What sanctions.io does

Sanctions.io is a Delaware-incorporated, bootstrapped SaaS provider of AML and sanctions compliance screening APIs, founded in 2020 and operating from Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. Its platform comprises three delivery layers — a real-time Screening API (average ~350ms response), a Batch Screening API for high-volume entity screening, and a web-based Manual Screening Portal — backed by four data pillars: 75+ global sanctions and watchlists from 30+ jurisdictions, 1M+ Politically Exposed Persons records, criminal watchlists (Interpol Red Notices, FBI Most Wanted), and an adverse media corpus drawn from 60,000+ news sources across 100+ countries. Core differentiators include a proprietary NLP and machine-learning "Smart Matching" engine that handles transliteration across non-Latin scripts, nicknames, and phonetic similarity, and that the company claims reduces false positives by approximately 90% while maintaining zero false negatives. All screening data is refreshed every 60 minutes with auditable timestamps, and the service is SOC 2 Type 2 certified with 99.995% stated uptime.

The business runs on a hybrid usage-based and subscription model: API call volume is priced in tiers from 5,000 to 250,000+ screenings per year, supplemented by 1- to 3-year enterprise contracts with optional annual invoicing, alongside a 7-day free trial that requires no credit card. Go-to-market is API-first and dual-track: direct enterprise field sales via discovery calls and custom proposals, plus a self-serve PLG funnel for mid-market and SMB buyers. Distribution extends through native integrations into SAP, BigID, Salesforce, HubSpot, and Shopify. The company serves 300+ customers across financial institutions, FinTech, crypto, SaaS, manufacturing, real estate, insurance, NGOs, and aviation (named logos include Deel, Innotech-Execaire Aviation Group, WeFi Technology Group, Global Fund for Women, and data.world). Headcount is reported at 1-10 employees across three co-founders (Thorsten J Gorny/CEO, Héctor Alvarez/CTO, Jens Kettler/CPO) plus a recently added Head of Marketing & Growth, indicating a deliberately lean operating model.

Name

sanctions.io

Legal name

sanctions.io Inc.

Website

https://sanctions.io

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

sanctions.io is a Delaware-incorporated SaaS provider of API-driven AML and sanctions screening, serving 300+ financial institutions, FinTech, crypto, SaaS, and regulated businesses worldwide with real-time and batch watchlist screening, PEP data, and adverse media intelligence.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

AML Compliance Software

NAICS

Investigation and Personal Background Check Services (561611)

SIC

Services-Management Services (8741)

akta.pro primary industry

Sanctions Screening (OFAC/UN/EU) (FSAMAMAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sanctions/PEP/Adverse Media Screening for Payment Risk (FSAMALAJ), AML/CTF & Sanctions Screening for Markets (Broker/Exchange Monitoring) (FSAFAKAE)

Keywords

• AML compliance screening
• Sanctions screening API
• PEP data screening
• Batch sanctions screening
• Continuous compliance monitoring

Headquarters

HQ city

Rehoboth Beach

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. API Screening Services: Usage-based pricing for API screenings including real-time and batch screening. Volume tiers based on annual screening volume (5K, 50K, 100K, 250K+). Transparent usage-based model without obscure implementation fees.
2. Subscription Plans: Annual and multi-year subscription plans for organizations with consistent screening needs. Includes API integration, user portal access, and optional CRM integrations (Salesforce/HubSpot).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

sanctions.io provides API-driven AML and sanctions compliance screening solutions, including real-time Screening API, Batch Screening API, a web-based Manual Screening Portal, and Continuous Monitoring services. It delivers unified access to global watchlist data covering 75+ sanctions lists from 30+ jurisdictions, PEP data (1M+ records), criminal watchlists, and adverse media from 60,000+ sources. Products are delivered via RESTful API with pre-built connectors and support both automated and manual compliance workflows for regulated businesses.

