Guide
The Ultimate RegTech Guide
Struggling to understand who it's for or what it entails? Here's our comprehensive overview of the RegTech landscape—from basic definitions and background information to industry associations and our favourite readings.
3 RegTech causes
In the broader literature, there are two widely held perspectives on the RegTech revolution. In the first version, RegTech is exclusively the consequence of the 2008 financial crisis and the regulatory tsunami it triggered. In the second version, RegTech is only an add-on to FinTech and the related demand for the digital processing of regulations. At Apiax, we do not believe that any one of these explanations alone can convincingly capture the phenomenon—instead, we find that the RegTech revolution is the result of a number of broad and powerful forces.
1. The financial crisis
The most obvious cause of RegTech are the events around the 2008 financial crisis. Post-crisis regulatory reforms spawned an unprecedented amount of laws and regulations, leading to an explosion in the scope and complexity of the regulatory environment—leaving financial institutions with an urgent need for efficient, effective compliance solutions.
2. Digitisation and technological advancement
Probably the most important root cause of RegTech are digitisation and technological developments. RegTech is both an enabler of advancement—easing regulatory compliance for institutions and regulators alike—and a response to it, as new digital products, services and habits demand compliance be mastered digitally too.
3. Competitive advantage
More and more industry leaders are realising that superior compliance processes are a competitive differentiator—industry analysts predict the RegTech market will grow from 19.8 billion USD in 2024 to 51.6 billion USD by 2030. Such benefits can be seen in the incorporation of digital data protection regulations or cross-border compliance.
What is RegTech?
Regulation is one of several services that have recently been given the 'tech' affix. While the definition of RegTech means different things to different people, regulatory technology has certainly received a lot of attention with increasing regulatory complexity and regulatory costs. Below, we present and discuss some of the most common RegTech meanings to bring some clarity to the topic.
“RegTech is the management of regulatory processes within the financial industry through technology. The main functions of RegTech include regulatory monitoring, reporting, and compliance. RegTech, or RegTech, consists of a group of companies that use cloud computing technology through software-as-a-service (SaaS) to help businesses comply with regulations efficiently and less expensively. RegTech is also known as regulatory technology.”
“RegTech applies to new technologies developed to help overcome regulatory challenges in financial services.”
“Regulatory technology (abbreviation: RegTech) is a new technology that uses information technology to enhance regulatory processes. With its main application in the Financial sector, it is expanding into any regulated business with a particular appeal for the Consumer Goods Industry. Often regarded as a subcategory under FinTech, RegTech puts a particular emphasis on regulatory monitoring, reporting and compliance and is thus benefiting the finance industry. The objective of RegTech is to enhance transparency as well as consistency and to standardise regulatory processes, to deliver sound interpretations of ambiguous regulations and thus to provide higher levels of quality at lower cost. Oftentimes RegTech companies use the cloud through software-as-a-service.”
“We define RegTech broadly to include any technology and/or software created to address regulatory challenges and help companies understand regulatory requirements and stay compliant. Companies in this space help customers meet compliance standards, ensure risk management protocols are in place, and put in place controls that actively mitigate risk. This technology ranges from complementing existing compliance, audit, and risk workflows to replacing and wholly automating them through leveraging cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning, and the blockchain.”
“The term for the digital technology emerging in financial regulation is ‘RegTech’ or ‘RegTech’. The word is widely used with two meanings. First, it refers to ‘RegTech for regulators’, versions of which are often called supervisory tech, or ‘SupTech’. Second, it also denotes technology for use by the financial industry to comply with laws and regulatory rules. These two streams of RegTech – one for the regulator and one for the industry as they work on the same core problems – are mirror images of each other. They share the same kinds of technologies, rooted in common sources of digitised information and data flows.”
What is the difference between RegTech and FinTech?
Is it fair to say that RegTech is the new FinTech? Certainly not. Although we see both walking hand in hand, RegTech and FinTech are independent of each other and address different needs. As Andrew Yuille, Head of Risk Business Solutions at Thomson Reuters, says:
"RegTech is looking at how institutions, banks, insurance companies or even regulated entities can comply with regulation and do it in a more efficient way, FinTech is looking at innovative solutions, typically for consumers, in the little gaps left by financial services organizations, bigger banks or insurance businesses."
