The correlation of Financial Action Task Force recommendations: the perception of compliance officers concerning the deployment of third parties and Fintech for customer due diligence

Purpose This study aims to explore the challenges financial institutions face in deploying third parties and financial technologies to perform customer due diligence. Design/methodology/approach This study applied a qualitative technique and interviewed 25 compliance officers from different financial institutes and their regulators. Findings This study found that the third-party recommendation of the Financial Action Task Force is restrictive, contradictory, time-consuming and seriously lacks standardisation. Furthermore, this recommendation restricts the use of modern Fintechs. This recommendation has posed significant challenges for the adoption of Fintechs, international banking/onboarding, digital onboarding and financial inclusion. Practical implications Thus, revisiting the Financial Action Task Force Recommendations 17 and 15 in correlation with Recommendation 10 is suggested. Originality/value The Recommendation 17 is rarely discussed in details, especially in developing courtiers’ context.