Fresh FundWA investment signals strong conviction in Personr’s mission as Tranche 2 reforms approach.
FundWA has doubled down on Perth-based AML compliance startup Personr, providing follow-on capital just months after backing its seed raise.
The investment cements Western Australia’s role as a driver of national financial technology innovation ahead of the Government’s Tranche 2 AML reforms.
Founded by Charlie Westerman and Nick Ahrens, Personr was born from Westerman’s personal experience with identity theft in 2019.
That setback has since evolved into one of Australia’s most comprehensive AML compliance platforms, already used by nearly 100 businesses across the country.
“Securing two raises in such a short timeframe demonstrates strong conviction in both our mission and execution,” said Co-Founder Nick Ahrens. “It reflects the urgency of the compliance challenges we’re solving and the clear momentum Personr has built.”
Leading a New Era of Compliance
Personr enables businesses to:
In 2025, it was recognised by Aventine Labs as the most comprehensive and innovative AML platform.
With Tranche 2 reforms set to bring 100,000 Australian businesses — including real estate agencies, law firms, and accountants — under AUSTRAC regulation by 2026, Personr is already helping companies prepare.
FundWA CEO Glenn Butcher said the mission aligns with a global shift toward automated compliance.
“In a world where regulations are getting tougher and the cost of human error is soaring, companies need smarter, faster ways to handle things like identity checks and fraud prevention,” he said.
“We see Personr as building essential digital infrastructure, helping businesses thrive in a complex world by turning a compliance headache into a competitive edge. It’s a powerful idea, and we’re excited to back it.”
Nick Ahrens said the Tranche 2 reforms also represent a major shift for Australian compliance, throwing thousands of businesses under AUSTRAC regulation.
“Personr is helping those businesses get ahead by simplifying compliance, making it faster, more cost-effective, and scalable,” he said.
A West Australian Success Story
Personr surged last year, growing its customer base fivefold and revenue twelvefold — proof of urgent demand for smarter compliance and the strength of WA innovation.
FundWA general partner Pia Turcinov said WA has long led in high-stakes industries like mining and defence, where risk and security are critical. Personr brings that same disciplined, security-first approach to the digital world.
“By building a world-class RegTech business out of Western Australia, Personr is showing that WA's unique expertise in critical infrastructure can be translated into cutting-edge software for a global market. It's proof that our local talent can solve global problems, solidifying WA's reputation as a hub for leading innovation and integrity,” Ms Turcinov said.
Personr Co-Founder Charlie Westerman said the quick follow-on support proves the team is delivering results and winning belief in its mission.
“We’re entering a period of hypergrowth, driven by urgent regulatory changes and a clear need for smarter compliance infrastructure,” Mr Westerman said.
“Personr is not just keeping pace with regulation, we’re an example of how a WA-based scaleup is redefining compliance nationally.”
Why Personr’s story matters
Media EnquiriesArtemisia Blythe Communications & Content Lead arte@personr.co https://www.personr.co/
BNP Paribas will deploy Corporate Digital Identity to accelerate data-driven transformation
London, UK – 30th September, 2025 — Encompass Corporation, the global leader in Corporate Digital Identity (CDI) solutions, today announced details of a financing round led by BNP Paribas, one of Europe’s leaders in banking and financial services. This investment will accelerate Encompass’ ability to further develop their CDI platform, EC360, enabling the delivery of scalable, secure and future-ready solutions that meet the needs of client-centric banks.
“The investment from BNP Paribas is a powerful endorsement of the transformational impact of our Corporate Digital Identity technology,” said Wayne Johnson, CEO and Co-Founder of Encompass Corporation. “This strategic commitment from one of Europe’s most respected financial institutions will help shape the future of client onboarding and digital transformation.”
EC360 removes manual research with 100% automation of the KYC search procedure. Using bespoke automation rules to build complete CDI profiles in real-time, EC360 provides the foundation for BNP Paribas’ client-focused KYC at onboarding and throughout the client lifecycle.
