Crypto Compliance Analyst: Where to Start (KYC/AML/Travel Rule)

I’ve been in crypto compliance for a few years now, and the first thing I’d say is don’t get lost in the buzzwords. Most companies care less about you memorizing every law and more about whether you understand the logic behind KYC (Know Your Customer) and AML (Anti-Money Laundering). If you already know how to spot risks in traditional finance, you’ll find a lot of overlap in Web3.

For courses, I usually recommend starting with something like ACAMS or ICA for the fundamentals, and then layering on crypto-specific programs such as Chainalysis or Elliptic certifications. That combination signals you’re serious about compliance and also aware of how crypto shifts the rules.

When it comes to tools, the big names (Chainalysis, TRM Labs, Elliptic) are common, but honestly, what matters most is how you interpret what you see. I’ve worked with analysts who learned more from manually tracing transactions on Etherscan than from any paid tool, simply because it trained their eye for suspicious patterns.

Jurisdictions are another area to get comfortable with. Even if you’re not in the US, understanding FinCEN’s Travel Rule, the EU’s MiCA, and Singapore’s MAS guidelines is important — interviews often test if you know how different rules collide in cross-border cases.

In interviews, I’ve seen a mix of technical and judgment-based questions. Sometimes it’s “How would you handle a high-risk client flagged in your system?” and other times it’s “Walk me through how you’d check if a wallet is linked to a sanctioned entity.” They want to see how you think, not just what you’ve memorized.

That said, I know people often wonder whether it’s smarter to put effort first into certifications or to spend time on hands-on practice with blockchain explorers and compliance tools. I’ve got my own take, but curious how others here think about it.

That last point really hit me. If I’m just starting out, is it smarter to invest in certifications first, or to jump straight into practice with tools and explorers?

I had the same question when I was preparing for interviews in early days. What worked for me was doing one short certification (I picked the free Chainalysis course) just to have something on my resume. But honestly, what impressed interviewers more was that I had spent time on Etherscan tracing transactions myself.

When they asked me how I’d check if a wallet was suspicious, I explained my thought process step by step and that mattered way more than the certificate. So if you’re balancing time, do one small course, then put most of your effort into hands-on practice.