for digital banks in Southeast Asia to have a robust and adaptive AML compliance program in place to mitigate these risks and stay competitive in the rapidly evolving digital banking landscape.

Read More: Fighting FinCrime in SE Asia: Need for a Community-based Approach

How Can Tookitaki Help Digital Banks with AML Compliance?

Tookitaki's Anti-Money Laundering Suite (AMLS) is a comprehensive and end-to-end AML compliance platform designed to assist financial institutions in detecting, preventing and managing financial crimes. The platform is built on a foundation of "collective intelligence," which utilizes the expertise of a network of specialists in various aspects of financial crime to create an exhaustive library of typologies. This enables AMLS to seek out a diverse range of criminal activity, including those unique to the Southeast Asian market.

The platform uses machine learning and big data analytics to provide a comprehensive approach to detecting and preventing financial crime. This allows digital banks to identify suspicious activity more quickly and efficiently, providing them with an extra layer of security. Additionally, Tookitaki's platform allows digital banks to stay ahead of regulatory changes, which is particularly important in the Southeast Asian market where regulatory environments can be complex and dynamic.

The platform comprises four modules – Transaction Monitoring, Smart Screening, Customer Risk Scoring and Case Manager – that are optimized for Intelligent Alert Detection (IAD) and Smart Alert Management (SAM). The Transaction Monitoring module helps financial institutions to identify and monitor suspicious transactions in real time, while the Smart Screening module uses advanced algorithms to automatically screen customers and transactions for potential risks. The Customer Risk Scoring module assigns a risk score to each customer based on their transaction history and other factors, while the Case Manager module allows financial institutions to manage and investigate suspicious activity in a more efficient manner.

By utilizing Tookitaki's platform, digital banks in Southeast Asia can achieve holistic risk coverage across their entire AML program. The platform's community-based approach allows for the sharing and analysis of information and intelligence among a group of organizations, allowing for the identification of patterns and trends in financial crime that may not be visible to individual institutions. This helps digital banks to stay compliant and prevent financial crime, while also maximizing operational efficiency and protecting their bottom line. With Tookitaki's platform, digital banks in Southeast Asia can ensure that they are equipped to handle the unique challenges of the region and stay ahead of the curve in the constantly evolving financial industry.

How Does Community Insights Help Digital Banks?

One example of a typology (created by our community of experts) relevant to digital banks is "money mule" fraud. This type of financial crime involves criminals recruiting individuals, often through job or romance scams, to receive and transfer illegal funds on their behalf. The money is typically transferred through digital banking platforms and can be used to fund a variety of illegal activities, such as drug trafficking or terrorism. Tookitaki's community-based approach helped our digital banking customers to detect this type of fraud by sharing the red flags and intelligence related to money mule activity. By identifying patterns and trends in this type of criminal activity, digital banks can better detect and prevent instances of money mule fraud, thereby protecting themselves and their customers from financial crime risks.

We Can Help You Too!

By utilizing the collective knowledge and experience of this community, Tookitaki has been able to provide digital banks in Southeast Asia with a more comprehensive view of the financial crime risks present in the region. As the digital banking landscape in Southeast Asia continues to grow, it is essential that digital banks stay ahead of the curve when it comes to AML compliance. Tookitaki's platform can help them do just that, by providing them with the tools and insights they need to detect and prevent financial crime, and protect themselves from the risks of hefty fines and reputational damage.

If you're a digital bank operating in Southeast Asia and are looking for a comprehensive solution to mitigate AML compliance risks, we invite you to request a demo of Tookitaki's platform. With our cutting-edge technology and community-based approach, we can help you stay ahead of the curve and protect your bank from the risks of financial crime.

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Blogs
18 Aug 2025
4 min
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Top AML Software Vendors in Australia: What to Look For in 2025

With AUSTRAC raising the bar, choosing the right AML software vendor has never been more critical for Australian institutions.

As money laundering risks intensify and AUSTRAC tightens its enforcement grip, financial institutions across Australia are rethinking their compliance technology. But with so many AML software vendors in the market, how do you know which one truly delivers on detection, efficiency, and regulatory alignment? Choosing wisely isn’t just about avoiding penalties — it’s about building trust, cutting compliance costs, and staying one step ahead of criminals.

