Financial Crime at the Speed of Money

On January 28th, 2026 the New York ACAMS Chapter hosted an event titled , "Financial Crime at the Speed of Money", which was sponsored by Quantifind and hosted by Deloitte. The discussion included the following panelists pictured below from left to right: Ari Tuchman - CEO and Co-founder of Quantifind; Aaron Borst - SVP - Chief BSA/AML Officer, CFSB; Drew Bach , Esq. (Moderator) - Executive Board Member, ACAMS New York Chapter; Shakthi Ganesan - Director of Crypto Compliance, Robinhood Markets; and Robert Donovan - MLRO, PayPal.

As payment networks move toward instant settlement and stablecoins become a permanent fixture in the global economy, compliance teams are facing a new reality: risk now moves at the speed of a click. During the panel discussion, we explored how institutions are adapting to real-time payments and the expanding use of stablecoins. It is clear that these innovations are already being leveraged to facilitate fraud schemes, money laundering networks, and sanctions evasion—both independently and at key points of convergence across financial systems.

In response, a new approach to data, artificial intelligence, and governance is shaping the future of financial crime compliance. Rather than relying solely on traditional “sender and receiver” data, institutions are incorporating non-traditional sources such as shipping data, bills of lading, and cross-chain analytics to better map illicit networks—particularly in complex areas like trade finance and stablecoin flows. In a real-time payments environment, speed is critical. Compliance teams are therefore investing in AI models capable of operating in milliseconds while still providing the auditability and explainability required to meet regulatory standards. This shift toward “Fast AI” enables institutions to keep pace with emerging risks without sacrificing transparency.

At the same time, increased automation in transaction monitoring makes strong governance and human oversight more important than ever. Robust human-in-the-loop frameworks, ongoing model training, and clear lines of communication among fraud, AML, sanctions, and investigative teams are essential to managing the unique risks of real-time financial ecosystems. It is an extraordinary moment for the compliance profession. By balancing advanced technology with a steadfast commitment to detection and integrity, we can help build a financial system that is both faster and safer.