Sector-Specific AML/CFT Requirements (U.S.)

Sector-Specific AML/CFT Requirements (U.S.) is Course 7 in the StudyAML United States Series, designed to help financial services professionals understand how AML and CFT obligations vary across regulated sectors. The course explains why different business models face different risks and how U.S. regulators apply sector-specific expectations within a unified framework. Learners gain practical insight into applying judgement, managing change, and responding to regulatory scrutiny across industries. Built for real-world decision making. Designed for regulated environments. Focused on defensible compliance.

20 - 25 minutes

Certificate Included

United States

Description

This self-paced course takes approximately 20 to 25 minutes to complete and is designed for compliance, risk, operations, governance, and senior management professionals working within or alongside the U.S. financial system. The course examines how AML, CFT, and Counter-Proliferation Financing obligations apply differently across financial sectors, including banks, money services businesses, broker-dealers, investment advisers, trust and corporate service providers, fintech firms, and money transmitters. While grounded in U.S. regulatory requirements under the Bank Secrecy Act and related regulations, the course is aligned with FATF standards and internationally recognised risk-based principles. Learners will explore how sector-specific risks shape regulatory expectations, how exemptions and interpretive guidance should be applied responsibly, and how enforcement actions reveal common compliance weaknesses. Through practical scenarios and case studies, the course explains how AML and CFT compliance works in practice, including escalation, documentation, governance, and ongoing risk management. By the end of the course, learners will be able to apply a consistent, defensible approach to AML and CFT compliance across different sectors while responding effectively to evolving regulatory and business risks.

What will you learn?

Module 1 – Overview of U.S. Covered Sectors
This module explains how the U.S. AML and CFT framework applies across different financial services sectors, the role of FinCEN and sector regulators, and why a risk-based approach underpins all sector-specific obligations.
Module 2 – Banks and Money Services Businesses
Learners examine the core AML and CFT requirements for banks and MSBs, including customer due diligence, transaction monitoring, reporting obligations, and common supervisory findings, with a focus on practical responses to high-risk activity.
Module 3 – Broker-Dealers and Investment Advisers
This module explores AML expectations in the securities sector, including market abuse risks, securities-based money laundering, and evolving regulatory expectations for investment advisers under U.S. and international standards.
Module 4 – Trust and Corporate Services, Fintech, and Money Transmitters
Learners assess how AML obligations apply to trust structures, digital platforms, and payment services, with emphasis on managing risk in fast-changing fintech environments and high-velocity transaction models.
Module 5 – Unique Obligations, Exemptions, and Interpretive Rulings
This module explains how exemptions and regulatory guidance operate in practice, the limits of reliance on exemptions, and how to apply judgement when guidance is unclear while remaining aligned with regulatory expectations.
Module 6 – Case Studies and Common Regulatory Findings
Through real-world examples, learners identify recurring AML and CFT failures across sectors, understand what regulators expect to see during examinations, and apply lessons that strengthen governance and controls.