Compliance That Makes Sense

200 - Should We Give Partners In Business Second Chances?

18 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

I'm excited to explore the psychology of second chances, why we're so skeptical when people change their minds, and if public opinion ever actually re...

199 - DeepSeek, Tucker's And Piers Duel In Riyadh, Candace Owens New Series

07 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

I'm excited to dive into the Deepseek hype, the Chinese AI startup that claims to have a model as good as ChatGPT for a fraction of the cost. We'll ta...

198 - Software Industrial Complex. Why MBAs Can Be Replaced By AI. Darryl Cooper New Series.

23 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

I'm excited to share news about a new series from Darryl Cooper, host of the Martyr Made Podcast. His latest series is all about World War II, told f...

197 - Winners and Losers of Crisis Times, Zuck Embracing Free Speech and Zeus Management Style

16 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

If you've ever wondered how disruption leads to new beginnings, this episode is for you. I'm diving into the cycles of history, from tearing down the ...

196 - Welcome to 2025. Fourth Turning. Debates over immigration, Elon supporting AFD, MEGA (Make Europe Great Again) and more!

10 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

If understanding history feels like an abstract puzzle, it's time to see the patterns. In this episode I'm going into the concept of cycles and season...

195 - Live Webinar Recording: How to Assess Impact of Compliance Function

26 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

If compliance feels like a roadblock, it's time to flip the script. I had a live webinar last week about how to turn compliance into a growth driver. ...

194 - How to Assess Your Results and Why Success Is Not Linear

12 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This is the time of year for reflection, so in this episode, I share my theory on why achieving success for some people is so much easier than it is f...

193 - Fork in the Road: DOGE and Deregulation in Americas vs EU Jihad on Crypto and Digitalization

05 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, I share my thoughts on regulation and deregulation in the crypto space and my predictions for how the different approaches adopted by...

192 - How to Evaluate Your Compliance Results in 2024

28 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

As 2024 starts drawing to a close, I want to unpack some of the key criteria I use to evaluate how successful my year has been. Tune in to hear my adv...

191 - What Sets Some Immigrants Apart: The Triple Package Theory

07 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today's episode is inspired by a book written by Amy Chua and Jed Rubenfeld. It's called The Triple Package and while it's received its fair share of ...

190 - Why ECB Hates Bitcoin

31 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In a paper released a few days ago (October 2024) two senior officials from the ECB outlined why they believe Bitcoin is dangerous, creates inequality...

189 - Why IP Rights and Patents are Irrelevant and Should Be Abolished

24 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

I've always believed in the importance of IP rights and patents, like many of you, but my recent discovery of Stephan Kinsella's theory on this topic ...

188 - Politics, Confidence, and Success in Compliance

17 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

While I normally choose to keep my political views separate from my professional life, in this episode, I share why forming and defending your own pol...

187 - The Three Most Harmful Addictions: Heroin, Sugar and a Monthly Salary

10 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Unfortunately, many employers have held onto outdated beliefs about employment and entrepreneurship. In this episode, I share why I agree with Nassim ...

186 - Cancel Culture vs Darryl Cooper

03 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

I am obsessed with free speech and misinformation, so this episode about the attempted "canceling" of Darryl Cooper means a lot to me. Tune in today t...

185 - Setting Goals and Not Achieving Them

26 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

"Having a goal and not reaching it is better than not having a goal at all." We all know the feeling of disappointment when we set a goal that we are ...

184 - The Concept of Nationality and Its Role in Financial Services

19 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today, we're discussing the concept of nationality and its role in financial services. An experience of Ukrainian clients' of mine was the inspiration...

183 - Pavel Durov, my Soviet Past, and What Still to Expect in 2024

12 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome back to a new season of the Compliance That Makes Sense podcast! We're still going to be focusing on FinTech, compliance and startups, but the...

182 - Why MICA Regulation May Be Bad

04 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In the latest episode in my 'From Risk to Rescue' series, I discuss what MICA is, some of its benefits, and why I think the cons outweigh the pros.  ...

