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Preventing Money Laundering in SE Asia with Tookitaki's AML Platform

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Tookitaki
4 min
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Money laundering is a global issue that has become increasingly prevalent in recent years. This illegal activity poses a major threat to the financial stability of nations and their economies. Southeast Asia is no exception and has been facing challenges in preventing and combating money laundering. In order to address this problem, innovative solutions such as Tookitaki's anti-money laundering (AML) platform have emerged. This platform combines advanced technology and machine learning algorithms to detect and prevent money laundering activities in real-time. In this blog, we will take a closer look at Tookitaki's AML platform and how it is helping to tackle the problem of money laundering in Southeast Asia.

The Threat of Money Laundering in Southeast Asia: Understanding the Problem

Southeast Asia is a region of rapid economic growth and is home to over 630 million people, with a rising number of businesses and financial institutions operating in the area. However, this growth has also brought with it significant financial crime, including money laundering. The region is increasingly becoming a hub for money laundering activities, with countries such as Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines being particularly susceptible. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), money laundering is a “serious threat” to most member states in the region. The UN office cited a combination of deficient legal frameworks, weak border controls, poor regulatory mechanisms, and a lack of law enforcement, judicial and regulatory capacities as challenges.

Many countries in the region has thriving black markets that provide ample opportunities for criminals to launder money through various means, such as real estate, gambling, and illegal trade. According to the UN estimates, the region loses more than USD 100 billion annually in illicit cash flows primarily related to predicate offences such as drug trafficking, migrant smuggling, illegal transport of timber and wildlife and counterfeit goods trade. Corrupt practices and weak AML systems provide ample opportunities for criminals to launder money. The rise in digital transactions and the globalization of the financial sector has only made the problem more pronounced.

Money laundering activities in Southeast Asia pose a significant threat to the stability of its financial systems. It undermines the credibility of financial institutions and makes it easier for criminals to access and use the illicit proceeds of their activities. While many regulators in the region have started strengthening their AML policies and regulations, it is imperative that financial institutions adopt robust AML systems to mitigate the risks of money laundering in the region and restore the credibility of its financial systems.

Discovering the Power of Tookitaki's AML Solution: A Deep Dive into its Key Features and Benefits

Tookitaki, a RegTech company, offers a comprehensive AML platform that addresses the evolving challenges of AML compliance in the region. Tookitaki's Anti-Money Laundering Suite (AMLS) is an end-to-end operating system that helps financial institutions detect, prevent and manage financial crimes. It includes several modules such as Transaction Monitoring, Smart Screening, Customer Risk Scoring, and Case Manager. These modules work together to provide a comprehensive compliance solution that covers all aspects of AML including detection, investigation, and reporting.

  • Transaction Monitoring: The Transaction Monitoring module is designed to detect suspicious patterns of financial transactions that may indicate money laundering or other financial crimes. It utilizes powerful simulation modes for automated threshold tuning, which allows AML teams to focus on the most relevant alerts and improve their overall efficiency. The module also includes a built-in sandbox environment, which allows financial institutions to test and deploy new typologies in a matter of minutes. This feature enables AML teams to quickly adapt to new money laundering techniques and stay ahead of the criminals.
  • Smart Screening: The Smart Screening module is designed to detect potential matches against sanctions lists, PEPs, and other watchlists. It includes 50+ name matching techniques, supports multiple attributes such as name, address, gender, date of birth, and date of incorporation. It covers 20+ languages and 10 different scripts, and includes a built-in transliteration engine for effective cross-lingual matching. This module is highly configurable, allowing it to be tailored to the specific needs of each financial institution.
  • Customer Risk Scoring: The Customer Risk Scoring solution is a flexible and scalable customer risk ranking program that adapts to changing customer behavior and compliance requirements. This module creates a dynamic, 360-degree risk profile of customers. It not only enables financial institutions to uncover hidden risks but also opens up new business opportunities.
  • Case Manager: The Case Manager provides compliance teams with the platform to collaborate on cases and work seamlessly across teams. It comes with a host of automations built to empower investigators. Financial institutions can configure the Case Manager to automate processes such as case creation, allocation, data gathering, and so on, allowing investigators to become more effective.

