4 payments 1000 EUR each (inclusive of 8.1% Swiss VAT)

SELF-STARTER PACKAGE AND FINTECH COMPLIANCE PRO CERTIFICATION (INSTALLMENTS PLAN)

This program offers you step-by-step guidance on how to set up and manage all essential aspects of your FinTech Compliance program – efficiently and on a budget!

Whether you are a compliance expert or a founder handling your company's compliance, the worst possible mistake in compliance is starting from scratch! Stop reinventing policies, processes, or documentation for partners – we've got you covered!

This program is a comprehensive implementation blueprint including everything you need to set up and manage compliance function within your FinTech or Crypto startup. It includes two tracks:

FinTech Compliance Self-Starter which is s set of instantly available pre-recorded trainings, implementation guides and documentation templates.
Interactive trainings, live sessions and and the final assignment, leading to the CPD-accredited and formally recognized FinTech Startup Compliance Pro Certification.

You will get trainings and implementation guides for all recurring compliance projects: from assessing and optimizing your customer onboarding flow, managing license applications to preparing for and successfully completing audits and regulatory inspections, learning how to responsibly allocate your limited resources between hiring employees versus external help versus investing into tools and automation at the right time.

You will get instant access to over 40+ compliance templates (continuously updated), SOPs, T&Cs, checklists, policy examples, and even a sample license application document to save you valuable time and help you focus on growing your business, building the team and keeping your partners and customers happy.

One of the worst possible compliance mistakes is starting from scratch instead of re-using what works for others.

Compliance Self-Starter is available at all times and also includes access to future updates for all policies and trainings.

The Certification program (live interactive component) runs 3 times a year, it has the fixed start and graduation dates. These live trainings will equip you with implementation guidance you need to set up and manage an adequate compliance program within your startup even faster.

You are likely to experience the following outcomes during the first 60 days of this program:

Differentiate real risks from imaginary risks. You will know exactly how and where to take more risks.
Quantify and communicate the value of compliance. Confidently present your proposals and budget requests and get them approved, acting as a true business partner.
Your company will have a blueprint for key interactions with auditors, regulators, banks and financial partners.

How is this program different from any other compliance training?

Our approach is based on the 3 pillars of "Just-in-Time", scalable and results-oriented compliance:

Documentation (your policies and procedures)
Decisions (pragmatic risk-taking)
Operational efficiency (just-in-time processes)

Why are these 3 components so essential?

Pragmatic risk-taking combined with efficient processes will create growth and scale.
But… without documentation and policies, you will experience an “undocumented growth” which is a problem, when it comes to securing important partnerships and licenses.
Efficient operational processes combined with documentation will equal compliance because you do what your policies say, but without risk-taking, you end up being a conservative, rigid old-fashioned bank.
Risk-taking combined with great documentation will create a great public image, but if you don’t actually do what your policies say, it is just a window-dressing, and you’ll get caught.

WHAT IS INSIDE

Operational Efficiency. Implementation workshops for all critical aspects of compliance operations are included:

Opening bank accounts
Managing your own FinTech licensing and "MICA Licensing for Self-Starters" package.
Preparing Business-Wide Risk Assessment
Structuring White-Label solutions. Choosing between the white-label and your own licensing
FATCA/CRS implementation workshop
Onboarding and risk-rating for corporate customers
Performing due diligence on your future financial partners (to avoid the risk of over-reliance on Wirecard, FTX or Railsbank)
Creating your FinTech Privacy Policy and managing your GDPR compliance
End-to-end Blockchain Compliance
Preparing for and managing external audits
Standardizing and simplifying you annual compliance reporting
Complying with Apple and Google Appstore Guidelines
DORA Compliance. Documenting your Outsourcing
Implementing Russia-related sanctions within FInTech and Crypto startups
Digital Services Act implementation

Documentation and Policies Templates

Our tried-and-tested templates are continuously fine-tuned and updated, based on feedback received from our clients.

