Crypto Custody Firm Qredo Adds Blockchain Analytics to FATF ‘Travel Rule’ Offering

Qredo is bringing its APIs to bear on the global push for crypto AML compliance.

AccessTimeIconJun 2, 2022 at 6:00 a.m. UTC
Updated May 11, 2023 at 6:47 p.m. UTC
10 Years of Decentralizing the Future
May 29-31, 2024 - Austin, TexasThe biggest and most established global hub for everything crypto, blockchain and Web3.Register Now

Cryptocurrency custody and settlement technology firm Qredo has thrown its hat into the ring of compliance solutions aimed at bringing digital assets in line with anti-money laundering (AML) guidance set out by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).

The FATF included firms that handle crypto transactions, known as virtual asset service providers (VASP), within its ambit back in mid-2019. The guidance requires exchanges, trading desks and custodians to transfer personally identifiable information along with crypto transactions over a certain threshold. It has come to be known as the “travel rule.”

  • How NEAR Enables Multichain Access From One Account
    00:56
    How NEAR Enables Multichain Access From One Account
  • Why the NEAR foundation Chose Eigenlayer as a Security Partner
    00:54
    Why the NEAR foundation Chose Eigenlayer as a Security Partner
  • Judge Kaplan Had 'No Love' for Sam Bankman-Fried, Legal Expert Says
    07:08
    Judge Kaplan Had 'No Love' for Sam Bankman-Fried, Legal Expert Says
  • How Bitcoin and Ether's Options Contracts Combined Expiry Could Spike Volatility
    01:11
    How Bitcoin and Ether's Options Contracts Combined Expiry Could Spike Volatility
  • Qredo, which raised $80 million in funding earlier this year, is focused on interoperability with other solutions such as TRISA, TRP, TRUST, Sygna, VerifyVASP and Notabene, the custody firm said, while there is also an atomic swap option where both counterparties use Qredo’s multi-party-computation (MPC) custody infrastructure.

    The Qredo approach is also useful in the way that it plugs into a range of blockchain analytics tools that many firms will already be familiar with, said Ben Whitby, the firm’s head of compliance. This includes the likes of Chainalysis, Elliptic, TRM Labs, ComplyAdvantage, Coinfirm, VASPNet and Crystal Blockchain.

    Whitby said most of the crypto firms Qredo spoke with had spent a good deal of time and money training staff to use blockchain analytics tools of one sort or another. So it made sense to combine trade and compliance work flows with APIs, something that’s particularly useful should the regulator want to probe a given transaction.

    “In the event of an investigation from an enforcement agency, you can demonstrate completely that a transaction had the right checks undertaken; a sanctions check, the sending of metadata, and feedback from the beneficiary and so on,” Whitby said in an interview. “It’s all there, instead of having to pull logs and a lot of painful cross-referencing and reconciliation.”

    Disclosure

    Please note that our privacy policy, terms of use, cookies, and do not sell my personal information has been updated.

    CoinDesk is an award-winning media outlet that covers the cryptocurrency industry. Its journalists abide by a strict set of editorial policies. In November 2023, CoinDesk was acquired by the Bullish group, owner of Bullish, a regulated, digital assets exchange. The Bullish group is majority-owned by Block.one; both companies have interests in a variety of blockchain and digital asset businesses and significant holdings of digital assets, including bitcoin. CoinDesk operates as an independent subsidiary with an editorial committee to protect journalistic independence. CoinDesk employees, including journalists, may receive options in the Bullish group as part of their compensation.

    Ian Allison

    Ian Allison is an award-winning senior reporter at CoinDesk. He holds ETH.


    Learn more about Consensus 2024, CoinDesk's longest-running and most influential event that brings together all sides of crypto, blockchain and Web3. Head to consensus.coindesk.com to register and buy your pass now.