Tookitaki's community-based approach to financial crime detection and prevention is unique in the industry. Unlike traditional solutions that rely on siloed systems and rigid rules, Tookitaki's AMLS and AFC Ecosystem bring together financial institutions, regulators, and law enforcement agencies to share knowledge and work together to combat financial crime. This approach allows for a more holistic view of financial crime activity and enables the detection of hidden patterns and connections that would otherwise go unnoticed.

The benefits of using Tookitaki's AML solution are numerous. It helps financial institutions in Southeast Asia to reduce their compliance costs, minimize the risk of fines, and streamline their AML compliance processes. It also provides financial institutions with the confidence that they are in compliance with the latest AML regulations and helps them to maintain a good reputation in the market. 

Unlock Compliance Success with Tookitaki's AML Platform

Technology is playing a vital role in helping financial institutions in Southeast Asia to comply with regulations and prevent criminal activities. Tookitaki's AML solution is leading the way with its innovative approach and superior technology capabilities. The platform's modules and features are designed to meet the needs of financial institutions in the region, making compliance and risk management easier and more effective. 

If you're looking for a way to prevent money laundering and stay compliant with regulations in Southeast Asia, we invite you to experience Tookitaki's AML platform in action. Request a demo today to learn how our innovative technology and expertise can help you achieve compliance success.

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Blogs
22 Aug 2025
4 min
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Stopping Fraud in Its Tracks: Transaction Fraud Prevention in Taiwan’s Digital Age

Fraud moves fast and in Taiwan’s digital-first economy, transaction fraud prevention has become the frontline of trust.

With payment volumes soaring across e-wallets, online banking, and instant transfers, the fight against fraud is no longer about catching criminals after the fact. It’s about detecting and stopping them in real time. Advanced platforms such as Tookitaki’s FinCense are redefining how financial institutions in Taiwan and beyond approach this challenge — blending AI, collaboration, and regulatory alignment to build smarter defences.

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Taiwan’s Digital Finance Boom and the Fraud Challenge

Taiwan has become one of Asia’s leaders in digital payments, with e-wallet adoption rising sharply and cross-border transactions powering e-commerce. But speed and convenience come with vulnerabilities:

  • Account Takeover (ATO): Fraudsters gain access to accounts via phishing or malware.
  • Money Mules: Recruited individuals move illicit funds through small-value transactions.
  • Synthetic Identities: Fake profiles slip past onboarding checks to exploit payment rails.

Regulators such as the Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC) have ramped up requirements, urging banks and payment firms to adopt risk-based monitoring. But compliance alone isn’t enough — prevention requires smarter tools and adaptive intelligence, the kind being pioneered by Tookitaki’s AI-powered compliance platform.

What Is Transaction Fraud Prevention?

At its core, transaction fraud prevention means identifying, analysing, and blocking suspicious payments before they can be completed. Unlike post-event investigations, prevention focuses on:

  1. Real-Time Detection – Flagging anomalies instantly.
  2. Behavioural Analytics – Profiling normal user patterns to spot deviations.
  3. Risk Scoring – Assigning risk levels to every transaction.
  4. Adaptive Learning – Using AI to refine rules as fraud evolves.

For Taiwan, where instant payments via the Financial Information Service Co. (FISC) platform are mainstream, real-time fraud prevention is a necessity. Platforms like FinCense help banks achieve this by combining speed with precision.

Key Fraud Risks in Taiwan

1. Account Takeover via Phishing

Taiwanese banks report rising cases of SMS phishing (“smishing”), where fraudsters impersonate institutions. Once accounts are breached, rapid fund transfers are executed before victims react.

2. Online Investment Scams

Cross-border scam syndicates target Taiwanese consumers with fraudulent investment schemes, funnelling proceeds through mule networks.

3. Social Engineering

“Pig butchering” scams, romance fraud, and fake job offers have become prominent, with victims manipulated into initiating fraudulent transfers themselves.

4. Merchant Fraud

E-commerce sellers set up fake storefronts, collect payments, and disappear, leaving banks to handle disputes and reputational risks.

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Strategies for Effective Transaction Fraud Prevention

Real-Time Monitoring

Fraud can unfold in seconds. Systems must analyse every transaction as it occurs, applying machine learning to flag suspicious transfers instantly. Tookitaki’s FinCense does this by ingesting real-time data streams and applying dynamic thresholds that adapt as fraud tactics change.

AI-Driven Risk Modelling

Instead of static rules, AI models learn from both fraud attempts and genuine behaviour. For example, FinCense leverages federated learning from a global network of institutions, enabling it to detect anomalies like unusual device fingerprints or abnormal transaction velocity — even when fraudsters attempt never-before-seen tactics.