181 - Why Fiat Services May Be Riskier Than Crypto

27 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today, we're continuing our conversation about how to transition from "risk to rescue" by delving into the reasons why fiat services may be riskier th...

180 - Why Outdated Risk and Compliance Norms Deepen Financial Inequality

20 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In the first episode of the "From Risk to Rescue" series, I explore how many existing regulatory laws and requirements de facto discriminate against s...

179 - GameStop, Reddit, and Market Manipulation 2.0

13 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Reddit and YouTube star, Roaring Kitty, is being accused (again) of market manipulation by the mainstream media because of his role in the 2021 GameSt...

178 - BaaS Providers are in Hot Water: How to Choose the Right One.

06 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

BaaS options are becoming more limited and their requirements are becoming stricter. In this episode, I explain why the current market conditions are ...

177 - FinTech Trends 2024: Payment Delinquencies, BNPL Rise, A2A and Instant Payments Push

30 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, I share some key takeaways relating to economic and FinTech trends and patterns in Europe that I have gathered from several different...

176 - How to Stop Multitasking and Set Clear Compliance Priorities in FinTech

23 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Multitasking is not something to be celebrated! In this episode, I explore the many reasons why we should all be moving away from dealing with multitp...

175 - FinTech Compliance KPIs and Metrics You Can Control

16 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It's easy to assume that the way things are being done is the right way to do things, but a change in perspective can open our eyes to the benefits of...

174 - Compliance Performance and Responsibility for Things Outside of Your Control

09 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In your career, as in all facets of your life, there are always going to be circumstances that are out of your control! In the next few episodes, I am...

173 - SEC vs Uniswap, Pavel Durov with Tucker, and Yana AI

25 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, I take you on a journey through my thoughts on what is going on with the SEC and Uniswap, what I learned about the future of instant ...

172 - Being Authentic: A Conversation with David Yen About Making Decisions, Education, and Taking Risks

18 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

With my Certification program launch happening in two days, I decided to record an episode with my very good friend, David Yen, about some of the thin...

171 - Mistakes My Clients Made Last Month and How to Move Through Mistakes Faster

11 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Competent, well-meaning, hardworking people often make unrealistic assumptions that can completely derail their projects. In this episode, I explore s...

170 - Using NLP in FinTech Compliance

04 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

For various reasons, compliance professionals often struggle to confront their senior management about work-related issues that they are experiencing....

169 - "We Have To Do Something" Moments Are Dangerous

28 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The world we live in is characterized by unpredictability. Responding to unpredictable situations with "we have to do something" is a trap that can ha...

168 - Lisa Carpenter Interviews Yana about Crypto, Women, Technology, Risks, and Life

21 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In today's special episode, I am joined by my life coach, Lisa Carpenter, to discuss crypto, women, technology, risks, and life!  Lisa works with wom...

167 - How to Offer Crypto Staking

14 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Crypto staking has been in the spotlight recently, and as a result, it is undergoing a transformation. In this episode, we are going to cover what sta...

166 - Excessively Regulating New Technologies is Bad for Compliance

07 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome back to the Compliance That Makes Sense podcast! In the coming episodes, we're going to be delving into topics related to the technological de...

165 - Short-Term vs Long-Term Thinking: The Theory of Wartime and Peacetime CEOs

25 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Do you thrive during emergencies, or do you prefer leading your team through phases of growth? In our last episode of 2023, I explore Ben Horowitz's c...

164 - The Decay of Binance, CZ's Departure, and the Future of Crypto

18 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

CZ, the CEO of Binance, stepped down in November 2023 in the wake of a number of money laundering charges and procedural misdemeanors. In this episode...

163 - What To Do When CEO and Compliance Disagree

11 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

If you think that your role as a compliance officer is to provide accurate and extensive information to your company leaders and you're confused about...

