Risk and Compliance Analyst (Fintech)

Career Guide
Risk and Compliance Analysts in fintech help companies meet financial regulations, prevent money laundering and fraud, and manage operational risks. They review customers and transactions, test controls, maintain policies, and support audits and regulatory exams.

Key Responsibilities

  • Conduct KYC/KYB due diligence and periodic reviews
  • Monitor transactions, triage alerts, and investigate suspected AML/fraud activity
  • Perform sanctions screening and resolve OFAC false positives
  • Draft and quality-check SARs for FinCEN and maintain required BSA records
  • Execute risk assessments and test internal controls for effectiveness
  • Maintain and update compliance policies and procedures for new rules (BSA/AML, OFAC, Reg E, NACHA)
  • Prepare metrics and reports; support internal/external audits and exams
  • Partner with product/engineering to embed compliance requirements in new features

Career Progression

Can Lead To
Senior Compliance Analyst
BSA/AML Officer or Compliance Manager
Fraud Risk Manager
Enterprise Risk Manager
Transition Opportunities
Fraud Strategy Analyst
Internal Auditor (Financial Services)
Risk Data Analyst/Scientist (Fraud/AML focus)
Privacy/Compliance Analyst (GLBA/CCPA)

Common Skill Gaps

Often Missing Skills
Hands-on SAR drafting and case investigationSQL to analyze alerts and tune thresholdsSanctions screening workflows and escalationControl testing and risk assessment methodology
Development SuggestionsComplete ACAMS coursework and practice writing SAR narratives using case studies; take an applied SQL course and analyze publicly available AML datasets to simulate alert reviews.

Salary & Demand

Median Salary Range
Entry Level$65,000–$85,000
Mid Level$90,000–$125,000
Senior Level$125,000–$160,000
Growth Trend
growing

Companies Hiring

Major Employers
StripePayPalCoinbase
Industry Sectors
Fintech & PaymentsCryptocurrency & Digital AssetsBanking & Financial Services

Recommended Next Steps

1
Pursue the CAMS certification; join a local ACAMS chapter and attend study groups/networking events
2
Complete an applied SQL course (e.g., SELECT/JOIN/CASE, window functions) and build a mini project analyzing suspicious patterns
3
Take OFAC and NACHA rules training; document a control test plan for a sample fintech feature (e.g., P2P transfers)