The G20 roadmap highlights the global push to improve cross-border payments—aiming for faster, more transparent, and cost-efficient systems. But despite shared ambitions, legal and compliance frameworks still vary widely by market, making seamless expansion difficult for fintechs.
At the same time, expectations are rising. Retail customers now demand smooth, secure payment experiences. Yet fragmented regulations and inconsistent standards often create roadblocks—especially when fintechs operate across borders.
Legal and Compliance Frameworks in the EU: What Fintechs Need to Know
Within EMEA, businesses face fast-evolving regulations. While the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) provides a foundation, it doesn’t solve every challenge. New regulations—PSD3 & PSR, Instant Payment Regulations (IPR), MiCAR, DORA, FiDA, and e-invoicing mandates—add further complexity.
So, how do Fintechs keep up?
Legal & Compliance expert Ozge Gurbuz explains:
“Fintechs typically build in-house legal and compliance teams around Series A or B, once the product is ready to scale. The first key hires often include a Head of Compliance or Legal Counsel, particularly in regulated sectors like payments, where securing the appropriate licenses is essential. These hires help ensure the company navigates the complex regulations effectively and stays compliant across multiple markets.”
Forward-thinking firms embed compliance into product development and strategic planning from the start. They ensure compliance leaders report directly to the C-suite and invest early in systems, training, and tools that go beyond baseline requirements. This is particularly important when expanding into EMEA or partnering with EU-regulated entities. Many businesses also use DORA as a benchmark for third-party risk and IT resilience, helping shape more scalable, future-proof compliance operations.
APAC: Legal and Compliance Frameworks Across Fragmented Jurisdictions
The APAC region is one of the most fragmented and diverse regulatory environments globally, as discussed in our APAC hiring insights for 2025. Each country has its own rules on anti-money laundering (AML), licensing, FX controls, and data privacy—forcing fintechs to adapt frameworks for every jurisdiction they enter.
How do fintechs manage these challenges?
Fintech consultant Bernie Ding shares:
“In APAC, fintechs need legal and compliance support from early stage to set up compliance policies and structures to get ready for license application to register with local regulators. Countries like Singapore and Hong Kong have rigorous licensing processes, with multiple rounds of interviews and vetting required by authorities such as the MAS and HKMA. For fintechs, having local compliance experts who understand these processes is critical to ensuring timely approvals and staying on the right side of regulatory requirements.”
While core compliance structures stay consistent, local requirements can vary dramatically. As APAC fintechs expand into EMEA or North America, they must tailor their compliance strategies to each region. Strong relationships with regulators, proactive research, and clear licensing plans are essential.
Talent Trends: The complexity of regional regulations has led to an increased demand for compliance professionals with expertise in licensing, data protection, and regulatory relations across Asia-Pacific hubs.
Future Trends to Watch
Compliance Collaboration with AI and RegTech
To manage growing regulatory demands efficiently, many compliance teams are turning to AI-powered RegTech tools like CentralEyes, AuditBoard, and LogicGate Risk Cloud. These platforms streamline risk assessments, automate monitoring, and reduce the manual burden of documentation.
Banks are also using AI to shift from reactive to proactive compliance. By analysing transactions in real-time, AI systems can flag anomalies before issues escalate. As Retail Banker International noted, “Between rising costs and tightening regulations, companies have less room for errors”—making automation a critical tool in reducing risk.
That said, AI is not a substitute for human judgment. Compliance remains a high-stakes function where decisions carry serious regulatory and reputational consequences. The most effective frameworks combine smart automation with experienced professionals who can provide context and oversight.
RegTech is also helping startups and scaling fintechs reduce their time-to-license in new markets by automating documentation, maintaining auditable workflows, and tracking evolving regulatory expectations in real time.
ESG Regulations Becoming Central to Compliance
Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) considerations are no longer a side issue—they’re now integral to compliance strategy. Regulators, investors, and consumers are all pushing companies to prove their ethical, environmental, and social impact.
This pressure is translating into law. From climate disclosures and diversity reporting to ethical sourcing and supply chain transparency, ESG mandates are being embedded into compliance frameworks—especially in regions like the EU.
Legal and compliance teams now need to broaden their focus. ESG risks and reporting obligations sit alongside traditional responsibilities, requiring new skills and cross-functional collaboration. For fintechs scaling globally, building compliance teams with ESG expertise—and aligning practices across markets—is becoming essential to long-term success.
Hiring Insight: Many fintechs are expanding their compliance teams to include ESG-focused roles, especially those with backgrounds in sustainability reporting, ethical auditing, or supply chain risk. ESG-aligned compliance is becoming a competitive differentiator for attracting investors and enterprise partners.
The Growing Demand for Cross-Functional Legal / Compliance / Data Roles
As regulation becomes more data-driven and complex, fintechs are increasingly seeking professionals who sit at the intersection of legal, compliance, and data.
These roles are critical for:
- Integrating Data and Compliance: Professionals who understand both data privacy laws (e.g. GDPR) and how to use data for compliance monitoring and risk assessments.
- Adapting to Regulatory Change: Experts who can interpret legal updates and rapidly adjust systems and processes.
- Collaborating Across Teams: Legal and compliance departments are working closely with engineers, product managers, and data analysts to build smarter, scalable compliance solutions.
In a fast-moving sector, hiring people with cross-functional expertise is helping fintechs stay agile, compliant, and competitive.
Final Thoughts: Embedding Legal and Compliance Early Pays Off
Whether you’re scaling in APAC, EMEA, or globally, building legal and compliance frameworks early isn’t just good practice—it’s a strategic advantage. Fintechs that embed compliance into product strategy, align with global standards like DORA, and foster strong regulatory relationships are better positioned to scale sustainably and win long-term trust.
For further insight regarding compliance talent and the hiring market please contact us.