The FinTech revolution has evidently created numerous innovations that have led to a robust demand for RegTech solutions. But the one cannot be mixed up with the other. EY expands:
"RegTech is often misunderstood and confused with FinTech. While FinTech refers to the use of technologies and software to provide financial services, RegTech is the use of new technologies to address the increasingly dense data landscape required to meet regulatory compliance challenges."
We do not agree with the notion of RegTech being a mere sub-industry of FinTech—the two bear distinct differences, akin to the next comparison.
What is the difference between RegTech and SupTech?
SupTech is one of the more recent neologisms in the tech realm. SupTech specifically assists supervisory authorities like FINMA or MAS, while RegTech serves both banks and regulators. Therefore, SupTech is seen as a kind of subcategory of RegTech: the word RegTech is widely used with two meanings—first, 'RegTech for regulators' (often called SupTech), and second, technology for use by the financial industry to comply with laws and regulatory rules. These two streams work on the same core problems and are mirror images of each other, sharing the same kinds of technologies, rooted in common sources of digitised information and data flows.
What do compliance experts at Apiax think RegTech is?
“RegTech solutions can enable compliance by design. If processes are designed in such a way that people have no other option but to follow them, the error rate goes down significantly. Equally as important is the reduction of control efforts that comes with this set-up. And not to mention the huge cost savings.”
“RegTech is used to optimise the regulatory management processes and make compliance knowledge accessible and actionable to everyone.”
“Whilst RegTech automatically solves and implements routine inquiries, compliance officers are empowered to focus on their core business objectives: manage risks on a strategic level and seize opportunities.”
RegTech lists and rankings
RegTech maps and rankings are the most convenient way to get an overview of thriving RegTech companies around the world—a quick overview of each company's position, and a valid first impression of the key areas in which they operate.
RegTech100
Yearly, the RegTech100 list puts 100 innovative RegTech companies into the spotlight. By highlighting RegTech companies that every enterprise should know about, the RegTech100 provides market information that cannot be found in any other report.
Swisscom RegTech Startup Map
Quarterly, Swisscom publishes a market overview of Swiss RegTech startups in cooperation with e-foresight, categorised according to areas of activity. This is an excellent starting point for learning more about the Swiss RegTech community.
Deloitte RegTech Universe
Deloitte compiled a list of RegTech companies with the technologies and solutions they offer. It's a really useful look at who is orbiting the RegTech space.
CB Insights RegTech Market Map
In 2017, CB Insights used its data to identify over 100 private companies in RegTech and organized them into 9 categories, including 9 sub-categories within financial services. Although a bit outdated, the map is still a good source to find RegTech companies that operate in different service categories.
RegTech associations
Why join a RegTech association? It's a great way to gain knowledge, inspiration and support from other like-minded individuals and organisations, and a powerful channel to voice ideas, opinions and important issues. Below is a collection of associations known to shape and accelerate the evolution of RegTech.
Swiss FinTech
Active in our home of Switzerland, Swiss Fintech supports pioneers on the local FinTech scene. With more than 120 startups joined already, their mission is to drive innovation, inspiration and change in Switzerland.
Holland FinTech
RegTech companies have a lot to gain from joining the extensive network of Holland FinTech. Joined by over 22,000 professionals, it connects people and organisations to profit from innovation and development.
Innovate Finance
As the voice of global FinTech, Innovate Finance represents and advances the global FinTech community in the UK, from seed-stage startups to global financial institutions and investors.
Portugal FinTech House
Being the flagship of Portuguese FinTech associations, Portugal FinTech is a passionate, united community of individuals and organisations with one shared vision: to empower the FinTech ecosystem.
Singapore FinTech Association
Being the leading FinTech association in one of our operating countries, it has set itself the target of enabling the education, information and communication of FinTech companies in Singapore.
London Chamber of Commerce
Maybe an unusual choice for a list of RegTech associations, however, it is London's largest independent business network.
FinTech Association of Hong Kong
The independent not-for-profit association advocates for the development of FinTech in Hong Kong, including RegTech, WealthTech, InsurTech and Blockchain.