This package of FinTech Compliance templates is updated for 2025, and includes all mandatory elements to set up your FinTech compliance documentation:

AML, KYC, PEPs, sanctions policies and SOPs, onboarding flow setup guide (including policies, tools review, and guidance on admin and case management setup)
Privacy and GDPR module, including privacy policy, GDPR compliance policy, binding corporate rules, and standard contractual closes or Data Transfer Appendix template (to be included in all your contracts with vendors and payments partners where data transfer is involved). Digital Services Act implementation guide.
Outsourcing framework setup, including outsourcing policy template and outsourcing assessment checklist
Consumer and Investor Protection, including Customer Protection and Complaints Handling Policy, Investor Protection Policy, and Customer Funds Safeguarding Procedure (for fiat and crypto services)
Information Security, including InfoSec policy, incident management, and business continuity policy
Blockchain-specific regulations, including Blockchain Operational compliance policy
Corporate Governance and Board of Directors set up, Code of Conduct, Segregation of Duties guidance, Anti-Bribery and Corruption procedure, and other relevant templates (e.g. gift policy, HR screening, etc.)
Business-wide risk assessment and product risk assessment (with dedicated sections for AML, Product, VASPs, General Risks, Financial Risks, Startup Risks, and Regulatory Risks)
Risk Management, Assessment, and Fraud Prevention, including relevant Risk Management policy and Risk Assessment and Risk Assessment methodology templates
Conflict of Interests and Insider Trading Policy
Terms of Service, Affiliation and Loyalty Programs structuring (including sample language for loyalty points or reward programs, beta testing provisions, and affiliation program templates)
Inter-Company Agreements and SLAs
Detailed and comprehensive Annual Compliance Plan and sample Internal Audit Plan. Compliance Assurance Framework (roles of FLOD, SLOD, audit)
FinTech Licensing - including License Application Template, financial projections template, business plan template, FinTech licensing roadmap, first regulatory inquiry template
Token listing and token assessment criteria (for cryptocurrency exchanges or wallets).
DORA-compliant disclosures.
FATCA and CRS compliance policy.

* * * FINTECH STARTUP COMPLIANCE PRO CERTIFICATION * * *

This program allows you (or one of your team members) to complete our very unique FinTech Compliance certification that will prepare you to handle the most common compliance challenges and will elevate your competence and confidence to the next level where you feel ready not only to set and manage a superb compliance program within your FinTech startup, but will have a framework for making pragmatic risk-based decisions. The certification will prepare you to responsibly and pragmatically take more risks.

The Certification Schedule for 2025

If you would like to pursue the official certification as a "Certified Startup FinTech Compliance Pro", you will be asked to prepare your case study project, which will be assessed and graded. Remember, success in the FinTech compliance formula is 10% regulatory knowledge and 90% decision-making, negotiations, and leadership skills.

Below is the Certification-specific curriculum:

3 cohorts are planned for 2025:

Starting on January 15 and graduating by April 15 (closed)
Starting on April 16 and graduating by August 15 (open!)
Starting on September 17 and graduating by December 17.

Below is the Certification-specific curriculum (live trainings taking place on Wednesdays at 1 pm CET and always recorded) between April 16th and August 1st 2025:

1. April 16th 2025. Goal-setting.

2.April 30th 2025. Manage regulatory uncertainty training is dedicated to developing the skills needed to prepare and manage any regulatory change. Participants can choose between:

How to offer cross-border services and reverse solicitation (LIVE) deploying tried and tested strategies for geo-expansion.
MICA and grandfathering period for existing VASPs. (Pre-recorded)
Digital Services Act ("DSA") implementation, in particular how DSA interacts with GDPR and privacy requirements. (Pre-recorded)

3. May 7th 2025. Managing Compliance Function as a Profit Center. Preparing compliance ROI and communicating the value of compliance with stakeholders. Recession-proof your compliance operations. How to optimize compliance operations using marketing and finance data.