Cross-Institution Collaboration

Fraudsters rarely confine themselves to one bank. Taiwan’s industry can strengthen defences by sharing red flags across institutions. Through the AFC Ecosystem, Tookitaki empowers banks and fintechs to access shared typologies and indicators, helping the industry act collectively against emerging fraud schemes.

Regulatory Alignment

The FSC requires strict fraud monitoring standards. Tookitaki’s compliance solutions are designed with explainable AI and governance frameworks, aligning directly with regulatory expectations while maintaining operational efficiency.

Customer Awareness

Technology alone isn’t enough. Banks should run consumer education campaigns to help customers spot phishing attempts and suspicious investment offers. FinCense complements this by reducing false positives, ensuring customers are not unnecessarily disrupted while genuine fraud attempts are intercepted.

Transaction Fraud Prevention in Practice

Case Example:

A Taiwanese bank detected an unusual pattern where multiple accounts began transferring small sums to the same overseas merchant. Using behavioural analytics powered by AI, the system flagged it as mule activity. Within minutes, the institution froze accounts, reported to the FSC, and prevented further losses.

Solutions like FinCense allow this type of proactive monitoring at scale, reducing detection lag and limiting potential reputational damage.

How Technology Is Raising the Bar

Transaction fraud prevention is no longer just about blacklists or simple thresholds. Cutting-edge solutions now combine:

  • Machine Learning Models trained on fraud typologies
  • Federated Intelligence Sharing across institutions to learn from global red flags
  • Explainable AI (XAI) to ensure transparency in decisions
  • Automated Investigation Tools to reduce false positives and improve efficiency

Tookitaki’s FinCense unites these capabilities into a single compliance platform — enabling financial institutions in Taiwan to monitor transactions in real time, adapt to evolving risks, and demonstrate clear accountability to regulators.

Why Transaction Fraud Prevention Matters for Taiwan’s Reputation

Taiwan’s financial system is a trusted hub in Asia. Yet with global watchdogs like FATF scrutinising AML/CFT effectiveness, a weak approach to fraud prevention could tarnish the country’s standing.

Robust prevention not only protects banks and customers — it safeguards Taiwan’s role as a secure, innovation-driven financial market. Tookitaki’s role as the “Trust Layer to fight financial crime” helps institutions balance growth and security, ensuring trust remains central to Taiwan’s digital finance journey.

Conclusion: Building Smarter Defences for Tomorrow

Fraudsters are fast, but Taiwan’s financial industry can be faster. By investing in transaction fraud prevention powered by AI, data collaboration, and regulatory alignment, banks and payment firms can build a financial system rooted in trust.

With advanced platforms like Tookitaki’s FinCense, institutions can move beyond reactive defence and adopt proactive, intelligent, and collective prevention strategies. Taiwan now has the opportunity to set the benchmark for Asia — proving that convenience and security can go hand in hand.

Stopping Fraud in Its Tracks: Transaction Fraud Prevention in Taiwan’s Digital Age
Blogs
22 Aug 2025
5 min
read

Chasing Zero Fraud: Finding the Best Anti-Fraud Solution for Australia

Fraudsters are getting smarter — but the best anti-fraud solutions are evolving even faster.

Fraud in Australia is no longer just about stolen credit cards or phishing emails. Today, fraudsters use AI deepfakes, synthetic identities, and mule networks to move billions through legitimate institutions. Scamwatch reports that Australians lost over AUD 3 billion in 2024, and regulators are tightening expectations. In this climate, choosing the best anti-fraud solution isn’t just an IT decision — it’s a strategic imperative.

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Why Fraud Prevention Has Become Business-Critical in Australia

1. Instant Payment Risks

The New Payments Platform (NPP) has made payments faster, but it also allows criminals to launder money in seconds.

2. Social Engineering & Scam Surge

Romance scams, impersonation fraud, and investment scams are rising sharply. Many involve victims authorising payments themselves — a challenge for traditional detection systems.

3. Regulatory Pressure

AUSTRAC and ASIC expect financial institutions to adopt proactive fraud prevention. Weak controls can lead to fines, reputational loss, and customer churn.

4. Consumer Trust

Australians expect safe, frictionless digital experiences. A single fraud incident can erode customer loyalty.

What Defines the Best Anti-Fraud Solution?