“This investment reflects our commitment to supporting our clients right from the very first interaction with BNP Paribas, leveraging technology to constantly enhance their experience” said Boris Leblanc, Chief Operating Officer, Corporate and Institutional Banking, BNP Paribas. “By partnering with Encompass, we will use the power of intelligent automation to further streamline onboarding, reduce friction, and deliver a faster, more seamless, and secure client experience across our integrated banking model.”
Encompass’ platform complements this approach by delivering structured, high-quality data that supports AI-driven decision-making, automation, and client engagement. Existing customers of Encompass’ CDI platform benefit from streamlined onboarding, reduced manual processes, and improved transparency across jurisdictions.
This funding round positions Encompass as a trusted partner for financial institutions seeking to modernize their operations and embrace the future of digital identity and AI-powered transformation.
About Encompass Corporation
Encompass enables fast, accurate identity validation and verification of corporate clients, and a gold standard approach to KYC. Our award-winning EC360 Corporate Digital Identity (CDI) platform and innovative EC solutions incorporate real-time data and documents from authoritative global public data sources and private client information, to create and maintain digital risk profiles. With Encompass, the world’s leading banks improve client experience and increase business opportunities through consistent regulatory compliance and risk mitigation.
Encompass Corporation media contact:Magalie Pimentel, VP Marketing magaliepimentel@encompasscorporation.com+44 (0)7584 430847
The scope of Australia’s Tranche 2 AML/CTF reforms is widening, and this time, lawyers are in focus.
From 1 July 2026, law firms providing designated services will be required to comply with AUSTRAC’s Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing regime. That means new obligations in customer due diligence, monitoring, reporting and record keeping.
While the changes raise compliance challenges, they also present an opportunity: strengthening practice standards, improving client trust, and building resilience against financial crime.
Read more from Personr about what’s coming, lessons from overseas, and the role technology will play: https://www.personr.co/industry-insights/lawyers-to-shoulder-new-compliance-burden-in-2026
Melbourne, 29 September 2025 – FrankieOne today announced a strategic partnership with Daon. These leaders in global identity fraud prevention are bringing a new identity orchestration platform to the market to combat the growing threat of AI-driven fraud and deliver more secure, seamless, and scalable identity verifi cation worldwide.
The rise of deepfakes, synthetic identities and AI-powered spoofi ng attacks has accelerated globally, putting fi nancial institutions, fi ntechs, and regulators on high alert. At the same time, customer expectations for fast, frictionless onboarding continue to grow. This tension is pushing organisations to adopt more advanced biometric and identity verifi cation technologies.
By integrating Daon’s AI-driven biometric and document verifi cation capabilities into FrankieOne’s single API and orchestration layer, customers gain access to world-class identity verifi cation, multi-modal liveness detection, and advanced anti-spoofi ng measures. The partnership enables businesses to fi ght evolving fraud threats while maintaining compliance with complex regulatory requirements such as APRA and AUSTRAC in Australia, and their equivalents worldwide.
“We chose Daon because they bring true depth in biometrics to global markets - from regulatory-grade data sovereignty and faster processing times to libraries trained on diverse identity documents worldwide. Their multi-modal biometrics, NIST-tested accuracy, and advanced liveness detection give our customers access to best-in-class identity verifi cation. By combining Daon’s strengths with FrankieOne’s orchestration layer, we’re enabling regulated institutions to seamlessly escalate to stronger checks, expand confi dently into new markets, and deliver a secure yet frictionless customer experience.” Kim Wrobel - [Head of Partnerships, FrankieOne]
The partnership also highlights Daon’s commitment to bringing its trusted identity fraud prevention capabilities to new markets and industries through strategic collaborations.