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Why Vendor Choice Matters More Than Ever in Australia

1. AUSTRAC’s No-Nonsense Approach

Record-breaking penalties against banks and casinos highlight the risks of weak AML controls. Regulators now expect proactive monitoring and transparent reporting.

2. Instant Payment Risks

With the New Payments Platform (NPP), funds move in seconds — and so can launderers. Vendors must support real-time transaction monitoring.

3. The Cost of Compliance

AML compliance spending in Australia is rising rapidly. Vendors must provide tools that reduce false positives and investigative workload.

4. Complex Laundering Typologies

From trade-based money laundering to digital mule networks, criminals are exploiting new channels. Vendors must offer adaptive, AI-powered solutions.

What to Look for in Top AML Software Vendors

1. Proven AUSTRAC Compliance

The vendor should align with Australian AML/CTF Act obligations, including support for:

  • Suspicious Matter Reports (SMRs)
  • Threshold Transaction Reports (TTRs)
  • Complete audit trails

2. Real-Time Transaction Monitoring

Vendors must provide millisecond-level detection for:

  • Instant payments (NPP)
  • Cross-border corridors
  • Crypto-to-fiat transfers

3. AI and Machine Learning Capabilities

The best vendors go beyond rules, offering:

  • Adaptive anomaly detection
  • False positive reduction
  • Continuous model learning

4. Flexibility and Scalability

Solutions should fit both Tier-1 banks and scaling fintechs. Cloud-ready platforms with modular features are a must.

5. Explainability and Transparency

Glass-box AI ensures regulators and internal teams understand why an alert was generated.

6. Strong Vendor Support

Top vendors provide implementation guidance, typology updates, and local compliance expertise — not just software.

Common Pitfalls When Choosing an AML Vendor

  • Focusing on cost alone: Cheaper vendors often lack the sophistication to detect modern threats.
  • Ignoring integration needs: Some platforms don’t work seamlessly with existing case management systems.
  • Overlooking updates: Vendors that don’t regularly refresh typologies leave institutions vulnerable.
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Trends Among Top AML Vendors in 2025

Federated Intelligence

Leading vendors now share anonymised typologies across institutions to detect emerging risks faster.

Agentic AI

Adaptive agents that handle specific compliance tasks, from risk scoring to case narration.

Simulation Engines

The ability to test new detection scenarios before live deployment.

Cross-Channel Visibility

Unified monitoring across core banking, remittance, wallets, cards, and crypto.

Spotlight: Tookitaki’s FinCense

Among the top AML software vendors, Tookitaki is recognised for reimagining compliance through FinCense, its end-to-end AML and fraud prevention platform.

  • Agentic AI: Detects evolving threats in real time with minimal false positives.
  • Federated Learning: Accesses insights from the AFC Ecosystem — a global compliance network.
  • FinMate AI Copilot: Helps investigators summarise cases, suggest next steps, and generate regulator-ready reports.
  • Full AUSTRAC Compliance: Covers SMRs, TTRs, and explainable audit trails.
  • Real-World Typologies: Continuously updated from actual laundering and fraud scenarios worldwide.

FinCense helps Australian banks, fintechs, and remittance providers meet AUSTRAC’s standards while operating more efficiently and transparently.

Conclusion: Vendor Choice = Competitive Advantage

In Australia, AML software is no longer just about compliance — it’s about resilience, trust, and future-readiness. Choosing from the top AML software vendors means prioritising real-time detection, AI adaptability, and regulatory transparency.

Pro tip: Don’t just buy software. Invest in a vendor that evolves with you — and with the criminals you’re fighting.

Top AML Software Vendors in Australia: What to Look For in 2025
Blogs
18 Aug 2025
3 min
read

AML Compliance for Banks in Hong Kong: Challenges & How Tookitaki Can Help

AML compliance in Hong Kong has become a top priority as financial institutions face growing regulatory pressure and increasingly complex financial crime threats.

