Vistra 2030: exploring the role of AI in compliance strategy

The big picture: a shifting regulatory landscape

To assess how these trends are influencing business leaders, Vistra commissioned FT Longitude to survey 250 executives in China, Hong Kong and Singapore. Our Vistra 2030 study confirms that regulatory compliance remains top of mind for business leaders. 41% of respondents say keeping up with KYC and AML obligations is a significant challenge. Despite recent technological advances, many companies still rely on manual processes for data collection and compliance reporting, which are time-consuming, prone to human error, and insufficient for managing today’s complex data demands. 

As Hailiang Zhang, Executive Vice President for Vistra Global Solutions, North Asia puts it, “Medium sized MNCs in the region face a particularly significant burden in meeting compliance challenges because they lack the in-house expertise and technological support needed to complete these tasks efficiently. This poses significant risks to their business and their ability to create value and grow.”

Failure to comply with changing regulations comes with significant risks including financial penalties and reputational damage. According to analysis by Fenergo, global AML-related enforcement actions in 2024 amounted to more than $4.5 billion in fines against financial institutions alone. The need to deliver more effective compliance solutions has never been greater.

Technology is changing the compliance game

Artificial intelligence (AI) is emerging as a tool to help companies alleviate the burden of increased regulation. Our Vistra 2030 research found that 39% of business leaders believe AI’s primary benefit lies in automating data collection and processing, while a further 36% see its potential in predictive analytics and risk management.

AI technologies have the potential to transform compliance from a manual, largely reactive process into an automated, proactive one. The advantage lies in AI’s ability to consolidate, unify and analyse large volumes of data from multiple jurisdictions, reducing redundancy in compliance workflows. 

AI can also identify common data points across overlapping regulatory requirements, accelerating documentation and verification processes.

“Imagine you are the President or CEO of a company” says Hailiang Zhang “– you just completed your KYC in London – maybe for the US you just need to complete one or two more items, in China three and so on. The ability to unify the data makes risk management easier and more transparent.”

Beyond simple efficiency improvements, it is this real-time risk detection that empowers organizations to proactively address compliance risks before they escalate into legal or reputational issues.

Vistra leads the way with private and secure AI automation

Vistra has taken a pioneering role in applying AI thoughtfully and securely to alleviate compliance challenges. After two years of careful and thorough research and development, we introduced the Global Expansion Platform (GEP) to the market in March 2025. This AI-enabled platform is equipped with our own AI compliance advisor – Geni – who functions as a virtual member of the Vistra team, on hand 24/7 to answer questions wherever our clients are in the world.

The GEP and Geni combine advanced AI capabilities with Vistra’s deep industry expertise to deliver a comprehensive compliance solution. Geni automates routine corporate actions, maintains accurate records, and responds to client compliance questions around the clock. This hybrid approach streamlines workflows, reduces manual errors, and ensures companies stay ahead of evolving legal requirements.

By integrating AI with expert human oversight, Vistra provides clients with a competitive advantage, enabling faster market entry, scalable compliance solutions and enhanced trust with customers, investors and regulators. We apply technology to create workflow efficiencies, while our team of experts remain on hand to interpret the nuances of more complex business challenges.

A new era of global compliance

In this environment of increased regulatory scrutiny, forward-thinking organisations are re-imagining the way they approach compliance.

“Companies should view regulatory requirements as an opportunity to innovate, to secure a competitive advantage and to position themselves for future growth, rather than merely as a compliance burden,” says Hailiang Zhang.

Organisations that take a proactive and thoughtful approach to AI whilst maintaining the appropriate expert oversight and guardrails, are well-positioned to thrive under such challenging conditions. In other words, AI is one tool in the toolkit to help companies secure a strategic advantage over their competition. 

Interested in leveraging AI to simplify compliance?

Book a demo to see Geni and our Global Expansion Platform in action.