The KYC/AML Balancing Act for Smaller Fintechs

Been thinking a lot lately about how the burden of KYC/AML compliance is disproportionately hitting smaller fintechs and challenger banks. On one hand, the intent is clear and necessary – preventing illicit finance and protecting consumers. On the other, the sheer resources required to keep up with evolving regulations across various jurisdictions, especially for those operating internationally, can be suffocating. You see the big players with dedicated teams and budgets, but for a startup trying to innovate, it's a constant tightrope walk between robust compliance and operational agility. Are others seeing this same pressure point, particularly when it comes to onboarding new types of assets or services that might fall into grey areas of existing regs? Seems like a real barrier to entry for some potentially great ideas.