1. Real-Time Fraud Detection

The solution must monitor and analyse transactions instantly, with no batch delays.

  • Velocity monitoring
  • Device and IP fingerprinting
  • Behavioural biometrics
  • Pattern recognition

2. AI and Machine Learning

The best anti-fraud systems use AI to adapt to new typologies:

  • Spot anomalies that rules miss
  • Reduce false positives
  • Continuously improve detection accuracy

3. Multi-Channel Protection

Covers fraud across:

  • Bank transfers
  • Card payments
  • E-wallets and digital wallets
  • Remittances and cross-border corridors
  • Crypto exchanges

4. End-to-End Case Management

Integrated workflows that allow fraud teams to investigate, resolve, and report within the same system.

5. Regulatory Alignment

Supports AUSTRAC compliance with audit trails, suspicious matter reporting, and explainability.

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Use Cases for Anti-Fraud Solutions in Australia

  • Account Takeover (ATO): Detects unusual login + transfer behaviour.
  • Payroll Fraud: Flags sudden beneficiary changes in salary disbursement files.
  • Romance & Investment Scams: Detects unusual transfer chains to new or overseas accounts.
  • Card-Not-Present Fraud: Blocks suspicious e-commerce transactions.
  • Crypto Laundering: Identifies fiat-to-crypto activity linked to high-risk wallets.

Red Flags the Best Anti-Fraud Solution Should Catch

  • Large transfers to newly added beneficiaries
  • Multiple small transactions in rapid succession (smurfing)
  • Login from a new device/IP followed by immediate transfers
  • Customers suddenly transacting with high-risk jurisdictions
  • Beneficiary accounts linked to mule networks

How to Choose the Best Anti-Fraud Solution in Australia

Key questions to ask:

  1. Can it handle real-time detection across all channels?
  2. Does it integrate seamlessly with your AML systems?
  3. Is it powered by adaptive AI that learns from evolving fraud tactics?
  4. How well does it reduce false positives?
  5. Does it meet AUSTRAC’s compliance requirements?
  6. Does it come with local expertise and support?

Spotlight: Tookitaki’s FinCense as the Best Anti-Fraud Solution

Among global offerings, FinCense is recognised as one of the best anti-fraud solutions for Australian institutions.

  • Agentic AI detection for real-time fraud monitoring across banking, payments, and remittances.
  • Federated learning from the AFC Ecosystem, bringing in global crime typologies and real-world scenarios.
  • FinMate AI copilot helps investigators close cases faster with summarised alerts and recommendations.
  • Cross-channel visibility covering transactions from cards to crypto.
  • Regulator-ready transparency with explainable AI and complete audit trails.

FinCense not only detects fraud — it prevents it by continuously learning and adapting to new scam typologies.

Conclusion: Prevention = Protection = Trust

In Australia’s high-speed financial landscape, the best anti-fraud solution is the one that balances real-time detection, adaptive intelligence, and seamless compliance. It’s not just about stopping fraud — it’s about building trust and future-proofing your institution.

Pro tip: Don’t just ask if a solution can detect today’s fraud. Ask if it can evolve with tomorrow’s scams.

Chasing Zero Fraud: Finding the Best Anti-Fraud Solution for Australia
Blogs
21 Aug 2025
5 min
read

Malaysia’s Compliance Edge: Why an Industry-Leading AML Solution Is Now Essential

Financial crime is moving faster than ever — and Malaysia needs an AML solution that can move faster still.

The Rising Stakes in Malaysia’s Fight Against Financial Crime

In Malaysia, the financial sector is at a crossroads. With rapid digitalisation, the boom in fintech adoption, and cross-border flows surging, financial crime has found new entry points. Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) has been firm in its stance: compliance is not optional, and institutions that fail to meet evolving standards face reputational and financial fallout.

At the same time, fraudsters are becoming more sophisticated. From money mule networks exploiting young workers and students to investment scams powered by social engineering and deepfakes, Malaysia is seeing threats that transcend borders.

Against this backdrop, the demand is clear: financial institutions need an industry-leading AML solution that not only meets regulatory expectations but also builds consumer trust in a fast-changing market.

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Why “Industry Leading” Is More Than a Buzzword

Every vendor claims to offer the “best” AML software, but in practice, very few solutions rise to the level of being industry leading. In the Malaysian context, where financial institutions must juggle FATF recommendations, BNM guidelines, and ASEAN cross-border risks, the definition of “industry leading” is clear.

