Global Financial Integrity
Global Financial Integrity is a Washington, DC-based 501(c)(3) think tank founded in 2006. It analyzes illicit financial flows, trade misinvoicing, beneficial ownership transparency, and money laundering, serving governments, multilateral institutions, and civil society through research and policy advocacy.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2006
- HeadquartersWashington, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Global Financial Integrity does
Global Financial Integrity (GFI) is a Washington, DC-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit think tank founded in 2006 that analyzes illicit financial flows, trade misinvoicing, corruption, money laundering, and beneficial ownership transparency. The organization builds and maintains an integrated portfolio of research and data products rather than commercial software, including GFTrade (a cloud-based database for detecting trade fraud), the Interactive Map of 141 Secrecy Jurisdictions, the country-level Trade-Related Illicit Financial Flows Data Portal, the DC Forum knowledge platform, and an extensive library of policy reports. Underlying methodologies are proprietary: trade misinvoicing mirror analysis compares import/export statistics between trading partners, and the value gap framework quantifies trade-related illicit outflows.
GFI serves governments and regulatory bodies (customs authorities, financial intelligence units, anti-corruption agencies), multilateral institutions, civil society organizations, academic researchers, and investigative journalists. Delivery is through free research downloads, direct policy dialogues and workshops (e.g., Real Estate Agency Council in Ghana), MoU partnerships (AUABC, Colombia, Ecuador, Chile, Panama), an annual DC Forum, Congressional and Senate testimony, and social/digital channels. The organization's cumulative trade gap dataset identifies $8.7 trillion in reported trade discrepancies, with country studies documenting specific outflows such as $8.8 billion from Zambia (2001-2010) and $2.8 billion in Colombia (2016).
The business model is nonprofit grant- and donation-funded rather than commercial. GFI operates with 11-50 staff, holds a registered US trademark, and is supported by institutional funders including the Ford Foundation. Lead Economist Dev Kar pioneered the trade misinvoicing methodology. Leadership includes CEO Tom Cardamone, Director and founder Raymond Baker, and Legal Counsel Heather Lowe, who has testified before US Congressional committees on BSA/AML regulatory compliance.
Global Financial Integrity firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Global Financial Integrity
- Legal name
- Global Financial Integrity
- Website
- https://gfintegrity.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2006
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Global Financial Integrity is a Washington, DC-based 501(c)(3) think tank founded in 2006. It analyzes illicit financial flows, trade misinvoicing, beneficial ownership transparency, and money laundering, serving governments, multilateral institutions, and civil society through research and policy advocacy.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Global Financial Integrity industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Policy Research and Financial Integrity Advocacy
- NAICS
- Finance and Insurance (52), Other Activities Related to Credit Intermediation (522390)
- SIC
- International Affairs (9721)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Securities Financing Transactions (SFT) & Repo Reporting Utilities (FSAFAJAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Financial Crime Investigations & Intelligence (link analysis, network analytics) (FSAGAFAH), Financial Regulation, AML/CFT & Tax Transparency Cooperation (BPADANAL), Regulatory Reporting & Recordkeeping (AML/CTF) (FSAMAMAG)
Keywords
Where Global Financial Integrity is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Washington
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Global Financial Integrity business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
Global Financial Integrity product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Global Financial Integrity is a Washington, DC-based 501(c)(3) think tank that conducts research and fact-based advocacy on illicit financial flows, trade misinvoicing, beneficial ownership transparency, anti-money laundering, and transnational crime. Its operational outputs include a portfolio of data tools (the GFTrade cloud database, the Interactive Map of 141 Secrecy Jurisdictions, and the country-level Illicit Financial Flows Data Portal) plus a steady stream of reports, country studies, and policy recommendations delivered freely to governments and partner institutions.
