Bank-Fintech Partnerships

Certifications

  • CFES Certification Process

The CFES certification provides third-party validation of a fintech’s risk management and compliance capabilities through an independent assessment against the standards. Conducted by authorized assessors, the certification process involves a comprehensive evaluation across all six Core Compliance Areas, resulting in a detailed report that can be shared with bank partners during pre-launch diligence or post-launch ongoing diligence.

  • Assessment Methodology

The certification assessment follows a structured five-step process:

  1. Information gathering, where companies provide policies, procedures, and relevant documentation;
  2. Risk and compliance assessment, evaluating each standard against CFES criteria with maturity scores from 1-5;
  3. Results review, including identification of gaps;
  4. Mitigation planning for required improvements; and
  5. Certification determination upon completion of necessary mitigations.
  • Certification Benefits
  • Accelerates partnership onboarding by providing banks with pre-validated compliance documentation
  • Creates competitive advantage through independent verification of compliance capabilities
  • Identifies specific opportunities for program enhancement with expert guidance
  • Supports operational viability by ensuring alignment with regulatory expectations
  • Annual recertification ensures continuous compliance program evolution
Get Certified