As global financial institutions face a 417% surge in regulatory penalties, Fenergo introduces agentic AI to transform compliance practices, enabling real-time risk detection and perpetual KYC amid intensified regulator scrutiny.
In the first part of 2025, global financial institutions found themselves confronting a dramatic spike in regulatory fines—totaling roughly $1.23 billion, which, believe it or not, is a huge 417% jump from the same period last year. This surge, honestly, seems to stem mainly from regulators stepping up their scrutiny on anti-money laundering (AML), know-your-customer (KYC), and sanctions compliance. Cryptocurrency exchanges, which have always been seen as pretty risky territory, were hit especially hard. For example, OKX, a Seychelles-based exchange, actually pleaded guilty to violations of U.S. AML laws and agreed to pay over half a billion dollars in fines and forfeitures. Meanwhile, BitMEX settled a hefty $100 million bill after admitting to significant compliance failures. These kinds of enforcement actions really highlight how determined regulators have become to clamp down on financial crime—both in traditional finance and in digital assets.
Given all these mounting penalties and the increasing expectations from regulators, the game has shifted for financial institutions. It’s no longer just about ticking boxes for compliance—now they have to prove that their compliance programs actually work. The older systems, which rely on strict rules and set triggers—reactive alert systems—are starting to look pretty outdated. They often flood analysts with alerts that are time-consuming and expensive to sift through. Plus, these systems tend to create backlogs that slow everything down.
That’s where Fenergo steps in. They provide client lifecycle management and tech to combat financial crime, and they’re now pushing for a transformational change toward what they call "agentic AI." Unlike the traditional AI that just reacts to preset conditions, this new breed actively hunts down compliance risks. It updates KYC profiles constantly, kicks off investigative workflows, and—and this is key—it acts on threats without waiting around. Tracy Moore from Fenergo points out that this isn’t just a tech upgrade; it’s about completely rethinking how operating models and governance frameworks are built, making sure these new systems are woven into the core of how firms manage financial crime and client onboarding. And, importantly, this AI must be "audit-ready"—meaning it should produce transparent, explainable, and traceable records so regulators can see in real-time how compliance is being managed.
One of the most exciting applications of this agentic AI is perpetual KYC, or pKYC. Instead of doing periodic reviews—say once a year—you monitor clients and external risk factors continuously, in real time. This approach promises big efficiencies and cost savings because it automates document collection, daily reviews, and risk assessments. Fenergo’s research, done with Chartis, estimates that when this AI is integrated strategically across a firm, it could save around $3 million annually—per company, and not just as a pilot project but as part of the main compliance infrastructure. Of course, pulling this off successfully requires solid governance, oversight by humans in the loop, and infrastructure that can grow sustainably.
Regarding cloud adoption, the industry’s earlier hesitation about placing sensitive workloads in the cloud seems to be easing. The conversation now centers more on trust and transparency when deploying AI. Moore highlights that explainability and oversight aren’t optional anymore—they’re must-haves. Fenergo’s FinCrime operating system, built on AWS Bedrock, demonstrates this by embedding transparency into its agents, so compliance actions are always visible and accountable.
All these technological advances are happening at a really critical moment. Data shows that the increasing complexity and volume of financial crime demands more agile, proactive, and demonstrably effective compliance frameworks. If firms keep relying on old-school rules-based systems, they face rising fines and regulatory pushback. Cases like BitMEX and OKX serve as stark reminders. The U.S. Department of Justice’s recent enforcement actions—like the $100 million fine against BitMEX for violations of the Bank Secrecy Act, and OKX’s settlement exceeding $500 million—show not only how strict regulators are, but also that compliance programs now need to be comprehensive and easily audited.
Fenergo sees itself as a key player in helping institutions make this shift—moving from slow, manual, reactive processes to AI-powered systems that boost accuracy, enhance due diligence, and turn compliance from a necessary cost into a strategic advantage. As John Doyle from Fenergo mentioned during industry events, integrating smarter financial crime tech with AI is becoming essential for strengthening regulatory compliance and risk mitigation—especially as the landscape gets more complicated globally.
For professionals in compliance and financial crime prevention—those wanting to stay ahead of the curve—upcoming RegTech Summits in London and New York are worth watching. They will offer valuable discussions on AI governance, agentic AI applications, and practical ways to meet the evolving AML and KYC challenges, including those in the crypto realm.
