MAP Fintech - Planet Compliance RegTech Interview (2021)

Let’s start with a brief introduction. What can you tell us about MAP FinTech and your RegTech offering?

Founded in 2013, MAP FinTech is a leading and award-winning UK, EU and AU regulatory technology provider for the financial services industry, specialising in reporting solutions arising from the requirements of many complex international regulations such as EMIR, MiFIR, SFTR, ASIC, FATCA, DAC6 and CRS.
MAP FinTech also provides innovative and comprehensive solutions for Best Execution Monitoring, RTS 27/28 reporting, AML Transaction Monitoring and Screening, Trade Surveillance (Market Abuse), and eKYC (Client on Boarding, Screening, eIDV, Document Authentication). The company was one of the first vendors in Europe to report under the European Market Infrastructure Regulation (EMIR), having already successfully reported 2 billion+ transactions since February 2014.

What are some of the biggest challenges your solutions solve for your clients?

Reporting is like a tax on a business, it is unavoidable. The art in this case is to mitigate those costs by freeing operations, technology and compliance resources from reporting and moving them back to their primary purposes. RegTech systems allow for the burden of reporting to be lifted but won’t remove liability. That is why our clients choose us. We grant them full transparency and reconciliation over the processes to prove to regulators and senior management that they have complete end-to-end reporting oversight. Also, we are able to assist with accurate and error-free reporting, keep them insulated from change and help them remain fully compliant.

Additionally, we work on cross-border regimes and different types of regulations while leveraging many of the same required reporting data sets. For instance, we can provide trade level, surveillance and accountancy reporting for many of the same data subsets. This comprehensive and efficient service, which incorporates multiple products, allows our clients to get the most out of our relationship, while keeping costs down. The result is that the cost of reporting is minimised; clients can then concentrate on their business, leaving the reporting to the experts, and retain full control.

How would you describe the differences between your offering from others in your RegTech category?

MAP FinTech is not just a technology company that develops software to help its clients report. At the core of our offerings lies compliance. MAP FinTech provides quality assurance so that reporting obligations are correctly covered in terms of data quality. If the need arises, we can directly support businesses before any national competent authority (NCA). Our products have been repeatedly tested and passed several rigorous reviews by several EU NCAs, providing full transparency for both clients and EU NCAs.

MAP FinTech has managed to successfully and innovatively combine the compliance and technology functions with both of its teams working in close unison. This allows the us to be flexible and efficient in supporting the many new, demanding and dynamic requirements of the global RegTech world. Our unique portfolio of solutions delivered under a single powerful platform and the extensive regulatory know-how of our team, underpins the company’s success in providing targeted solutions to its clients and addressing their reporting needs across a diverse regulatory landscape.

Our flexibility to build and support completely customised solutions is what gives us the edge. Agility is key. Personal care for each customer, commitment and innovation is the customer service model the company uses and will continue to practice moving forward.

What advice would you give to decision makers when choosing a RegTech solution such as the ones your offer?

The selection of a RegTech partner is critical for a business. Your RegTech partner should be able to help you meet your regulatory obligations efficiently and cost-effectively. They should also help your firm automate the day-to-day compliance tasks, reduce operational risks associated with your reporting obligations and remain compliant.

The appropriate RegTech provider should offer you innovative technology that can scale to your needs. Moreover, they should provide you with proper regulatory insights to achieve your business goals. Last, and probably most important, the solution provider should be flexible and forward looking. Regulations change and your vendor needs to be agile enough to adapt to these changes and insulate you from the cost of them.

Can you tell us about some of your most recent achievements or milestones you’ve reached?