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA), in alignment with FATF standards, continues to tighten anti-money laundering (AML) expectations—pushing banks to adopt stronger, more adaptive compliance frameworks. Yet, many institutions still grapple with key challenges: high volumes of false positives, outdated monitoring systems, and the rapid evolution of money laundering techniques.

This blog explores the most pressing AML compliance challenges facing banks in Hong Kong today and how Tookitaki’s AI-powered AML solutions offer a smarter path forward—reducing operational costs, boosting detection accuracy, and future-proofing compliance.

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AML Compliance for Banks in Hong Kong

AML Compliance Challenges for Banks in Hong Kong

1️⃣ Increasing Regulatory Pressure & Evolving Compliance Standards
The HKMA and FATF continue to tighten AML compliance requirements, with banks expected to enhance due diligence, adopt a risk-based approach, and report suspicious activities with greater accuracy. Failure to comply results in severe penalties and reputational damage.

2️⃣ High False Positives & Compliance Costs
Traditional rules-based AML systems generate excessive false positives, leading to inefficient case handling and higher compliance costs. Banks must shift toward AI-powered AML compliance solutions to reduce manual workload and improve detection accuracy.

3️⃣ Cross-Border Transaction Risks & Trade-Based Money Laundering (TBML)
Hong Kong’s status as a global financial hub makes it a prime target for cross-border money laundering networks. Banks must enhance real-time transaction monitoring to detect complex trade-based money laundering (TBML) schemes and prevent illicit financial flows.

4️⃣ Adapting to Digital Banking & Virtual Assets
With the rise of virtual banks, fintechs, and cryptocurrency transactions, banks need scalable AML compliance frameworks that integrate seamlessly with digital banking systems and virtual asset service providers (VASPs).

5️⃣ Emerging Financial Crime Scenarios
Money launderers continuously evolve their tactics, using shell companies, multi-layered transactions, and AI-driven fraud techniques. Banks must deploy AML solutions that can adapt in real-time to emerging threats.

How Tookitaki Helps Banks Strengthen AML Compliance

Tookitaki’s AI-powered AML compliance solutions provide Hong Kong banks with a future-ready approach to financial crime prevention.

Comprehensive AML Transaction Monitoring
✔️ Real-time monitoring of billions of transactions to detect money laundering risks.
✔️ AI-driven anomaly detection to reduce false positives by up to 90%.
✔️ Automated sandbox testing to fine-tune detection models for better regulatory alignment.

Smart Screening for Sanctions & PEP Compliance
✔️ Identify high-risk entities with real-time screening against global sanctions & PEP lists.
✔️ Reduce false alerts using 50+ advanced AI name-matching techniques across 25+ languages.

AI-Driven Customer Risk Scoring
✔️ Generate 360-degree customer risk profiles based on transactions, counterparty data, and behaviour analytics.
✔️ Detect hidden financial crime networks with graph-based risk visualization.

Smart Alert Management & Case Handling
✔️ Reduce false positives by up to 70% using self-learning AI models.
✔️ Automate Suspicious Transaction Report (STR) generation for faster compliance reporting.

AFC Ecosystem: A Collaborative AML Compliance Solution
Tookitaki’s AFC (Anti-Financial Crime) Ecosystem enables banks to:
✔️ Access 100% risk coverage with community-driven AML scenarios.
✔️ Utilize a global scenario repository, constantly updated with real-world financial crime scenarios.

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Why Banks in Hong Kong Choose Tookitaki for AML Compliance

With Tookitaki’s AI-powered AML compliance platform FinCense, banks in Hong Kong can:
✅ Meet HKMA and FATF compliance requirements effortlessly.
✅ Reduce compliance costs by 50% through automated risk detection.
✅ Enhance fraud detection with 90%+ accuracy in identifying suspicious activities.

AML Compliance for Banks in Hong Kong: Challenges & How Tookitaki Can Help
Blogs
14 Aug 2025
5 min
read

Smarter Investigations: The Rise of AML Investigation Tools in Australia

In the battle against financial crime, the right AML investigation tools turn data overload into actionable intelligence.