Product overview
Global Financial Integrity (GFI) operates as a Washington, DC-based think tank focused on illicit financial flows, corruption, and money laundering. The organization offers a portfolio of research products and data tools rather than a traditional software product suite. Core offerings include GFTrade (a cloud-based trade integrity database), the DC Forum platform (a knowledge resource on financial secrecy), an interactive map of 141 secrecy jurisdictions, country-level illicit financial flows data portals, and extensive research reports. The portfolio functions as an integrated ecosystem of transparency tools supporting governments, researchers, and policymakers in combating trade fraud and financial crime.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- GFTrade: A cloud-based database platform developed by GFI to help developing countries detect trade fraud and curtail illicit financial flows through trade misinvoicing analysis.
- DC Forum
Products and services
- GFTrade GFTrade is a cloud-based database platform designed to help developing countries detect and curtail trade fraud through trade misinvoicing analysis. It targets government policymakers, customs authorities, and revenue agencies seeking to generate additional public revenue by improving trade integrity.
- DC Forum DC Forum (originally the Task Force on Financial Integrity and Economic Development) is GFI's knowledge platform focused on financial secrecy systems and transparency, providing a library of articles, books, reports, and videos on illicit financial flows for policymakers, researchers, and advocates.
- Interactive Map of Secrecy Jurisdictions An interactive data visualization tool mapping 141 secrecy jurisdictions globally, helping users understand global financial opacity and analyze secrecy risks across countries. It targets researchers, journalists, and policymakers working on financial transparency and beneficial ownership.
- Trade-Related Illicit Financial Flows Data Portal A country-level data portal providing trade-related illicit financial flows data with breakdowns by trade type (GER, HMN), targeting researchers, policymakers, and development analysts studying capital flight and trade misinvoicing.
- GFI Research Reports and Analysis Extensive policy research publications covering trade misinvoicing, money laundering, beneficial ownership, transnational crime, and country-specific illicit financial flows studies. Reports are freely available and distributed to governments, NGOs, multilaterals, academia, and media.
Quantifiable outcome
- GFI identified an $8.7 trillion cumulative gap in global reported trade through its trade misinvoicing analysis
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Global Financial Integrity
Customer profileSegments5 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Global Financial Integrity technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Global Financial Integrity partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.
- African Union Advisory Board on Corruption (AUABC)coreGFI and the AUABC signed an MoU to strengthen the fight against corruption and illicit financial flows across African Union member states.
- Instituto Anticorrupción de ColombiacoreStrategic alliance between Global Financial Integrity and the Instituto Anticorrupción de Colombia to combat corruption and illicit financial flows in Colombia.
- Superintendence of Companies, Securities, and Insurance of EcuadorcoreGFI signed an MoU with Ecuador's Superintendence of Companies, Securities, and Insurance to advance corporate transparency and beneficial ownership in Ecuador.
- Financial and Economic Analysis Unit (UAFE) of EcuadorcoreGFI and Ecuador's UAFE signed a Cooperation Agreement to strengthen the fight against corruption and money laundering.
- National Customs Service of ChilecoreGFI and Chile's National Customs Service signed a cooperation agreement to combat organized crime and strengthen transparency in international trade.
- Customs Agency of PanamacoreGFI signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Panama's Customs Agency to advance trade integrity and combat customs-related illicit financial flows.
- Vance Center (El Salvador)majorGFI and the Vance Center collaborated on a report addressing challenges in El Salvador's virtual asset ecosystem regarding financial crime risks.
- Belize Policy Research InstitutemajorThe Belize Policy Research Institute and GFI signed a strategic MOU to advance financial integrity and anti-corruption efforts in Belize.
- Belize Network of NGOsmajorGFI partnered with the Belize Network of NGOs to advance integrity and transparency initiatives in Belize.
- Real Estate Agency Council (REAC) - GhanamajorGFI co-organized a policy dialogue with REAC in Accra, Ghana addressing money laundering vulnerabilities in the real estate sector. Joint workshop held June 30 on due diligence measures for real estate professionals.
- ACODE (Uganda)majorGFI and ACODE collaborated on evaluating corporate transparency laws in Uganda and their impact on domestic resource mobilization.
