Crypto Compliance Essentials: AML, KYC and the Travel Rule
Master AML/KYC, the Travel Rule, sanctions screening, and how to build a compliance program that passes audits.

About this course
Crypto compliance is not optional. Regulators are enforcing AML/KYC, money transmitter licensing, the Travel Rule, and sanctions screening — with criminal and civil penalties for the businesses that get it wrong. If you’re building a crypto business, you need to understand these obligations, and you need to implement them correctly from day one.
This course teaches you how.
Over 24 lessons across six modules and a capstone project, you’ll learn:
– AML/KYC fundamentals and how to design a customer due diligence (CDD) and enhanced due diligence (EDD) process
– US money transmitter licensing under FinCEN and the ongoing SAR, CTR, and record-keeping obligations that follow
– The Travel Rule: what it is, the technology used to implement it (TRISA, Shyft, and others), and how to test and audit your implementation
– OFAC sanctions screening, how to build a screening process, and how to manage false positives and blocked transactions without stalling legitimate customers
– MiCA and international compliance for EU-facing businesses, plus how compliance works in Singapore, Hong Kong, and Japan
– How to build and operate a full compliance program: governance and roles, policies and procedures, training and culture, vendor management, and internal audit
Each lesson teaches one idea with a worked example, a hands-on exercise, and a three-line recap, so you finish with artifacts you can use, not just theory. You’ll analyze real enforcement actions — including Ripple Labs’ FinCEN settlement, Chainalysis’s Travel Rule tooling, and the Tornado Cash OFAC designation — to understand exactly what went wrong and how to design controls that avoid the same outcome.
By the end of the course you will be able to: map AML/KYC obligations to your business model and jurisdiction; design a CDD/EDD process; explain, implement, and audit the Travel Rule; conduct and document OFAC and sanctions screening; build a compliance program with policies, procedures, and training; evaluate and integrate third-party compliance vendors; and analyze enforcement actions to avoid similar violations.
The course closes with a capstone project: design a complete compliance program — AML/KYC policy, Travel Rule implementation plan, sanctions screening process, and org chart — for a provided scenario, a US/EU stablecoin issuer. A rubric scores your submission on completeness, regulatory accuracy, and feasibility.
Certificate: Earn your certificate by passing all six module quizzes at 80%+ and scoring 70%+ on the capstone. Your certificate includes your name, completion date, and course title, and is shareable as a PDF or a LinkedIn badge.
Who this is for: Founders, operations leads, and compliance officers at crypto startups, exchanges, stablecoin issuers, and payment companies who must build or oversee a compliance program. No legal background required — this is education, not legal advice.
What you’ll get: 24+ lessons, six module quizzes, a capstone project, and a shareable certificate. Dated 2026 to reflect current AML/KYC, Travel Rule, OFAC, and MiCA requirements.
What you will be able to do
- Can map AML/KYC obligations to your business model and jurisdiction
- Can design a customer due diligence (CDD) and enhanced due diligence (EDD) process
- Can explain the Travel Rule, implement it technically, and audit compliance
- Can conduct OFAC and sanctions screening and document the process
- Can build a compliance program with policies, procedures, and training
- Can evaluate and integrate third-party compliance vendors
- Can analyze enforcement actions to avoid similar violations
Curriculum
1AML/KYC Fundamentals
- Why AML/KYC Exists: Money Laundering, Terrorism Financing, and Regulatory Response
- The AML/KYC Framework: FATF Recommendations and Global Standards
- Customer Due Diligence (CDD): Identity Verification, Risk Assessment, and Documentation
- Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD): When, Why, and How
- KYC Technology: APIs, Verification Providers, and Automation
2US Money Transmitter Licensing and Regulation
- What Makes You a Money Transmitter Under FinCEN
- Money Transmitter Licensing: State-by-State Requirements and Costs
- Ongoing Compliance: SAR, CTR, and Record-Keeping
- Building a BSA/AML Program: Policies, Procedures, and Training
- Case Study: Ripple Labs and FinCEN Enforcement
3The Travel Rule and Implementation
- The Travel Rule: Definition, Scope, and Why It Matters
- Travel Rule Technology: TRISA, Shyft, and Other Solutions
- Designing a Travel Rule Compliance Process
- Testing and Auditing Your Travel Rule Implementation
- Case Study: Chainalysis and Travel Rule Enforcement
4Sanctions Screening and OFAC
- OFAC Sanctions: Lists, Designations, and Your Obligations
- Building a Sanctions Screening Process
- Screening Tools and Vendors: Evaluation and Integration
- Managing False Positives and Blocked Transactions
- Case Study: Tornado Cash and OFAC Enforcement
5International Compliance and MiCA
- MiCA: The EU's Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation
- MiCA Compliance Requirements for EU-Facing Businesses
- Compliance in Other Jurisdictions: Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan
- Managing Multi-Jurisdiction Compliance
6Building and Operating a Compliance Program
- Designing a Compliance Program: Governance, Roles, and Responsibilities
- Writing Policies and Procedures That Work
- Compliance Training and Building a Compliance Culture
- Vendor Management and Third-Party Risk
- Internal Audit, Monitoring, and Continuous Improvement
7Capstone Project u2014 Compliance Program Design
- Capstone Brief: Design a Compliance Program for a Fictional Crypto Business
Taught by Block Relations
Research & Education · Built for the Compliance Officer or Operations Lead at a crypto startup or payments company who must build or oversee a compliance program. They need to understand regulatory requirements across the US, EU, and other jurisdictions; implement screening and monitoring systems; manage vendor relationships; and ensure the company doesn't violate AML/KYC/sanctions rules that carry criminal and civil penalties.
Free
Free
Free