Product overview

sanctions.io is a unified AML and sanctions compliance screening platform comprising API-driven real-time and batch screening products (Screening API, Batch Screening API), a web-based Manual Screening Portal, and Continuous Monitoring services. These core products are powered by four data pillars: Global Sanctions Lists (75+ lists, 30+ jurisdictions), PEP Data (1M+ records), Criminal Watchlists (Interpol/FBI), and Adverse Media Screening (60,000+ sources). The platform offers native integrations as add-on modules for SAP, BigID, Salesforce, HubSpot, and Shopify, allowing in-system compliance checks without leaving the native environment. The architecture is designed for simple integration (API-first) and supports both automated and manual screening workflows.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Screening API Real-time, event-driven RESTful API enabling sanctions and AML screenings at the moment of customer onboarding or transaction processing, with an average response time of ~350ms. Targeted at compliance teams and engineering teams building customer onboarding, KYC, and transaction monitoring flows.
• Batch Screening API API endpoint for screening hundreds to thousands of individuals or entities simultaneously against various watchlists in batch mode, with results available in Excel and other formats. Used for periodic rescreening of customer or counterparty databases by compliance teams.
• Manual Screening (Screening Portal) Web-based portal for manual screening of business partners, with the ability to upload Excel/CSV files for batch screenings. Results delivered via email or directly in the user portal, including PDF reports. Designed for compliance officers performing ad-hoc or low-volume screenings.
• Continuous Monitoring Automated entity monitoring with real-time alerts, custom allow- and deny-listing, and comprehensive global watchlist coverage, integrated into the compliance workflow. Enables organizations to detect changes in customer or counterparty risk status without manual intervention.
• Global Sanctions Lists Data Global sanctions database covering 75+ sanctions and watchlists from 30+ jurisdictions including OFAC, HM Treasury, EU, and UN. Lists updated every 60 minutes with auditable timestamps. Available as a standalone data feed for compliance teams requiring sanctions list data outside of screening APIs.
• PEP Data Politically Exposed Persons database covering 1M+ records from countries worldwide, including family members, close associates, and extensive position history data. Used by compliance teams to identify elevated-risk relationships during onboarding and ongoing monitoring.
• Criminal Watchlists Criminal watchlists database including thousands of records from Interpol Red Notices and FBI Most Wanted and Fugitives, updated every 60 minutes. Supplied as a standalone data product for compliance applications requiring criminal background screening.
• Adverse Media Screening Global adverse media data screening across 60,000+ news sources in 100+ countries with structured tagging by risk themes (financial crime, regulatory violations, reputation harm) and custom keyword settings. Helps compliance teams identify reputational risks beyond traditional sanctions and PEP data.

Quantifiable outcome

• 90% reduction in false positives
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

AI capability5 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• SAPcoreTechnology or IntegrationPre-built AML and sanctions screening integration for SAP ERP systems, enabling customers to screen entities directly within their SAP environment without custom development.
• BigIDcoreTechnology or IntegrationAML screening integration within BigID platform, allowing organizations to incorporate sanctions screening into their data governance and privacy compliance workflows.
• SalesforcecoreTechnology or IntegrationNative AML and sanctions screening integration inside Salesforce CRM, enabling seamless compliance screening for customers and leads directly within the CRM.
• HubSpotcoreTechnology or IntegrationSanctions and PEP compliance screening natively integrated in HubSpot CRM, allowing automated screening of contacts and companies during CRM workflows.
• data.worldcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSaaS case study partner demonstrating how data.world streamlined global sanctions compliance using sanctions.io screening solutions.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Kharon: Specialized provider of sanctions and export-control data and analytics. Comparable in its focus on deep sanctions intelligence and serves similar financial-institution and corporate compliance teams.
• Sayari: Emerging player in sanctions, beneficial ownership, and supply-chain risk intelligence. Comparable as a tech-forward, API-driven compliance data vendor targeting similar enterprise compliance buyers.
• Acuris Risk Intelligence: Provides KYC, AML, sanctions, and PEP data products including the Acuris Risk Intelligence platform. Comparable in offering watchlist data and screening services to compliance teams.
• Sumsub: Full-stack identity verification and AML/KYC platform covering sanctions screening as part of broader onboarding workflows. Overlaps with sanctions.io in FinTech, crypto, and SMB/mid-market compliance segments.

Others

• Jumio: Identity verification and AML screening platform. Not a direct sanctions-only competitor but increasingly bundles KYC/AML/sanctions screening into onboarding workflows that overlap with sanctions.io's customer segments.

Broad incumbents

• Refinitiv World-Check (LSEG): Industry-leading KYC/sanctions screening platform now part of London Stock Exchange Group. Competes head-on in financial-institution and enterprise segments with deeper data breadth and embedded distribution.
• Dow Jones Risk & Compliance: Established provider of sanctions, PEP, and adverse media data feeds serving global banks, corporates, and governments. A primary incumbent against which sanctions.io positions its modern API-first offering.
• Moody's (Bureau van Dijk / RDC): Through acquisitions of Bureau van Dijk and Regulatory DataCorp, Moody's offers sanctions, PEP, and adverse media screening integrated into broader counterparty risk and KYC platforms.
• LexisNexis Risk Solutions: Large-scale risk and compliance data provider offering WorldCompliance and broader KYC/AML solutions. Competes with sanctions.io across financial services and regulated industries.

Direct peers

• ComplyAdvantage: AI-driven AML and sanctions screening platform offering real-time and batch screening, PEP, and adverse media via API. Most directly comparable to sanctions.io in product, target market (FinTech, banks, crypto), and modern tech-stack positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/sanctions_io
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sanctions-io-llc

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about sanctions.io