In the old days, banks could work independently of others providing financial services, but not anymore. As the world becomes more interconnected, banks are being drawn into emerging ecosystems comprised of old and new players. Cooperation and integration are the names of the game for both incumbents and newcomers such as fintechs and virtual banks, but putting the blocks in place to build the infrastructure is easier said than done.
Hong Kong, southern China’s special administrative region, is counted as one of the world’s foremost financial hubs, ranking high in digital transformation, and is currently rolling out virtual banks, which are keeping traditional banks on their toes. One of the well-established banks in Hong Kong, China CITIC Bank International (CNCBI), has staked claim to being a frontrunner in digitalization and is rapidly expanding its innovation footprint in China’s Greater Bay Area.
“Trade Based Money Laundering (TBML) is an important component of the underlying system that supports all transnational crime. It’s far more complex than any other type of financial investigation and requires a lot more co-operation across agencies and across national jurisdictions,” says Mark Giuffre, former special agent for the American Drug Enforcement Administration.