- GIABA (Intergovernmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa)coreGFI supports Ghana's third-round mutual evaluation under GIABA, which assesses the practical effectiveness of the country's anti-money laundering systems.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Global Financial Integrity competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Egmont Group of Financial Intelligence Units: International body of Financial Intelligence Units facilitating cross-border information sharing on money laundering. Comparable in the AML/CFT policy ecosystem where GFI provides technical input, but operates as an intergovernmental network rather than a research org.
- Financial Action Task Force (FATF): Intergovernmental body setting global standards for AML/CFT. Comparable as a standards-setter and evaluator that GFI's policy and methodological work feeds into, but operates at a different governance and scale level.
- World Bank StAR Initiative: Joint UNODC/World Bank initiative on stolen asset recovery and illicit financial flows. Comparable in thematic focus on illicit flows and developing-country capacity, but operates under a multilateral institution rather than as an independent think tank.
Direct peers
- Financial Integrity Network: Advisory firm focused on financial integrity, AML, and sanctions implementation. Comparably sized organization serving governments and financial institutions on financial crime frameworks, with overlapping policy and capacity-building work.
- Open Ownership: Research and advocacy organization focused specifically on beneficial ownership transparency and corporate registries. Directly comparable to GFI's beneficial ownership work and shares the same government and civil society audience.
- Tax Justice Network: UK-based advocacy and research organization focused on tax evasion, illicit financial flows, and financial transparency. Directly comparable to GFI in mission, methodology (financial secrecy analysis), and target audience of policymakers and journalists.
- Transparency International: Global anti-corruption research and advocacy organization producing indices and policy recommendations. Highly comparable in nonprofit advocacy model, corruption focus, and reliance on global country-level research outputs.
- Basel Institute on Governance: Swiss-based nonprofit working on anti-corruption, asset recovery, and AML capacity building for developing countries. Directly comparable in mission, capacity-building model, and developing-country government focus.
Emerging players
- Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI): NGO focused on natural resource revenue transparency and governance in resource-rich countries. Adjacent in mission and developing-country focus, with overlapping audience of finance ministries and anti-corruption reformers.
- International Centre for Asset Recovery (ICAR): Basel Institute program providing technical assistance on asset recovery and financial investigations. Adjacent to GFI's illicit flows work with shared developing-country government audience and similar training/research approach.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Global Financial Integrity social profiles
Digital presenceGlobal Financial Integrity compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Global Financial Integrity financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Global Financial Integrity leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Global Financial Integrity funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Global Financial Integrity M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Global Financial Integrity
What does Global Financial Integrity do?
Global Financial Integrity is a Washington, DC-based 501(c)(3) think tank that conducts research and fact-based advocacy on illicit financial flows, trade misinvoicing, beneficial ownership transparency, anti-money laundering, and transnational crime. Its operational outputs include a portfolio of data tools (the GFTrade cloud database, the Interactive Map of 141 Secrecy Jurisdictions, and the country-level Illicit Financial Flows Data Portal) plus a steady stream of reports, country studies, and policy recommendations delivered freely to governments and partner institutions.
Is Global Financial Integrity a public or private company?
Global Financial Integrity is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Global Financial Integrity founded?
Global Financial Integrity was founded in 2006. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Global Financial Integrity based?
Global Financial Integrity is headquartered in Washington, United States, in the North America region.
Who are Global Financial Integrity's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Egmont Group of Financial Intelligence Units, Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and World Bank StAR Initiative. Direct peers are Financial Integrity Network, Open Ownership, Tax Justice Network, Transparency International and Basel Institute on Governance. Emerging players are Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI) and International Centre for Asset Recovery (ICAR).
Does Global Financial Integrity have an API?
No public API is recorded for Global Financial Integrity.
What industry is Global Financial Integrity in?
Global Financial Integrity's product category is Policy Research and Financial Integrity Advocacy. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAFAJAE, Securities Financing Transactions (SFT) & Repo Reporting Utilities, with a secondary code of FSAGAFAH, Financial Crime Investigations & Intelligence (link analysis, network analytics). Its NAICS code is 52 and its SIC code is 9721.