The RegTech Association
Founded in the same year as Apiax (2017), and the only one from the oceanic region, it aims to become the centre for global RegTech excellence.
RegTech reports and studies
In recent years, there has been an increasing number of reports and studies dealing with the emergence of RegTech and the future of compliance. We've carefully selected those we consider important for understanding regulatory technology—frequently quoted, and full of the figures and justifications that show why RegTech is so timely and important.
FinTech, RegTech and the Role of Compliance Report
Thomson Reuters' intelligence report explores the future challenges the regtech revolution poses for the compliance function, and how firms need to invest in more specialist technological skills.
The European Banking Authority (EBA) RegTech Landscape Report
An analysis of the RegTech landscape in the EU, assessing the benefits and challenges faced by financial institutions and RegTech providers, and the risks supervisors will need to address.
Cross-Border Compliance Black Book 2024
Our biennial report on Cross-Border Compliance, downloaded by more than 200 finance professionals, covering industry standards, regulatory knowledge, rule interpretation and digitisation efforts.
Cross-Border Compliance Black Book 2026
Our latest biennial Cross-Border Compliance report, with fresh findings on industry standards, regulatory knowledge, rule interpretation and digitisation efforts.
Content Compliance Black Book 2025
Content Compliance remains a key industry challenge because 80% of factsheet and pitch book content is related to complex and changing compliance requirements—our other biennial Black Book.
The Apiax Country Portal
Understand and compare the complexity of offering specific financial services within any given jurisdiction, powered by the Apiax rule repository covering 150+ jurisdictions.
The Global RegTech Industry Benchmark Report
Published by the Centre for Alternative Finance at Cambridge, based on a survey of 111 firms, regulators and industry experts, produced with the support of EY.
ACC Chief Legal Officers (CLO) Survey 2026
Built on responses from 772 CLOs across 20 industries and 48 countries, showing CLOs and legal departments continue to face intense pressure to do more with less.
The Global City RegTech Report
Produced by the City of London and RT Associates, an in-depth analysis of the UK RegTech industry based on conversations with regulators, institutions and RegTech vendors.
World of RegTech Infographics
A visually appealing infographic by Raconteur presenting 391 RegTech companies worldwide, organised by service sub-sector and key benefits.
The Regulatory Genome Project
Cambridge's Centre for Alternative Finance introduces machine-executable regulations, aiming to make the world's regulatory information accessible and fit for the digital economy.
Portfolio Optimisation Survey 2021
70+ portfolio managers and investment advisors told us how they optimise client portfolios for tax—and to what extent it can contribute to higher investment returns. A webinar was also created on this topic.
RegTech articles
There is a lot going on in the RegTech industry. To keep up with the latest market developments, we've carefully selected some of the most insightful RegTech articles and blog posts on the internet.
Fintech, RegTech and the role of compliance 2023: Addressing deployment & management
A condensed, easy-to-read version of Thomson Reuters' role-of-compliance study, by the author of the study, Susannah Hammond.
FinTech, RegTech, and SupTech
Finextra looks at how FinTech, RegTech and SupTech are transforming the financial industry, and how RegTech specifically can help institutions comply with regulations.
RegTech to Account for 40% of Global Compliance Spend
The FinTech Times, on a study by Juniper Research finding that spending on RegTech solutions will exceed $115 billion by 2023.
A Regulation Revolution in Financial Services
An oldie but a goodie—a very insightful Forbes interview with Jo Ann Barefoot on how technology will impact financial services regulation and compliance.
RegTech 101 and 102
CB Insights on what RegTech is, why it is happening and why it matters—and in RegTech 102, the evolution of RegTech and the future of compliance.
Everything You Need to Know about RegTech – The New FinTech
A 2023 article defining RegTech, sharing its origins, and exploring how it's going to impact and benefit both customers and businesses.
What You Should Know About RegTech
Investopedia on the history of RegTech, the current understanding of it, and characteristics such as applications and companies.
RegTech rising: a regulatory revolution
Financier Worldwide on the barriers of implementation, RegTech providers, and strategies for deploying RegTech.
What Regtech Solutions Can Help Fintechs Ensure Compliance?
The FinTech Times on the biggest compliance issues firms face, and the solutions helping make the fintech world fairer and safer.