“Partnering with FrankieOne allows us to bring our AI-driven biometric and identity verifi cation technologies to even more customers in a way that’s fl exible, scalable, and globally compliant. The combined platform makes it simple for organisations to deploy the right verifi cation tools for their risk profi le and jurisdiction. Together, we’re giving businesses the confi dence to fi ght fraud and meet complex regulatory demands without compromising user experience.” John Duggan — [Executive Vice President - APAC, Daon]
FrankieOne’s platform connects to more than 350 global data sources and verifi cation vendors, giving clients the ability to choose the right tools for their specifi c risk profi le, jurisdiction and customer base. By adding Daon’s proven identity technology expertise to its ecosystem, FrankieOne strengthens its position as the most fl exible and future-ready identity platform for regulated industries.
About FrankieOne FrankieOne provides a comprehensive identity and fraud prevention solution covering the full lifecycle of customer and business onboarding, KYC, KYB, and ongoing monitoring. Through a single integration, FrankieOne connects to over 350+ global data sources and verifi cation vendors.
About Daon Daon is a global leader in biometric identity assurance, with more than two billion identities verifi ed across 230+ countries and territories. Its multi-modal biometric solutions provide organizations with advanced fraud protection, regulatory compliance, and seamless user experiences.
Cambridge — 17th September 2025 — RegGenome, a regulatory data technology company, has been selected by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to support its technical assistance programme that strengthens anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing (AML/CFT), countering proliferation financing (CPF), and cybersecurity compliance across Pacific developing member countries (DMCs).
The project responds to the reduction in correspondent banking relationships in the Pacific, which has restricted access to international financial services and complements other development partners’ efforts to address CBR challenges. Limited regulatory information and higher compliance costs have further challenged financial institutions in the region. ADB is providing support to help Pacific Island Country regulators benchmark domestic frameworks against international standards, their peers, and key trading partner economies. The support intends to reduce the cost and time of due diligence and improve access to financial services.
Under the partnership, RegGenome will deploy its AI-powered regulatory framework analysis and assessment platform to deliver comparative analysis of AML/CFT, CPF, and cybersecurity requirements across 14 Pacific Island Countries and key partner jurisdictions, including Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Japan, and the European Union.
Commenting on the engagement, Bob Wardrop, Executive Chair of RegGenome, said:
“This project with ADB comes at a critical time for Pacific Island countries facing restricted access to international financial services. By providing regulators with structured data and AI-enabled tools, RegGenome is helping strengthen compliance frameworks and financial resilience while demonstrating the practical impact of computational regulation in supporting supervisors and policymakers.”
Regulators, peer reviewers, financial institutions, and development partners are expected to benefit significantly from ADB’s support. Regulators will gain a clearer understanding of the priorities needed to implement international standards. Peer reviewers will have improved insights into the frameworks implemented in the jurisdictions analysed through the platform. Financial institutions will be able to readily compare requirements across different jurisdictions, and development partner support can become more targeted and effective.
The project will also provide Pacific regulators with continuous regulatory analysis, quarterly gap-assessment reports, and training programmes to build local capacity for compliance and supervision.
About RegGenome
RegGenome is a regulatory data technology company and a leader in computational regulation. Founded at the University of Cambridge, RegGenome helps make complex regulations easier to use and understand. By turning legal and regulatory documents into clear, organised information, RegGenome enables regulators and public authorities to compare rules across countries, assess gaps against international standards, and support more efficient policy development and supervision.
www.reg-genome.com
About Asian Development Bank
ADB is a leading multilateral development bank supporting sustainable, inclusive, and resilient growth across Asia and the Pacific. Working with its members and partners to solve complex challenges together, ADB harnesses innovative financial tools and strategic partnerships to transform lives, build quality infrastructure, and safeguard our planet. Founded in 1966, ADB is owned by 69 members—49 from the region.
Media Contact
Mary Macauley Communications Manager RegGenome mmacauley@reg-genome.com https://reg-genome.com/adb-selects-reggenome-aml-cft-cybersecurity-pacific/
AI has huge potential to transform compliance, but only if it’s built on trustworthy regulatory data.