4. May 14th 2025. Developing Annual Compliance Plan and Compliance KPIs training covers the following areas:

Organizational structure
Hiring and firing principles
Setting revenue-generating objectives
Making ROI-based resource estimates
Defining KPIs for all key compliance areas: new products, AML, risk management, reporting, outsourcing, funds safeguarding, and governance.

5. May 21st 2025. Addressing Systemic Issues and Handling Crisis (e.g. company product strategy, team competency, problematic partnerships, incidents, losses). This training also covers communication strategies helping you solve intra-departmental conflicts using the NLP methodology.

6. May 28th 2025. Instructions to Prepare for the Final Assignment – where can you take more risks? The participants will have to identify, prepare, and justify a case study about where their function or company should take more risks

Deadline for submitting your Final Assignment: August 1st 2025.

Graduation: August 15th 2025.

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ADDITIONAL BONUS CONTENT:

FinTech Compliance for Beginners module (or a refresher if you are new in FinTech but not new in compliance)
Calls Archive with dozens of compliance implementation questions answered!

Certification Benefits: depending on your company's policies, an official certification status of the program can potentially help you claim the cost reimbursement and/or additional study leave or time-off. You will receive the proof of 30 hours invested into continuous education.

Eligibility requirements for successful completion of the Certification

You must attend live or watch the recordings of 10 workshops included into the Self-Starter package.
You must attend live or view the recordings of all 5 specific workshops that are mandatory for the Certification.
You must successfully complete the final assignment.

Grading Criteria for the Final Assignment

Your final assessment should describe a new initiative, new project, new opportunity, or new methodology ideally related to the goal that you identified during our first session. It should be approximately 4-6 pages long and must be a narrative/analysis.

After Certification

Your access to the FinTech Compliance Self-Starter content and Certification training is not time-limited. It means that you will automatically get access to new recordings and document updates and new versions of templates and trainings. You are welcome to view any future recordings of any updated version of the training or workshops and download any future templates that will be added to the program at any time. No additional payments are required.

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HOW TO ASK YOUR COMPANY TO APPROVE THIS INVESTMENT ?

Download this reimbursement request letter and send it to your boss.

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Please note that this offer is non-refundable as soon as you access the content.

Logistics: After you have made the payment, you will be granted access to the password-protected area of the course portal where all recorded content and templates will be delivered to you. You will be prompted to create your login and password which you will need to access the program recordings at any time in the future. The schedule will be communicated over email.

Questions? – [email protected]

What current students & alumni say:

We are extremely grateful to Yana for efficiently driving our VASP and EMI applications to successful approvals. Her pragmatic approach, broad experience and superb diplomatic skills allowed us to plan hiring, make relevant product decisions and commercial commitments when the timing was right, so that we did not overcommit ourselves too soon and used our budgets and engineering resources wisely. I can highly recommend her to any FinTech or crypto company applying for FinTech or crypto authorizations.

Jakob F. Kleinsasser – General Manager • CryptoPay

I have just completed the FinTech Compliance program led by Yana, leading to a FinTech Pro certification. I am extremely satisfied with the program in terms of course delivery, resources and organisation of the program. Yana's expertise in the field is evident, delivering engaging webinars and addressing all participant questions thoroughly, with an open door for follow-up queries. The course provides an array of practical templates that are incredibly useful for compliance tasks. It's an invaluable resource for anyone in the fintech startup compliance sector or compliance professionals in general. The program offered deep insights into the crucial role compliance professionals play and equipped me with the necessary tools and materials to excel in this field. Highly recommended!

Gaki Tshering – Risk and Compliance Manager • Ping Payments

Fintech Startup Compliance Pro Certification experience. In a world of endless regulatory reports, audits, partner due diligences, incidents, documentation updates, and licensing, I am somehow not losing focus and am always able to do the right thing at the right time by applying Yana’s just-in-time method. It's important to note that this certification isn't a quick fix for personal change. It's more of a journey, taking several months of effort to adopt the right mindset. Another great thing is that it doesn't treat compliance in isolation. Compliance professionals dream, burn out, get sick, have feelings, and want to work on great stuff. Yana's coaching combines compliance expertise and addresses both the technical and human aspects of the profession. It's been a significant help for me, and I think it could be for others too.

