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AML & KYC Compliance Essentials
About this course
AML & KYC Fundamentals is a free course for anyone entering or curious about financial-crime compliance — career-changers and analysts in banks, credit unions, fintechs, crypto firms, and money-services businesses, including those targeting entry roles like KYC/CDD or transaction-monitoring analyst. The journey begins with what money laundering is and why it matters, then moves through how laundering works, the US regulatory framework, the BSA/AML compliance program, KYC and customer due diligence, detecting and reporting suspicious activity, and sanctions and screening — before tying it all together in a culture of compliance and a path forward. Along the way the stakes are anchored in real, named cases rather than abstract scenarios, and the content reflects current rules including the 2025 beneficial-ownership change.
At the completion of this course, learners will have confident foundational literacy in AML and KYC — able to understand how financial crime works, the rules that govern it, and the analyst's role in stopping it.
You will also receive a certificate to showcase your skills and step into the growing field of financial-crime compliance.
Course outline
Introduction to AML & Financial Crime
In this module, you will learn what money laundering is and why it matters, where AML/KYC work happens and the entry roles, and — through the record $3.09B TD Bank case — why under-resourced compliance is catastrophic.
How Money Laundering Works
In this module, you will learn the three stages of laundering (placement, layering, integration), the common techniques criminals use, how terrorist financing differs, and emerging threats like crypto and virtual assets.
The US AML Regulatory Framework
In this module, you will learn the core US laws — the Bank Secrecy Act, the USA PATRIOT Act, and the AML Act of 2020 — the role of FinCEN and the prudential regulators, and how FATF's global standards fit in.
The BSA/AML Compliance Program
In this module, you will learn the five pillars of an effective program, the risk-based approach, the role and authority of the BSA/AML officer, and why independent testing and workforce-wide training matter.
KYC & Customer Due Diligence
In this module, you will learn the Customer Identification Program, CDD and EDD, beneficial ownership and the 2025 BOI change, and how to recognize PEPs and keep KYC current through ongoing review.
Detecting Suspicious Activity
In this module, you will learn to recognize red flags, how transaction monitoring generates alerts, how alerts are investigated, and the SAR and CTR requirements — including the tipping-off prohibition.
Sanctions & Screening
In this module, you will learn what economic sanctions are and OFAC's role, the SDN list and how screening works, the difference between blocking and rejecting, and what to do when you get a potential match.
Building a Culture of Compliance & Your Path
In this module, you will learn what sustains a healthy compliance culture and the three lines of defense, where financial-crime compliance is heading, and how to map your own path toward AML/KYC certification.
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