In this article, RegGenome explores why the real challenge for risk and compliance leaders isn’t the AI models themselves, but the fragmented, unstructured regulation they depend on. Without structured, source-linked data, outputs are inconsistent, untraceable, and can’t support defensible decisions.
With financial services facing 30,000+ regulatory updates a year, data quality has become a strategic risk management issue. The firms that win will be those treating regulatory data as infrastructure, enabling explainable AI, scalable compliance, and resilient risk frameworks.
Explore the insights: https://reg-genome.com/ai-ready-regulatory-data-regtech/
This week marks one of the most significant shifts in Australia’s financial crime landscape in over a decade. Tranche 2 closes long-standing gaps in AML/CTF regulation, extending obligations to VASPs, remittance providers, financial institutions and DNFBPs such as lawyers, accountants, and real estate agents.
Clarity and readiness will be critical. Non-compliance comes at a cost — as recent enforcement actions show — and the time to act is now.
Read Personr’s insights on what these changes mean for regulated entities:
https://www.personr.co/industry-insights/austrac-rules-are-here-but-are-they-easy-to-understand
The SM&CR was originally introduced to improve accountability and culture in financial services. It applied to thousands of firms across banking insurance, and financial markets, requiring clear designation of responsibilities for senior managers, certification of certain staff for their fitness and propriety, and conduct rules applicable to nearly all employees.
However, since its extension across the industry in 2019, stakeholders, including firms, industry bodies and governance, have raised concerns about is complexity, cost and administrative burden, particularly for smaller and midsized firms.
Phases:
Timelines:
Phase 1:
Rules are expected around early to mid-2026
Phase 2:
Precise details to be confirmed as they’re dependent upon legislative amendments.
Figure 1: Phased timeframes
In response, the FCA and HM Treasury have initiated a two-phased reform process:
Key proposals in CP25/21
The consultation includes several important reforms aimed at simplifying and compliance, improving efficiency, and reducing regulatory burden while maintaining high standards of governance and accountability.
1. Improved approval and notification process
The FCA proposes to streamline and digitise the senior manager approval process, reduce unnecessary paperwork, and make it easier for firms to navigate the application pipeline.
2. Extended certification and notification deadlines
Firms will be given more flexibility and time to certify staff, notify the regulator of changes, and make internal governance updates, reducing the pressure to act within short deadlines and allowing better planning.
3. Higher thresholds for enhanced regime
The FCA suggests raising the criteria for firms to fall within the “Enhanced” SM&CR regime, meaning fewer mid-sized firms would face the additional responsibilities such as maintaining responsibilities maps or handover procedures.
4. Clarifying conduct rule breach reporting
Proposals include simplifying how firms report breaches of Conduct Rules, focusing on materiality and consistency, and avoiding unnecessary duplication or over-reporting.
5. Preparation for phase 2 legislative reforms
Although not part of the current consultation, the FCA outlines potential future legislative changes including:
Benefits for Firms
The proposed reforms could deliver tangible benefits for regulated firms, especially in areas that have become resource-intensive under the current regime.
Figure 2: Envisaged benefits of SM&CR reforms
Reduced administrative burden
By extending deadlines and simplifying processes, firms will likely spend less time managing SM&CR documentation, recordkeeping, and back-and-forth communication with the regulator
Proportionality for smaller firms
Many firms currently subject to the Enhanced regime may be reclassified, which could significantly reduce compliance obligations, saving time and cost, particularly for HR, compliance and legal teams
Better clarity and focus
Streamlining breach reporting and reducing unnecessary approval requirements may allow compliance teams to focus on higher-risk areas, improving outcomes for both firms and regulators.
Smoother talent management
Simplifying the Certification Regime could also make it easier for firms to hire, certify and onboard staff without excessive regulatory delays, which has been a growing friction point in talent-constrained markets.
Challenges for Firms
Despite the positive direction of reform, there will be short- and medium-term challenges for firms must proactively manage.
Transitional Complexity
Reforms may temporarily increase complexity as firms will need to run dual processes, manage SM&CR under the current framework, and prepare for changes expected in 2026 and beyond.