162 - UAE is Stealing Switzerland's Thunder as the Ultimate Financial Hub

04 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

For various reasons which I share in today's episode, many FinTech companies are now establishing their global headquarters in the UAE. Tune in today ...

161 - Why The "Hire Slow, Fire Fast" Strategy Does Not Work

27 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

"Hire slow, fire fast" has become a common adage in the working world. In today's episode, I am going to explain why this approach does not work well ...

160 - Innovation Behind Bars: How FATF Actions Restrain FinTech Culture

20 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is an international body founded with the aim of enhancing global financial security and improving industry sta...

159 - Your FinTech CEO Is Not Your Boss

13 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A common expectation of first-time MLROs and heads of compliance is that their CEO will be their boss. In this episode, I debunk this myth so you, as ...

158 - Conspiracy Theories About Money and Finances

06 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, I explore some common conspiracy theories that I have come across in the world of business and finance. I personally find this topic ...

157 - The Differences Between the Financial Crises of 2008 and 2023

30 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Inspired by Andrew Ross Sorkin's insights on the topic, in this episode, I explore the differences between the financial crises of 2008 and 2023 and s...

156 - Why Compliance Should Be Managed as a Revenue Center

24 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

"Not treating compliance as a function responsible for revenues is not just a poor cost decision; it's simply ignoring the reality of the underlying p...

155 - Is MICA Good or Bad?

16 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, I explore the key elements of the MICA regulation that was approved in the spring of 2023, its problematic elements, and the implicat...

154 - Regulatory Capture in Financial Services

09 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Bill Gurley's inspirational speech at the All-In Summit motivated me to record an episode focusing on the worldwide issue of regulatory capture. Tune ...

153 - Why Shopify Needs 800+ Payment Service Providers

02 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, I share some of the invaluable lessons that I learned from listening to a speech by Tobias Lütke, the founder and CEO of Shopify, at...

152 - Worldcoin Launch and Curve Hack

04 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A few weeks ago, two major events took place in the FinTech world; Worldcoin was launched and Curve was hacked. The fact that these events happened so...

151 - Continuous Education Traps and How FinTech Compliance Certification is Different

28 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Discomfort is the key to growth! Too many professional education courses don't give people the skills to truly accelerate their careers. In this episo...

150 - Why I Created My Own FinTech Compliance Certification Program

21 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

If you've been listening to this show for a while, you'll know that I don't approve of traditional compliance education. So, I decided to create my ve...

149 - Is Apple Hostile to Crypto?

31 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Unfortunately, Apple's policies around cryptocurrencies, in-app purchases, and NFTs have negative implications for many FinTechs. Tune in today to hea...

148 - Will the DAO Add Value to the Token?

24 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

If you are considering creating a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO), listen to this episode first! In it, I debunk some common misconception...

147 - Rise of the Business-Like CCO Part 3: Compliance Organization

10 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

"Your business will grow to the level of problems you are willing to handle," so if you want your business to thrive, start getting comfortable with s...

146 - Rise of the Business-Like CCO Part 2: Results Over Effort

03 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome to Part 2 of the Rise of the Business-Like CCO, a free video training from June 2023. This video training is broken up into three different se...

145 - Rise of the Business-Like CCO Part 1: Biggest Mistakes of Compliance Professionals

26 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This episode is a unique experience as it is a replay of a free video training where we discussed the rise of the business-like CCO. This video traini...

144 - Compliance Problems: Binance and Coinbase vs. SEC

19 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today's episode is inspired by the recent SEC conflicts with Binance and Coinbase. After taking a few days to think things over, I have some conclusio...

143 - How FinTechs Make Money

12 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

FinTechs have multiple options for revenue generation, and in this episode, I am going to discuss some of the most common and easily understood revenu...

142 - Consumer Protection Becomes Counterproductive But Many Regulators Fail to Notice This Trend

05 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Consumer protection, especially in recent years and especially in Europe and the western world, has become counterproductive.  Some regulators believ...