References:
- - [1] Audit-ready AI: How Fenergo is redefining financial crime compliance
- - [2] Justice Department fines BitMEX $100 million for violating the Bank Secrecy Act
- - [3] OKX pleads guilty to AML violations, agrees to pay penalties
- - [4] US regulator announces $100M penalty on BitMEX
- - [5] Crypto firms hit hard as global fines surge 417%
- - [6] Crypto exchange OKX’s guilty plea for AML breaches
- - [7] Legal insight: $100M penalty on BitMEX
Source: Noah Wire Services
Verification / Sources
- https://a-teaminsight.com/blog/audit-ready-ai-how-fenergo-is-redefining-financial-crime-compliance/?brand=rti - Please view link - unable to able to access data
- https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/global-cryptocurrency-exchange-bitmex-fined-100-million-violating-bank-secrecy-act - In January 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice fined BitMEX $100 million for violating the Bank Secrecy Act by willfully failing to establish and maintain an adequate anti-money laundering (AML) and know-your-customer (KYC) program. The company admitted to these violations, leading to a two-year probation period. The case highlights the importance of compliance with AML and KYC regulations in the financial sector.
- https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/okx-pleads-guilty-violating-us-anti-money-laundering-laws-and-agrees-pay-penalties - In February 2025, OKX, a Seychelles-based cryptocurrency exchange, pleaded guilty to violating U.S. anti-money laundering laws. The company agreed to pay penalties totaling over $500 million, including a $84.4 million fine and a $420.3 million forfeiture. The case underscores the U.S. government's commitment to enforcing AML regulations in the cryptocurrency industry.
- https://www.reuters.com/technology/us-says-bitmex-fined-100-million-violating-bank-secrecy-act-2025-01-15/ - Reuters reported in January 2025 that BitMEX was fined $100 million by a U.S. judge for violating anti-money laundering laws. The company admitted to failing to implement necessary AML and KYC programs, making the platform susceptible to money laundering. The founders received probation, and the company was sentenced to two years of probation.
- https://www.reuters.com/legal/operator-okx-crypto-exchange-enters-guilty-plea-pay-more-than-504-million-us-2025-02-24/ - Reuters reported in February 2025 that OKX, the operator of a major cryptocurrency exchange, pleaded guilty to violating U.S. anti-money laundering laws and agreed to pay nearly $505 million in fines and forfeitures. The penalties include an $84.4 million fine and a $420.3 million forfeiture, highlighting the U.S. Department of Justice's focus on enforcing AML regulations in the cryptocurrency sector.
- https://beinsure.com/news/crypto-firms-hit-hardest-as-global-bank-fines-surge-417/ - An article from BeInsure, dated September 2, 2025, discusses the significant increase in regulatory fines for financial institutions, noting a 417% surge in the first half of 2025 compared to the previous year. The article highlights that cryptocurrency exchanges, such as OKX and BitMEX, have been particularly affected by this trend, emphasizing the heightened scrutiny of digital asset firms by regulators.
- https://www.paulweiss.com/insights/client-memos/cftc-and-fincen-impose-100-million-penalty-on-bitmex - A memo from Paul, Weiss, dated August 2021, details the $100 million penalty imposed on BitMEX by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). The memo outlines the violations, including the willful failure to implement a compliant AML program, and discusses the implications for the cryptocurrency industry regarding regulatory compliance.
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first emerged. We've since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score: 8
Notes: The narrative introduces Fenergo's FinCrime Operating System with an Agentic AI layer, launched on 28 May 2025. (resources.fenergo.com) This is the earliest known publication date for this specific content. The report appears to be original, with no evidence of prior publication or recycling. The inclusion of recent data and specific dates suggests a high freshness score. However, the report is based on a press release, which typically warrants a high freshness score but may indicate a lack of independent verification. No discrepancies in figures, dates, or quotes were found. The narrative does not include updated data but introduces new material, justifying a higher freshness score.
Quotes check
Score: 9
Notes: The report includes direct quotes from Tracy Moore and John Doyle of Fenergo. A search for these quotes reveals no earlier usage, indicating they are original or exclusive to this report. The wording matches the original sources, with no variations found. This suggests a high level of originality and exclusivity.
Source reliability
Score: 7
Notes: The narrative originates from A-Team Insight, a platform that aggregates content from various sources, including press releases. While it provides valuable information, its reliance on aggregated content may affect the reliability of the information presented. The report is based on a press release from Fenergo, which is a reputable organisation. However, the lack of independent verification in the report raises some concerns.
Plausability check
Score: 8
Notes: The claims about Fenergo's FinCrime Operating System with Agentic AI layer are plausible and align with Fenergo's previous announcements and offerings. The report includes specific figures, dates, and quotes, providing factual anchors that support its credibility. The language and tone are consistent with the region and topic, and there are no signs of excessive or off-topic detail. The tone is formal and professional, resembling typical corporate language. No inconsistencies or suspicious elements were found.
Overall assessment
Veredict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH
Summary: The narrative presents original content with specific figures, dates, and quotes, indicating a high level of freshness and originality. While based on a press release from a reputable organisation, the lack of independent verification in the report raises some concerns about source reliability. However, the plausibility of the claims and the consistency of the language and tone support the credibility of the report. Therefore, the overall assessment is a PASS with high confidence.