Use case
AML screening for
Financial Institutions
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Why screening matters for financial institutions
AML (Anti-Money Laundering) screening is crucial for Financial Institutions like banks, challenger banks and credit unions because it helps them to comply with regulations and prevent financial crimes such as money laundering, terrorist financing, and other illicit activities. AML screening involves the use of advanced technology and processes to identify and verify the identity of customers, assess their risk level, monitor their financial transactions, and report any suspicious activities to the relevant authorities. This helps Financial Institutions to detect and prevent any illegal financial activities that may be taking place, as well as protect their reputation and credibility.
The regulatory stakes
Failing to comply with AML regulations can result in severe consequences for Financial Institutions, including substantial fines, legal action, and reputational damage. Therefore, implementing effective AML screening processes is not only a legal obligation but also a critical component of risk management for banks and other financial institutions.
The scale of the problem
It is estimated that 2–5% of the world's GDP, or $800 billion–$2 trillion in current US dollars, is laundered internationally each year. However, it is challenging to assess the overall quantity of money that undergoes the laundering cycle due to the covert nature of the practise1. A recent investigation in the UK additionally showed that political donations and donations to charities typically tend to escape money laundering checks, despite the requirements to demonstrate that the received money has not been laundered2.
The challenge
The approach
By conducting proper AML screenings, Financial Institutions can identify PEPs and/or blacklisted individuals, and report suspicious transactions, reducing the risk of facilitating illegal activities and protecting themselves from potential legal and financial consequences. In the past, many Financial Institutions have faced significant fines for not complying with Anti-Money Laundering (AML) regulations.
Why dilisense
Designed with the privacy and security of our clients in mind, our database enables Financial Institutions to screen against a comprehensive list of sanctioned individuals and entities as well as PEPs and other compliance related lists like criminal watchlists. By downloading the daily updated database and screening on premise, Financial Institutions can ensure they remain compliant with global regulations while maintaining the trust of their customers.
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The right setup for financial institutions
Every product screens against the same consolidated database — pick the integration that fits your team.
AML Database
Download the consolidated database and run sanctions, PEP and criminal checks on-premise — without sharing customer names externally.
AML Screening API
Real-time REST API to screen against 10,000+ global sanctions, PEP and adverse media sources with sub-150ms response.
Ongoing Monitoring
Continuous re-screening of your customer base with instant alerts when sanctions or PEP status changes.
Pay per use
A screening API at a fraction of the usual market price
Integrate the REST API and pay per call — no seat licenses, no minimum contract. Start on the free tier and scale into volume pricing as your check volumes grow.
per call, pay as you go
free calls every month
per call at volume
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Financial institutions such as banks, challenger banks and credit unions are legally required to run AML screening to prevent money laundering and terrorist financing. Regulators expect systematic checks on every customer relationship, and failing to comply can result in substantial fines, legal action and reputational damage — so screening is both a legal obligation and a core component of risk management.
Financial institutions can integrate screening in several ways: a REST AML screening API with JSON responses for automated checks during onboarding, a downloadable database for unlimited on-premise screening where customer data never leaves their own infrastructure, or Excel-based batch screening that requires no IT integration. Ongoing monitoring then rescreens existing customers automatically and alerts on risk profile changes.
Financial institutions typically screen customers against international and domestic sanction lists, Politically Exposed Persons (PEP) data and criminal watchlists. PEPs are considered high risk because their positions expose them to bribery and corruption. dilisense aggregates 10,000+ public sources with 2.3M+ records, updated every 60 minutes, so financial institutions always screen against current data.
Costs scale with usage. Financial institutions can start with an unlimited free sanctions and PEP name search that requires no registration. The screening API is pay per use from €0.10 per call with no monthly fee and 100 free calls per month; volume tiers lower the price to €0.01 per call. For unlimited on-premise checks, a downloadable AML database is available at a monthly rate.
References
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Some of our clients allow us to share their names in certain cases — ask us for references and we’ll connect you.
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