Governance Gaps during Transition
Simplification doesn’t mean lower expectations. the FA has reiterate that governance and individual accountability remain core principles. If firms misinterpret the reforms as a relaxation of standards, they risk supervisory scrutiny or enforcement.
Resource constraints
Smaller firms, in particular, may lack the internal capacity to revised governance frameworks, update policies, and retain staff on new SM&CR processes whilst continuing business as usual.
How RegTech can Help?
In this landscape of reform and transition, Regulatory Technology can play a transformative role. Let’s consider the following aspects:
1. Digital Responsibilities mapping
RegTech platforms can dynamically create and update responsibility maps as roles change. With potential simplifications coming, these platforms can automate responsibilities allocation, reducing risk of omissions or duplications.
2. Workflow Automation for approval and certification
Automated workflow tools can streamline internal approval changes, reminders and signoffs, related to senior manager appointment and certifications. This becomes even more powerful as deadlines are extended, firms can build compliance into HR systems rather than relying on spreadsheets or ad hoc processes.
3. Breach reporting and conduct rule monitoring
RegTech solutions with built-in conduct rule libraries and breach logging workflows can help firms respond to the new, clearer reporting standards. With integrations to case management or whistleblowing systems, firms can create a full audit trail and reduce manual error.
4. Compliance dashboards
With responsibilities, breaches, deadlines, and certifications spread across multiple functions, RegTech can centralise all key SM&CR indicators on real-time dashboards, helping senior managers and compliance officers monitor compliance health at a glance.
5. Training and attestations
RegTech tools can automate the delivery, tracking, and renewal of conduct rules training, certification attestations, and fit-and proper tests, ensuring firms stay on top of obligations with minimal overhead.
Looking ahead: Preparing for the next Phase
Firms should not adopt a ‘wait and see’ approach. The Phase 1 changes are likely to be implemented in mind-2026, and Phae 2 reforms may arrive soon after. Proactive firms should:
Figure 3: Key Dates
Next Steps
The SM&CR forms in CP25/21 signal a pragmatic shift in UK financial regulation, retaining accountability whilst reducing burdens that can hinder operational effectiveness. For firms, the key will be to embrace simplification without diluting governance, and to use technology to scale their compliance in a smarter, more agile way.
As RegTech solutions mature and regulatory expectations evolve, the future of individual accountability in financial services may become not just more manageable, but more strategic.
The SM&CR reforms in CP25/21 signal a pragmatic shift in UK financial regulation, retaining accountability whilst reducing burdens that can hinder operational effectiveness. For firms, the key will be to embrace simplification without diluting governance, and to use technology to scale their compliance in a smarter, more agile way.
Ruleguard is an industry-leading GRC software platform designed to help regulated firms manage the burden of evidencing and monitoring compliance. It has a range of tools to help firms fulfil their obligations across the UK, Europe, N America, and APAC regions.
Transform the way your firm manages accountability and compliance.
Ruleguard's Accountability Regime Solution is designed to simplify compliance with various international accountability frameworks, including the UK’s SM&CR, Ireland’s SEAR, Singapore’s IAC, Hong Kong’s MIC, and Australia’s FAR. It supports key requirements like fitness and propriety assessments, certification, MRMs, SORs, and individual conduct breaches.
Ruleguard is a comprehensive solution that lets you protect and propel your business forward through the complex regulatory landscape.
Priscilla Gaudoin Head of Risk & Compliance | Ruleguard Email: priscilla.gaudoin@ruleguard.com Connect: https://www.linkedin.com/in/priscillagaudoin/
If you’d like to learn more, please contact us for further information on: Tel: 0800 408 3845 or hello@ruleguard.com.
Related Webinars, White Papers and Blogs
Ruleguard hosts regular events on various regulatory topics. You can watch our webinars on-demand at your convenience, or read our blogs, white papers and tune in to our podcasts.
Jade ThirdEye has released two new episodes of The FinCrime Connection podcast, covering the latest regulatory and compliance shifts across Australia, New Zealand, and the UK.