Australian compliance teams face a constant challenge — growing transaction volumes, increasingly sophisticated money laundering techniques, and tighter AUSTRAC scrutiny. In this environment, AML investigation tools aren’t just nice-to-have — they’re essential for turning endless alerts into fast, confident decisions.

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Why AML Investigations Are Getting Harder in Australia

1. Explosion of Transaction Data

With the New Payments Platform (NPP) and cross-border corridors, institutions must monitor millions of transactions daily.

2. More Complex Typologies

From mule networks to shell companies, layering techniques are harder to detect with static rules alone.

3. Regulatory Expectations

AUSTRAC demands timely and accurate Suspicious Matter Reports (SMRs). Delays or incomplete investigations can lead to penalties and reputational damage.

4. Resource Constraints

Skilled AML investigators are in short supply. Teams must do more with fewer people — making efficiency critical.

What Are AML Investigation Tools?

AML investigation tools are specialised software platforms that help compliance teams analyse suspicious activity, prioritise cases, and document findings for regulators.

They typically include features such as:

  • Alert triage and prioritisation
  • Transaction visualisation
  • Entity and relationship mapping
  • Case management workflows
  • Automated reporting capabilities

Key Features of Effective AML Investigation Tools

1. Integrated Case Management

Centralise all alerts, documents, and investigator notes in one platform.

2. Entity Resolution & Network Analysis

Link accounts, devices, and counterparties to uncover hidden connections in laundering networks.

3. Transaction Visualisation

Graph-based displays make it easier to trace fund flows and identify suspicious patterns.

4. AI-Powered Insights

Machine learning models suggest likely outcomes, surface overlooked anomalies, and flag high-risk entities faster.

5. Workflow Automation

Automate repetitive steps like KYC refresh requests, sanctions re-checks, and document retrieval.

6. Regulator-Ready Reporting

Generate Suspicious Matter Reports (SMRs) and audit logs that meet AUSTRAC’s requirements.

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Why These Tools Matter in Australia’s Compliance Landscape

  • Speed: Fraud and laundering through NPP happen in seconds — investigations need to move just as fast.
  • Accuracy: AI-driven tools reduce false positives, ensuring analysts focus on real threats.
  • Compliance Assurance: Detailed audit trails prove that due diligence was carried out thoroughly.

Use Cases in Australia

Case 1: Cross-Border Layering Detection

An Australian bank flagged multiple small transfers to different ASEAN countries. The AML investigation tool mapped the network, revealing links to a known mule syndicate.

Case 2: Crypto Exchange Investigations

AML tools traced a high-value Bitcoin-to-fiat conversion back to an account flagged in a sanctions database, enabling rapid SMR submission.

Advanced Capabilities to Look For

Federated Intelligence

Access anonymised typologies and red flags from a network of institutions to spot emerging threats faster.

Embedded AI Copilot

Assist investigators in summarising cases, recommending next steps, and even drafting SMRs.

Scenario Simulation

Test detection scenarios against historical data before deploying them live.

Spotlight: Tookitaki’s FinCense and FinMate

FinCense integrates investigation workflows directly into its AML platform, while FinMate, Tookitaki’s AI investigation copilot, supercharges analyst productivity.

  • Automated Summaries: Generates natural language case narratives for internal and regulatory reporting.
  • Risk Prioritisation: Highlights the highest-risk cases first.
  • Real-Time Intelligence: Pulls in global typology updates from the AFC Ecosystem.
  • Full Transparency: Glass-box AI explains every decision, satisfying AUSTRAC’s audit requirements.

With FinCense and FinMate, Australian institutions can cut investigation times by up to 50% — without compromising quality.

Conclusion: From Data to Decisions — Faster

The volume and complexity of alerts in modern AML programmes make manual investigation unsustainable. The right AML investigation tools transform scattered data into actionable insights, helping compliance teams stay ahead of both criminals and regulators.

Pro tip: Choose tools that not only investigate faster, but also learn from every case — making your compliance programme smarter over time.

Smarter Investigations: The Rise of AML Investigation Tools in Australia