2Q25 Compliance Briefing: AI-Driven Strategies for Navigating Regulatory Complexity

This IDC Perspective discusses how regulatory activity surged in 2Q25, accelerating expectations for how institutions manage fraud, crypto exposure, sanctions, and cross-border risk. Compliance functions must now operate in real time and provide traceable, auditable decisions. The market is shifting toward demonstrable fraud compliance, with regulators beginning to emphasize the use of new external data sources such as shipping movements, trade documentation, and ownership registries. As budgets tighten, spending on compliance technology continues to rise, driven by the need for defensible investments that deliver measurable outcomes. Institutions are prioritizing platforms that improve speed, enhance oversight, and scale across compliance, risk, and fraud functions."Institutions that invest in explainable, adaptive, and AI-enabled frameworks will not only keep pace with enforcement trends," says Sam Abadir, research director, Risk, Financial Crime, and Compliance, IDC. "They will build a foundation for more resilient, responsive, and cost-effective operations."


Executive Snapshot

Situation Overview

The Compliance Landscape Is Shifting

Payment Fraud and Scam Prevention

Terrorism Financing and Typology Monitoring

Digital Asset Compliance

Beneficial Ownership and Real Estate Oversight

Sanctions and Trade-Based Evasion

Escalating Cybercrime and Scams

Regulatory Strategy and Supervision Shifts

AI, GenAI, and Agentic Systems in Compliance

Advice for the Technology Buyer

AI-Driven Compliance Capabilities and Governance Requirements

Cost of Compliance

Strategic Procurement Considerations

IDC's Point of View

The Strategic Shift Toward AI-Enabled Compliance

Role-Based Impacts and Technology Requirements

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Related Research

Synopsis

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