KYC Automation for Global Retail — Scaling Challenges?

Hey everyone, been spending a lot of time lately looking into the KYC/AML landscape, particularly for a retail-focused trading platform looking to expand geographically. It feels like we're constantly playing whack-a-mole with different regional requirements, data privacy laws, and the sheer volume of changes.

My primary concern is scaling our current KYC process efficiently without ballooning operational costs or significantly impacting user onboarding friction. For those of you operating in multiple jurisdictions, how are you approaching the balance between full automation and manual review for edge cases? Are there specific third-party solutions or internal frameworks you've found particularly effective in harmonizing diverse regulatory demands? Really keen to hear some practical experiences, especially regarding things like PEP screening across different databases and managing ongoing monitoring for millions of users.