The past year was a challenging year for the RegTech industry. However, MAP FinTech has managed to deploy several new and innovative RegTech solutions. Unique products such as Trade Surveillance (MAR), ASIC Reporting, DAC6 Reporting, SFTR Reporting, AML Transaction Monitoring and Screening, and eKYC have allowed MAP FinTech to expand into other regions, helping a multitude of global clients simplify and resolve their regulatory challenges. We have also extended our list of integrations with international TRs, ARMs and NCAs. These include working with UnaVista (LSE) for EMIR Reporting, DTCC Data Repository (Singapore) Pte Ltd (DDRS) for ASIC Reporting, DDRL and DDRIE for SFTR Reporting, Euronext Paris SA (ARM), and multiple NCAs. These integrations have helped our clients meet their regulatory reporting obligations in a timely and efficient way.

We currently support over 180 B2B global clients and have been recognised as one of the 100 most innovative RegTech companies in the world for 2020 and 2021. MAP FinTech’s innovative solutions are used by LSE listed brokers including some of the biggest CFD brokers in the world.

What drives you as company and what is MAP FinTech’s long term vision?

As regulatory technology continues to evolve, our vision remains to provide our clients with state-of-the-art, scalable solutions that simplify the way they meet their regulatory obligations without encumbering their operational and technical flexibility. We aim to be the regulatory technology of choice, offering limitless solutions on one platform for all regulatory technology needs. We want to empower companies of all sizes and across many industries to focus on their core business despite the many regulatory headwinds. With our deep expertise and innovative solutions, companies can simplify compliance and efficiently manage a number of regulatory requirements, thus reducing operational burden and minimizing the risk of non-compliance. In this way, they can concentrate on business development and create greater customer experiences.

What are some of the important developments you are seeing in the RegTech industry?

During the past several years, regulators have invested heavily in technology to protect and monitor regulatory reporting data quality. 2021 will focus on new regulations, preparing for those with effective dates this year, and closely monitoring those that are going through the legislation, proposal and comment processes. Considering the high levels of regulation facing our industry, it makes sense for firms to rely on efficient and cost-effective technologies to manage and fulfil the multiple regulatory compliance functions required to run their businesses and remain compliant before the law. With this trend gaining momentum, it’s imperative for firms to embrace RegTech and fully understand how these technologies can impact their business moving forward.

Another trend we expect for 2021 will be the continued development of AI technology in the RegTech field. Even though at its early stages, AI research is expected to solve many problems, especially in the field of big data consolidation and identification for regulatory reporting purposes. In addition, AI will significantly enhance the general monitoring and adaptation to continuous regulatory change. At MAP FinTech, we are actively researching AI and how it can help us overcome the limitations that currently exist in the available technologies. Statistical analysis will eventually remove the need for complex and cumbersome rule-based solutions and this flexibility will further increase reactivity and accuracy.

What’s next for MAP FinTech?

We are determined to continue delivering exceptional, innovative and one-of-a-kind solutions to our clients and partner firms. This includes our best-in-class regulatory reporting technology services and tools that allow those companies working with us to achieve best results.

Plenty of our success stems from our ability to effectively and agilely combine the work being carried out by both our compliance and technology divisions. This teamwork has allowed us to better cater to the rapidly changing demands posed by the global RegTech world. Likewise, it has made it easier for us to provide our clients with fully customizable and targeted solutions that cover all of their reporting needs. This flexibility and ability to quickly adapt to a dynamic regulatory environment, matched with our unwavering commitment to customer service and innovation, has allowed us to be one step ahead of the competition. We plan on leveraging these advantages to continue expanding our business and streamlining our customers’ regulatory responsibilities well into the future.

What’s the best way for potential clients or investors to get in touch with you?

Offices:

MAP FinTech (UK) Limited: 34 Lime Street, EC3M 7AT, London, UK

T: +44 207 060 5540

E: info@mapfintech.co.uk

MAP Financial Technologies (Europe) Limited:
- Limassol Office: 74 Archiepiskopou Makariou C’, Amaranton Court, 3rd Floor, Mesa Geitonia, Limassol 4003, Cyprus

T: +357 25 351335

E: info@mapfintech.com