An AML solution in Malaysia today must be:

  • AI-driven and adaptive — able to evolve with new money laundering and fraud typologies.
  • Regulator-aligned — transparent, explainable, and in line with AI governance principles.
  • Comprehensive — covering both AML and fraud in real-time, across multiple payment channels.
  • Scalable — capable of supporting banks and fintechs with diverse customer bases and transaction volumes.
  • Collaborative — leveraging intelligence beyond siloed data to detect emerging risks faster.

Anything less leaves financial institutions vulnerable.

The Challenge with Legacy AML Systems

Many Malaysian banks and fintechs still rely on legacy transaction monitoring systems. While these systems may tick the compliance box, they struggle with modern threats. The common pain points include:

  • High false positives — compliance teams are overwhelmed with noise instead of meaningful alerts.
  • Static rule sets — traditional systems cannot keep pace with the speed of criminal innovation.
  • Limited explainability — leaving compliance officers unable to justify decisions to regulators.
  • Fragmentation — siloed systems across AML and fraud prevention create blind spots in detection.

The result? Compliance teams are overstretched, risks are missed, and customer trust is eroded.

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Tookitaki’s FinCense: Malaysia’s Industry-Leading AML Solution

This is where Tookitaki’s FinCense stands apart — not just as another AML system, but as the Trust Layer to fight financial crime.

FinCense is purpose-built to help financial institutions in Malaysia and beyond move from reactive compliance to proactive prevention. Here’s why it leads the industry:

1. Agentic AI Workflows

FinCense harnesses Agentic AI, a next-generation compliance framework where AI agents don’t just analyse data but take proactive actions across the investigation lifecycle. This enables:

  • Automated alert triage
  • Smarter case management
  • Real-time recommendations for compliance officers

The outcome: compliance teams spend less time firefighting and more time making strategic decisions.

2. Federated Learning: Collective Intelligence at Scale

Unlike siloed systems, FinCense taps into a federated learning model through the AFC Ecosystem — a community-driven network of financial institutions, regulators, and compliance experts. This allows Malaysian banks to detect threats that may have first emerged in other ASEAN markets, giving them a head start against syndicates.

3. Explainable, Regulator-Aligned AI

Trust in compliance technology hinges on explainability. FinCense is designed to be fully explainable and auditable, aligned with frameworks like Singapore’s AI Verify. For Malaysian banks, this ensures regulators can clearly understand the basis for alerts, reducing friction and enhancing oversight.

4. End-to-End Coverage: AML + Fraud

FinCense goes beyond AML, offering integrated coverage across:

  • Transaction monitoring
  • Name screening
  • Fraud detection
  • Smart disposition and narration tools for investigations

This eliminates the need for multiple systems and ensures compliance teams have a single view of risk.

5. ASEAN Market Fit

FinCense is not a one-size-fits-all solution. Its scenarios and typologies are tailored to the realities of ASEAN markets, including Malaysia’s unique mix of cross-border remittances, e-wallet adoption, and high cash usage. This localisation ensures higher detection accuracy and relevance.

What This Means for Malaysian Banks and Fintechs

Adopting an industry-leading AML solution like FinCense translates to tangible benefits:

  • Reduced Compliance Costs — through automation and lower false positives.
  • Faster, More Accurate Detection — stopping illicit funds before they can be layered or withdrawn.
  • Regulatory Confidence — meeting BNM and FATF expectations with explainable, auditable AI.
  • Stronger Customer Trust — safeguarding against scams and building confidence in digital finance.

With Malaysia pushing to strengthen its financial system and attract international investment, trust is the new currency. A compliance framework that prevents financial crime effectively is no longer optional — it is foundational.

The Road Ahead: Building Malaysia’s Trust Layer

Financial crime is only going to get smarter. With the rise of instant payments, deepfake-driven scams, and cross-border mule networks, Malaysia’s financial sector needs a solution that evolves just as quickly.

Tookitaki’s FinCense is more than software — it is the Trust Layer that empowers banks and fintechs to detect risks early, protect customers, and stay a step ahead of regulators and criminals alike.

For Malaysian financial institutions, the choice is clear: staying competitive in the region means adopting an industry-leading AML solution that can deliver speed, precision, and transparency at scale.

Malaysia’s Compliance Edge: Why an Industry-Leading AML Solution Is Now Essential