The payments industry is rapidly evolving, driven by technological innovation, changing customer expectations and increasing regulatory scrutiny. Payment Service Providers (PSPs), e-money institutions (EMIs), fintechs and alternative banking platforms must navigate complex governance, compliance, anti-money laundering (AML), counter-terrorist financing (CTF), fraud prevention and other regulatory compliance requirements while maintaining seamless payment experiences for their customers.
Lysis Group has a proven track record of helping leading payments firms meet these challenges head-on. We work with global PSPs, EMIs, card and merchant acquirers, and challenger banks—advising them on how to build compliant, resilient, and scalable business models.
Our support spans the full lifecycle of a payments business, from start-up authorisation to post-launch optimisation and global expansion.
We deliver tailored support across five core areas:
Regulatory Authorisation & Licensing
We support firms in obtaining and maintaining key regulatory approvals, including:
• FCA authorisations for APIs, EMIs, SEMIs, SPIs
• Applications under PSD2 and incoming PSD3/PSR1 requirements
• Licensing support across the UK, EU (Ireland, Lithuania, Luxembourg), and UAE
• Readiness assessments and pre-application checks
• Business plan and financial crime framework reviews for applications
Financial Crime & AML/CFT Frameworks
Our financial crime specialists help build and optimise effective AML/CTF compliance programmes, including:
• Enterprise-Wide Risk Assessments (EWRAs)
• Risk Rating Methodologies (RRMs) for customers and transactions
• AML/CFT policies and procedures
• Transaction Monitoring frameworks and system tuning
• Fraud prevention strategies and typologies mapping
Compliance Framework Design & Assurance
We design, assess, and enhance compliance frameworks to align with evolving regulatory expectations:
• Governance and SMCR alignment
• Policy suite development and implementation
• Control testing and compliance health checks
• Three Lines of Defence model design and integration
• Ongoing assurance and managed compliance services
Operational Resilience & Process Optimisation
Payments firms need strong operations that can scale while staying compliant. We help by delivering:
• Target Operating Model (TOM) design for risk and compliance
• KYC/CDD process improvement and remediation support
• Quality assurance reviews
• Backlog clearance (e.g., onboarding, transaction monitoring)
• Skilled resourcing (including interim MLROs and compliance officers)
Training & Regulatory Readiness
Our tailored training programmes ensure your team understands the regulatory landscape and is equipped to manage day-to-day risk. Topics include:
• PSD2 / PSD3 and PSR1 awareness
• AML/CTF training for PSPs and EMIs
• Fraud and transaction monitoring risks
• Conduct risk and regulatory change management
Training can be delivered live, virtually, or via the Lysis Academy platform.
End-to-End Support at Every Stage of Growth
Whether you are:
• A startup building your authorisation pack
• Scaling your platform across multiple jurisdictions
• Remediating legacy compliance issues
• Preparing for an FCA review or audit
Lysis Group brings deep expertise, hands-on support and a pragmatic, outcome-focused approach to help you succeed.
Lysis designed and implemented a compliance monitoring framework for a UK-regulated EMI. The aim of the framework was to ensure ongoing compliance with the Electronic Money Regulations 2011 (EMRs), including with the Money Laundering Regulations 2017 (MLRs).
One of our client's banks has flagged areas of our client's Ant-Money Laundering (AML) Governance and Compliance operation as a potential cause for concern. Our client asked Lysis to perform an independent review for them to establish if anything was genuinely wrong.
An international payment company with offices in major European hubs outsourced KYC service provision was unsatisfactory. A significantly enhanced and more effective capability was developed by Lysis.
Our client wished to gain an ACPR Payment Institution license in France and asked for Lysis' assistance to prepare all the documents and for general support during the application process.
Our client had acquired a business from a competitor and had c.50-60 Payment Programme Managers and their programmes to on-board. They asked Lysis to supply a team of experts to do this work.
Our client had been advised that their AML provisions were not up to the required standard and wished to remedy this before regulatory sanctions were imposed.
A successful regulatory turnaround for a UK EMI and crypto firm, restoring FCA permissions and avoiding administration under new leadership.
A newly established digital bank required full regulatory permissions to operate as a licensed bank in the UK and to ensure compliance with EU PSD2 regulations.
Lysis designed and implemented a compliance monitoring framework for a UK-regulated EMI. The aim of the framework was to ensure ongoing compliance with the Electronic Money Regulations 2011 (EMRs), including with the Money Laundering Regulations 2017 (MLRs).
Our client was applying for Payment Services permissions from the Central Bank of Ireland and required support in defining and documenting the Governance and Compliance framework.
A major credit card company and regulated PSP with global reach approached Lysis to uplift their transaction monitoring framework and operational controls.
Our client had implemented a new transaction monitoring system and wished to ensure that the previous two years' transactions had been monitored effectively.
Jon has 35+ years’ wholesale financial markets experience in London, New York, Singapore and Frankfurt. He specialises in Regulatory Strategy, Governance, Regulatory Change Management and M&A/Integration. Jon founded Lysis in 2001. He was previously Head of the Investment Banking, eBusiness and Trading Floor practices at AIM-listed TCA Consulting. Notable clients include Deutsche Bank, BNP Paribas, RBS/ABN, ICAP, JCB cards and Uphold.
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Wendy has over 18 years of experience in regulatory operations and financial crime compliance. As the Head of Lysis Academy, she manages the Cape Town-based offshore center and has trained over 2000 KYC analysts globally. Wendy developed Lysis' Training Needs Assessment service and CPD program, regularly assessing clients' AML teams. She has expertise in AML regulations for crypto assets and has held various SME and advisory roles in firms like Bear Stearns, Deutsche Bank, and ING. Wendy specializes in AML frameworks, risk rating methodologies, and conducts AML Maturity Assessments and Reviews. She is a respected SME in regulatory operations with practical operational experience.
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Mark has been working within the AML/CLM industry for over 15 years, gaining experience within tier 1/2 investment banks and a Big Four consultancy. He has also managed operational and transformation teams for Online Gaming Compliance and PSP clients. Mark has expertise in AML/CLM processes, data, and operational risk, and likes to view this all through a regulatory compliance lens. He also has a knack for creating insightful Management Information, allowing clients to track project progress, report AML and other regulatory risks and identify areas for cost-saving efficiencies.
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