KYC/AML for Small European Neobanks
Been looking at the evolving landscape for smaller neobanks in the EU, particularly those targeting niche markets. The regulatory burden for KYC/AML seems disproportionately high for their operational scale, especially when dealing with cross-border clients within the EU. How are others seeing these smaller players navigate the compliance costs without fully automating everything, which can be a huge upfront investment? Are there specific vendors or strategies that balance robust compliance with a more lean operational model? It feels like the larger institutions have the advantage of scale here, and I'm wondering how the smaller ones are making it work without becoming acquisition targets just for their client base.
That's a really good point. It seems like the regulators are applying a one-size-fits-all approach, and for these smaller, more agile neobanks, the compliance overhead can stifle innovation. I wonder if there's an argument to be made for tiered compliance based on AUM or client volume, especially within the EU single market.