Australia & New Zealand
AUSTRAC has closed enforceable undertakings with NAB, PayPal, and Perth Mint, highlighting the heavy costs of remediation and the need for proactive compliance. At the same time, AUSTRAC is rolling out new educational resources for Tranche 2 entities, including webinars and sector-specific guidance. In New Zealand, the shift to a single supervisor under the Department of Internal Affairs is reshaping expectations, while the November 2025 SWIFT MX transition is fast approaching.
Listen to the ANZ episode here
United Kingdom
The UK’s 2025 National Risk Assessment estimates over £12 billion in criminal cash annually, with property and fintech at the centre of laundering risks. The FCA and NCA’s new System Priorities set out nine cross-sector areas of focus, including crypto resilience, international fraud, and sanctions evasion. Meanwhile, reforms to the Money Laundering Regulations aim to make compliance more targeted and practical.
Listen to the UK episode here
These updates underline a global trend: regulators are combining sharper enforcement with new frameworks and guidance, raising the bar for financial crime prevention.
Sydney, 25 August 2025 - FrankieOne, the global RegTech platform for identity verification, fraud prevention, and compliance, has been awarded “Data Initiative of the Year” at the 2025 Asia FinTech Awards, for its Advanced Analytics Dashboard, built in partnership with ThoughtSpot.
Historically, accessing insights on fraud, risk, and compliance required data scientists, SQL queries, or lengthy manual reporting processes. This not only slowed decision-making but also restricted usage to a small group of technical users. FrankieOne has broken that barrier with an AI-driven natural language interface, enabling enterprises to interact directly with their risk and compliance data.
The initiative is powered by large language models (LLMs) that mark a true AI transformation in how enterprises interact with compliance and fraud data. Instead of relying on data scientists or complex SQL queries, risk and compliance teams can now ask questions in natural language, surface insights instantly, and even trigger actions directly from the interface. This represents a material leap forward from legacy dashboards, moving beyond static reporting to deliver an AI assistant for compliance and fraud that makes intelligence faster, easier, and more accessible at global scale.
Since launch, FrankieOne’s AI-powered analytics has delivered measurable impact, including:
Adopted by leading enterprises including Westpac, PointsBet, and Shopify, FrankieOne’s solution is helping organisations achieve faster time-to-value, enhance operational efficiency, and gain greater visibility into the health of their compliance frameworks. This award highlights FrankieOne’s differentiation in the RegTech market as one of the first to deliver true AI-driven analytics and assistance for compliance and fraud.
Simon Costello, Co-Founder and CEO of FrankieOne, said:
“This award reinforces FrankieOne’s position as an AI-first company. With our new LLM-powered interface, customers can now interact with their compliance and fraud data in natural language, asking questions, surfacing insights, and triggering actions that previously required data scientists or complex SQL queries. This represents a step-change from when insights that were historically under-used are now available instantly to risk and compliance teams, driving real business impact. We’re proud to be setting a new standard for how enterprises access and apply intelligence across onboarding, fraud, and compliance - faster, easier and at global scale.”
Stuart Rees, Country Manager ANZ at ThoughtSpot, said:
“We’re thrilled to see FrankieOne recognised for transforming how enterprises use data. By embedding ThoughtSpot’s AI-powered analytics directly into the FrankieOne platform, customers can now engage with their risk and compliance data in entirely new ways - from natural language queries to proactive alerts - unlocking faster, smarter decision-making worldwide. We can’t wait to continue the partnership with the FrankieOne team and the team here at ThoughtSpot.”
Looking Ahead
FrankieOne will continue to expand its AI-driven analytics capabilities in collaboration with ThoughtSpot, helping enterprises worldwide interact with their compliance and fraud data more intuitively, respond faster to regulatory change, and deliver trusted, transparent customer experiences at global scale.
Media ContactsJessica Turnbull jessicaturnbull83@gmail.com +61 457 513 105
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