Anastasiia Vasylieva – Full-Stack Compliance CAMS • Robocash

Yana has been an invaluable support in providing feedback and practical solutions to queries I have had relating to new or old regulations. Yana not only provides clarity but also rich templates that can be easily adapted and incorporated into new or existing governance processes. Yana's experience ensure these solutions are operational to add value to any business or fintech solution. - Pat Patterson (Soldo)

Pat Patterson – Director, Compliance • Tilia (Ireland & Europe)

I find materials and courses by Yana Afanasieva very inspiring, insights she shares help me find effective solutions in my everyday routine. Moreover, I have changed my attitude, and draft documents, reports, answer requests from another perspective, as a result - me and my colleagues think positive, meet challenges of business requests with due responsibility, but overall set of measures aims to ensure simplification of processes. Anna Lind - D2

Anna Lind – Legal Counsel | Compliance Specialist (ICA) • Communicator Groupe, LLC

All information is professionally aggregated, filtered and presented - Competitive Compliance is a real timesaver for FinTech companiesuilding and enhancing our policies and procedures.Thank you, Yana, for sharing your experience and expertise! - Iaroslav Kovshikov, SnapSwap

Iaroslav Kovshikov – Operations Officer / IT Security Officer / Board Secretary • SnapSwap International S.A.

Yana has incredible depth of knowledge on the compliance and regulatory needs in the Fintech and Crypto space across the UK and Europe. She has provided the highest level of insight and been very proactive to help us achieve our company goals.

Elizabeth Rossiello – Founder & CEO • AZA/BitPesa

Yana is an outstanding and seasoned compliance & regulatory professional who has extensive experience and knowledge in crypto and fintech in general. She is one of the most valuable partner for our strategic advisory from compliance point of view. As her company name suggests, if you want your compliance team to be “competitive”, she is the best person to speak to.

Rikiya Masuda – Board Member • Takumido

It’s rare that you come across standout talent like Yana. I had the pleasure of working with her for nearly three years at BitPesa (now AZA) and Founders Bank collectively, we often collaborate closely on FinTech projects with heavy compliance requirements. I am always impressed by Yana's ability to bridge the gap between scalable technical solutions and solid compliance leadership and guidance—effortlessly. That skill often takes years to develop, but it seemed to come perfectly naturally. I always enjoy working with Yana, as a team member or a leader, Yana earns my highest recommendation.

Dearg O'Bartuin – Co-Founder & CTPO • Mara

I’ve got so much to share about Yana and her impact on my professional journey! About a year ago, I randomly stumbled upon Yana's podcast just by searching ‘compliance’ in Spotify, and I got hooked instantly. I couldn't wait for the next episode each week; it was like a revelation to me. I come from a legal background, and my mindset was all about being conservative, risk-averse, and disconnected from the business. But then Yana's podcast changed everything. I was shocked when I first heard that compliance should genuinely care about the business, understand marketing, care about conversions. It hit me like a lightning bolt - "Wait, aren't we the second line of defense, independent from the business and guarding company from the risk?" It took me a little time to realize that I had been wrong all along, even with my four CAMS certificates feeling useless and like a waste of money (despite some companies still requiring them!). Before long, I discovered Yana's concept of 'business-like and just in time compliance,' and it was like magic. Suddenly, compliance was being heard, invited to important meetings, and kept in the loop about product changes way ahead of time. We became trusted partners to the business, no longer just the department of 'NO.' It's crazy to think about how far we've come. From a company in its 'age of innocence,' with undocumented growth, to a compliance function that's now a 'leverage' for the company. We're securing crucial partnerships, opening bank accounts, obtaining licenses and authorizations, and acing audits. Yana's guidance has been invaluable. I wholeheartedly recommend her products, especially the Compliance Collective. They have been one of the absolute best investments in my professional career. Yana rocks!

Anastasiia Vasylieva – Full-Stack Compliance CAMS • Robocash