141 - Why Founders and CEOs Sometimes Micromanage Compliance

29 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The tendency to micromanage compliance is rife in the FinTech world. In this episode, I discuss the various reasons why this is the case and offer som...

140 - What's Next for Crypto Regulations?

22 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

When it comes to crypto regulations, uncertainties are rife. In this episode, I share my thoughts on what the future of crypto regulations is likely t...

139 - How to react when your FinTech is in crisis

15 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

As a FinTech startup founder, it is almost guaranteed that you will experience some form of crisis at some point in your journey in the industry. And ...

138 - Compliance Lessons from Amazon, PayPal and David Deutsch

08 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

I recently read The Beginning of Infinity, a book which had a profound impact on how I see the world. In today's episode I apply some of the concepts ...

137 - Just in Time versus Just In Case Compliance

01 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

There are common misconceptions around FinTech compliance, and if you take the old-fashioned approach, you could end up really hurting your business. ...

136 - Responding to Google and Apple App Stores

24 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

To get your app onto Google and Apple App Stores, you will need to go through a review process. In this episode, I explain how to respond to some of t...

135 - Where AI and ChatGPT Replace Compliance (and What Should Remain With Humans)

17 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

ChatGPT has had a big impact on many industries worldwide because of its ability to accelerate and simplify processes. Although some people are worrie...

134 - Two Fundamentally Different Regulatory Approaches: PSD2/AMLD5/Singapore PSA vs FATCA

10 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In the world of compliance, there are two main regulatory approaches: how to do things regulations and how to report things regulations. Depending on ...

133 - How I Use Spirituality In Business

03 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

If you've realized that a completely rational, pragmatic approach doesn't always work for you in business, you'll be very happy to know there is anoth...

132 - Fit and Proper Interviews with Regulators

27 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

If you've been asked to attend an interview with a regulator, don't panic! In this episode, I share my advice on how to approach these interviews and ...

131 - FinTech Cofounders: When Friendship Becomes A Problem

20 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Starting a business with a friend sounds like a good idea in theory, but in reality, it's often a different (much more challenging) story. Tune in tod...

130 - What Happens When Your Startup Fails? Lessons from Interviews with People Who Lost Their Jobs In Crypto

13 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

After speaking to many people who have lost their jobs due to FinTech company failures, I was motivated to create the Compliance Collective to help pe...

129 - US Crusade Against Staking and Stablecoins

06 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, I share my analysis of why US regulators have recently gone on a crusade of enforcement in the crypto space, using Kraken, Paxos, and...

128 - I asked ChatGPT about why CBDCs will fail

27 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Have you used ChatGPT? I was interested to know what it would give me back regarding CBDCs and why they're unlikely to be implemented on a large scale...

127 - A Fresh Look at Luxembourg, Lichtenstein, Ireland, and Lithuania

20 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, I explore some advantages and disadvantages of establishing a startup in the FinTech hubs of Luxembourg, Lichtenstein, Ireland, and L...

126 - Queen's Gambit as a FinTech Strategy

13 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Many times projects are delayed due to an excessive amount of initial research and an unwillingness to take action. I've found that this is most often...

125 - Is There A Perfect FinTech Home?

06 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

While there is no region that won't present at least some challenges to FinTech leaders, there are several factors that are likely to predict the succ...

124 - I Disagree with Davos People - Now Is Finally the Time to be Positive

30 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Around this time last year, I was feeling pessimistic about the state of the world (just like the people at Davos). However, I now believe there are m...

123 - The REAL Reason Why Coinbase Was Fined

23 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The New York State Department of Financial Services recently fined Coinbase, and since then, there have been harsh (and in my opinion, false) accusati...

122 - Hiring People Before You Need Them Is A Terrible Idea

16 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Oftentimes, when FinTech startups receive funding, they spend a lot of it on hiring new employees. During this episode, I explain the numerous negativ...