AI And RegTech
Tobias Adrian of the IMF on the application of AI in RegTech and SupTech—and the risks attached to it.
The 15 best RegTech blogs
There is now a wealth of outstanding blogs on the subject of RegTech—we've set out and collected the best ones. Are there any unsung heroes out there waiting to be explored? Let us know.
A-Team RegTech Insight Blogs
In-depth knowledge and resources across regulation, enterprise data management and trading technology in financial markets.
Apiax Blog
Valuable insights for anyone interested in regulatory compliance and Embedded Compliance—plus the occasional startup story.
Central Banking RegTech & SupTech
A leading industry platform with a page dedicated solely to RegTech and SupTech news from the banking industry.
FinTech Times RegTech Archives
A blend of first-hand insight, external expertise and investigative journalism, with a page dedicated to RegTech.
Fintechnews Switzerland RegTech
A local hub with deep insight into the latest Swiss and global financial technology news.
RegTech Analyst Blog
Produced by FinTech Global, updated daily with RegTech news, data and analysis.
The RegTech Association News
Company milestones and event reminders, with a focus on Australia.
RegTech Times
Frequently updated news, stories of RegTech entrepreneurs and influencers, startups and resource pieces.
Risk.net RegTech
In-depth news and analysis on risk management, derivatives and regulation, with a page focused solely on RegTech.
TechBullion RegTech News
A London-based financial technology news site with a global focus on the RegTech industry.
Waterstechnology RegTech News and Analysis
Breaking news and trends for 25 years, with a RegTech blog updated at least once a month.
Top 7 RegTech podcasts
Podcasts are on the rise and trending in every industry—RegTech included. So that you're able to get updates on the go, we've set out and collected the best RegTech podcasts.
FCA Insight Podcast
Produced by the UK Financial Conduct Authority, with occasional episodes on technology and RegTech specifically.
FinTech Insider Podcast
Produced by 11:FS, updated twice a week with nearly 600 episodes across the whole FinTech landscape.
RegTech RoundUp
The Canadian RegTech Association’s own podcast, bringing thought leaders together to discuss current regulatory challenges.
Risky Women
A voice for the global community of women in risk, regulation and compliance.
Voice of FinTech
Apiax co-founder Ralf Huber sat down with founder Rudolf Falat to discuss our founding story.
Clubhouse
The trendy podcast platform that took off in 2021—a great opportunity to share ideas on RegTech.
EY Compliance and Conduct Series
Spotlight sessions on compliance and conduct challenges, drawing on EY’s view of the industry.
Top 6 RegTech events
The last section of this guide lists the best RegTech events worth attending—most have switched to a hybrid or fully virtual format.
Paris FinTech Forum
Hosted yearly in the French capital, with live streams, podcasts and video interview series.
Money 20/20 Europe
Over 8,500+ people and 2,300+ companies attended in 2023, bringing together everyone who matters in FinTech.
Accelerate RegTech Global
Organised by the Australian RegTech Association, with sessions in Sydney, London and New York/Washington DC.
Finovate Events by InformaConnect
More than 1,000 senior decision-makers attend, in London, San Francisco, New York and a Live Digital session in Asia.
RegTech Summit
The RegTech ecosystem in London, exploring how capital markets can leverage technology to cut costs and support regulatory change.
Web Summit
Held yearly in Lisbon, bringing together 70,000+ people and 2,600+ startups—considered the best technology conference on the planet.
RegTech summary
While the definition can be found in most modern dictionaries, we find that the meaning of RegTech encompasses so much more than the cross between regulation and technology. Its broad scope and application span across multiple industries, business functions and operational purposes. Regardless of business objectives, one thing is sure: RegTech is here to stay and brings benefits essential to competing in the digital era. Just like technology, we anticipate RegTech to evolve along with innovation, market participants and business needs—that's why we encourage you to revisit this page from time to time for an updated snapshot of the RegTech landscape.
We hope that this RegTech Guide has given you a comprehensive understanding of what RegTech means. Financial institutions around the world use Apiax to embed compliance into their applications and processes—it helps them overcome regulatory challenges, realise business opportunities, and reduce the cost of compliance.
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Talk to an Apiax expert about where a RegTech stack could remove the most friction from your business today.