Faisal Khan
Answers by

Faisal Khan

Cross-border payments, banking access, licensing. Thirty-one years inside regulated money movement.

Founder, Faisal Khan LLC·Istanbul, working globally
3,061Questions answered
31+Years in payments
400+Companies served
72+Countries
About

Every answer on askmint is mine. I have spent more than thirty-one years in financial services, almost all of it on one problem: how money legally crosses a border, and what a regulator needs to see before it will.

My career began in technology, not banking. I moved into banking and payments, and then into cross-border payments. That is where I saw how badly companies get caught by the rules across many countries. Not because the rules are impossible, but because the wrong structure was chosen before anyone understood the flow of funds.

Since starting the consultancy in 2010, I have worked with more than four hundred companies across seventy-two countries, from early-stage startups to established financial institutions. The work is helping them obtain licences, secure banking relationships, and build compliance frameworks that hold up under examination.

Today it is mostly licensing strategy, MSB banking access and cross-border payment structures, alongside writing, speaking and the educational sites that sit around the practice. This site is one of them.

Every call I take, I take myself. Twelve thousand of them so far.

Where I work

Licensing and compliance

Money transmitter licences, payment institution registration and compliance programmes across many countries. More than fifty licence applications done.

Banking relationships

Getting and keeping bank accounts for high-risk and regulated businesses. The part most operators underestimate.

Cross-border payments

Payment corridors, settlement design, FX risk and the licensing that sits underneath international money movement.

What I am not
  • A bank, money transmitter or money services business
  • A law firm. Nothing here is legal advice
  • In the flow of funds. I never hold client money

Answers

3,061 answers · newest first
What are the advantages of holding an EU money transmitter license versus operating under a bank’s umbrella? Aug 1, 2021 Licensing Strategy, Sponsorship and Agent Models How is money transferred between domestic and international bank accounts instantly when no physical cash moves? Jul 12, 2021 Correspondent Banking, Nostro and Vostro, and Settlement Why do individuals open bank accounts in multiple countries? Jul 12, 2021 Opening Bank Accounts, Personal and Business What is involved in issuing prepaid debit cards through offshore banks? Jul 8, 2021 Card Networks and Card Issuing Are international money transfers truly instant? Jul 7, 2021 Correspondent Banking, Nostro and Vostro, and Settlement How large is the global market for small-value remittances? Jul 6, 2021 Money Transfer Business and MTOs How can small money transfer businesses improve competitiveness? Jul 6, 2021 Money Transfer Business and MTOs How Much Money Do I Need to Get Started? Jul 5, 2021 Money Transfer Business and MTOs Which apps besides PayPal allow instant transfers to friends and family? Jun 10, 2021 Digital Wallets, Mobile Money and P2P Payments Are there payment methods with zero transaction fees? Jun 2, 2021 Payment Operations, Pricing and Fees Do banks in developing countries follow international banking regulations? Jun 1, 2021 Central Banks and Bank Supervision Are wire transfer funds available immediately after sending? Jun 1, 2021 Domestic Payment Rails, National Switches and Clearing Systems Can foreigners open bank accounts in Turkey without residency permits? May 8, 2021 Opening Bank Accounts, Personal and Business Which countries allow non-citizens to open bank accounts with only a passport? May 7, 2021 Opening Bank Accounts, Personal and Business What is the “Travel Rule” in financial transactions and why does it matter? May 6, 2021 AML Programs, KYC and Compliance Operations What does it cost to register with FinCEN? May 6, 2021 US Money Transmitter Licensing and MSB Registration Does accepting cryptocurrency as payment classify a US company as an MSB under FinCEN? May 2, 2021 US Money Transmitter Licensing and MSB Registration Why do criminals engage in money laundering? May 1, 2021 Money Laundering and Financial Crime How can a non-US crypto exchange legally onboard US customers? Apr 8, 2021 Crypto and VASP Licensing Who ultimately receives the funds when a company is sold? Apr 2, 2021 Capital Markets: Stocks, Bonds and Derivatives Why does McKinsey report cross-border flows in the hundreds of trillions of dollars? Apr 1, 2021 Trade Finance, Letters of Credit and B2B Payments Are there countries where non-residents can open bank accounts without visiting in person? Apr 1, 2021 Opening Bank Accounts, Personal and Business How are bank routing numbers structured in Pakistan? Mar 8, 2021 International Wire Transfers and Large Transfers What major problems in payments technology remain unsolved? Mar 6, 2021 Banking and Payments Technology Stack Will Facebook Novi threaten small and mid-sized money transfer operators? Mar 6, 2021 Money Transfer Business and MTOs Why is the Apple credit card receiving so much attention? Mar 3, 2021 Credit, Debit and Prepaid Cards How can governments influence remittance inflows and outflows? Mar 3, 2021 Payment Corridors and Remittance Economics Why do interbank transfers take longer than transfers within the same bank? Mar 2, 2021 Domestic Payment Rails, National Switches and Clearing Systems Is wiring money illegal under any circumstances? Mar 2, 2021 US Money Transmitter Licensing and MSB Registration Which countries receive the highest volume of remittances globally? Mar 2, 2021 Payment Corridors and Remittance Economics What is the IBAN for Wells Fargo Bank? Mar 2, 2021 International Wire Transfers and Large Transfers Can wire transfers be lost, and what causes this? Mar 2, 2021 Domestic Payment Rails, National Switches and Clearing Systems Why are PayPal transfers faster than traditional bank transfers? Mar 1, 2021 Digital Wallets, Mobile Money and P2P Payments Is it realistic to create a single global currency for international trade? Mar 1, 2021 Geopolitics of Money and the International Monetary System If Payoneer is linked to my bank, are received funds automatically transferred? Feb 11, 2021 Freelancers, Side Hustles and Getting Paid Online Can I use a Payoneer Mastercard to open an Amazon seller account? Jan 8, 2021 E-Commerce, Marketplace and Platform Payments How much does counterfeit currency sell for on the black market? Jan 1, 2021 Money Laundering and Financial Crime In correspondent banking, who sets FX rates and who profits from them? Dec 2, 2020 Correspondent Banking, Nostro and Vostro, and Settlement What is Remittance-as-a-Service (RaaS)? Dec 2, 2020 Money Transfer Business and MTOs What prevents a major social network from becoming a full banking and payments platform? Dec 1, 2020 Fintech, BaaS and Embedded Finance Is it legal in the US for a business to issue its own internal currency for purchases? Dec 1, 2020 US Money Transmitter Licensing and MSB Registration How can someone in Pakistan get a free virtual Visa or MasterCard without a bank account? Nov 5, 2020 Credit, Debit and Prepaid Cards What is the difference between interbank FX rates and open market FX rates? Nov 5, 2020 FX Rates, Spreads and Currency Markets Do all banks rely on intermediary banks for international wire transfers? Nov 4, 2020 Correspondent Banking, Nostro and Vostro, and Settlement Do I need a money transmitter license if my platform collects customer payments and distributes proceeds to vendors? Nov 4, 2020 US Money Transmitter Licensing and MSB Registration Can banks recall international wire transfers during compliance investigations? Nov 4, 2020 International Wire Transfers and Large Transfers How can Saudi Riyals be transferred into a Pakistani Riyal-denominated account? Nov 4, 2020 Sending and Receiving Money Abroad Why do banks prohibit storing cash in safe deposit boxes, and how would they know? Nov 2, 2020 How Banks Work How can PRC be issued in Pakistan for a Western Union remittance? Nov 2, 2020 Sending and Receiving Money Abroad When will physical cash and coins fully disappear? Nov 2, 2020 Payments (General)