121 - The Real Reasons Why FinTechs Have So Many Unfinished Projects and Abandoned Ideas

09 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Most FinTech startups believe that the reason for their many unfinished projects is that they have too many ideas and too little time and resources to...

120 - Project Management Lessons from Elon Musk at Twitter

06 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

There is no better time than right now to look deeply at how to design and test projects, make faster decisions, reduce team conflicts, and keep costs...

119 - How I discovered Just in Time Method working at PayPal

04 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In the last episode, I discussed the just-in-time method and how that is more effective than reactive firefighting, and I am now following up on that,...

118 - Stop testing your FinTech products unless you test your decisions first. Or why bottom-up project plans lead to over-spending

02 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

I wanted, for the first episode of 2023, to talk about why FinTech companies should be testing their decisions before testing their products. I walk y...

117 - Lessons of 2022

26 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

For the last episode of the year, I wanted to reflect on what has been a challenging year (to say the least) but one filled with valuable lessons. I h...

116 - When Compliance Must Be Humble

19 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The purpose of a business is to serve customers and make money. So, doing something at the expense of the overall company's success because it is the ...

115 - Proof of Reserves and Future of VASPs post-FTX

12 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In the aftermath of the crash of FTX, many crypto exchanges have announced their readiness to publish their proof of reserves data with the aim of rea...

114 - They Lie To Us!

05 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Professional education and certification programs promise to teach us valuable skills for the FinTech industry, but they aren't teaching us the things...

113 - Boomers' Mentality Can Paralyze Your Compliance Team (Even When They Are Millennials)

28 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Is your team suffering from Boomers' Syndrome? If the answer is yes, you are not alone! Tune in today to hear why the traditional approach to complian...

112 - Impact Mentorship - You Don't Need Planning to Be Successful

21 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Sign up for the Impact Mentorship program here!  In today's episode I share a personal story that highlights why you don't need a plan to be successf...

111 - The Best Compliance Is Often To DO NOTHING!

14 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Driven by what I have been hearing from FinTech founders about their experiences with compliance, in today's episode, I talk about the core three elem...

110 - Knowing Regulations Does Not Lead To Success in FinTech Compliance

07 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The majority of compliance trainings, certification curriculums, and seminars focus on understanding, interpreting, and implementing rules and regulat...

109 - Why A To-Do List Is A Bad Idea for FinTech Leaders

31 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, I explain why to-do lists aren't actually as helpful as many time-management gurus would have you believe! I also share a new approac...

108 - When Building Government Relationships is a Waste of Time for FinTech Startups

24 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, I run through some of the common mistakes that FinTech founders make when trying to build relationships with the government, and I sh...

107 - What Wirecard and Many Other FinTechs Have In Common

17 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When I interacted with Wirecard a few years ago, I had mixed feelings about them. In some ways, Wirecard is very similar to most other FinTechs, but t...

106 - How To Select Compliance Tools And Why Not Pricing?

10 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Yana is recording from one of her favorite cities, Dusseldorf. She's talking all about compliance tools, compliance tool selection, and why you should...

105 - Is Cancel Culture Ruining Your FinTech?

03 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Cancel culture refers to the ostracism of a person as a result of them saying morally wrong, subjectively offensive, or politically insensitive. In th...

104 - When Compliance Templates Don't Work

26 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Compliance templates can be hugely beneficial, but they can also cause a lot of confusion if you don't know how or when to use them. If you've ever wo...

103 - How AML and Other RegTech Tools Became the Candy Crush Office Game for the Compliance Department

19 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Adding more features, data, and analytics capabilities to your RegTech tools may sound like a worthwhile effort, but it actually does more harm than g...

102 - Why Sanctions Against Tornado Cash Are Counter-Productive

12 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The Tornado Cash sanctions are unusual, unclear, and in my opinion, a perfect example of how modern politicians weaponize financial services and techn...

101 - Client Fund Segregation Rules: Fiat and Crypto

05 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

After noticing that there is a lot of confusion around the difference between client fund segregation and deposit protection schemes, I decided to cle...