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
Why do banks only make limited transaction history available online? Jan 8, 2012 How Banks Work What other technologies can replace QR codes for payments or marketing? Jan 8, 2012 Payments (General) Which companies provide money order processing? Jan 8, 2012 Money Transfer Business and MTOs How can I send $1,500 from the U.S. to Australia while minimizing fees? Jan 8, 2012 Sending and Receiving Money Abroad Which U.S. bank offers the lowest-cost international wire transfers? Jan 8, 2012 International Wire Transfers and Large Transfers Is it possible to track and analyze where money flows? Jan 8, 2012 Economics, Inflation and Monetary Policy Why do banks restrict the amount of transaction history available online? Jan 8, 2012 How Banks Work Which acquiring bank works best with QuickPay for international transactions? Jan 7, 2012 Merchant Accounts, Processors and Gateways What legal requirements are mandatory for a UK-based international money transfer startup? Jan 7, 2012 UK and EU Licensing, EMIs and Payment Institutions How does Square process card payments without requiring merchants to have traditional merchant accounts? Jan 7, 2012 Merchant Accounts, Processors and Gateways Is there a PayPal-like service focused specifically on invoicing? Jan 7, 2012 Freelancers, Side Hustles and Getting Paid Online Which acquiring bank or partner works best with QuickPay for international payments? Jan 7, 2012 Merchant Accounts, Processors and Gateways What legal requirements are essential for a UK-based international money transfer startup? Jan 7, 2012 UK and EU Licensing, EMIs and Payment Institutions What’s the fastest service for sending remittances to India? Jan 7, 2012 Sending and Receiving Money Abroad How does Square enable credit card payments without requiring a traditional merchant account? Jan 7, 2012 Merchant Accounts, Processors and Gateways What are the standard procedures to reverse or dispute an ACH transaction? Jan 6, 2012 Domestic Payment Rails, National Switches and Clearing Systems What steps are required to reverse or dispute an ACH transaction? Jan 6, 2012 Domestic Payment Rails, National Switches and Clearing Systems What online billing options suit Indian service providers with domestic and international clients? Jan 4, 2012 Merchant Accounts, Processors and Gateways Is there demand for an online incubator for early-stage startups? Jan 4, 2012 Starting and Running a Fintech or Payments Business How saturated is the money-transfer startup market, and how capital-intensive is it to build? Jan 4, 2012 Money Transfer Business and MTOs Which payment gateways work internationally without requiring a registered company? Jan 4, 2012 Merchant Accounts, Processors and Gateways Are there billing or invoicing solutions in India that work for both domestic and international clients? Jan 4, 2012 Merchant Accounts, Processors and Gateways How competitive is the money transfer startup market, and how capital-intensive is it to enter? Jan 4, 2012 Money Transfer Business and MTOs Are there international payment systems that don’t require a registered company? Jan 4, 2012 Merchant Accounts, Processors and Gateways Does PayPal comply with USA PATRIOT Act requirements? Jan 3, 2012 AML Programs, KYC and Compliance Operations Does Xoom provide an API for integration? Jan 3, 2012 Developer Tools, APIs, Sandboxes and Open Source Is PayPal compliant with the USA PATRIOT Act? Jan 3, 2012 AML Programs, KYC and Compliance Operations Does Xoom provide an API for integrating money transfer functionality? Jan 3, 2012 Developer Tools, APIs, Sandboxes and Open Source How do online advertising networks manage and distribute payments to publishers? Jan 3, 2012 E-Commerce, Marketplace and Platform Payments Why are domestic MoneyGram transfers often more expensive than international ones? Dec 12, 2011 Payment Operations, Pricing and Fees How can you pay someone on your site if you only have their credit card number? Dec 12, 2011 Developer Tools, APIs, Sandboxes and Open Source Which nation introduced paper money first in history? Dec 12, 2011 History of Money, Banking and Finance How do wire transfers and telegraphic transfers differ? Dec 12, 2011 International Wire Transfers and Large Transfers What is FedRAMP and why is it important? Dec 12, 2011 Cybersecurity, Digital Identity and Authentication Which ACH API is best suited for pulling funds from a customer’s bank account? Dec 12, 2011 Developer Tools, APIs, Sandboxes and Open Source Is there an equivalent of a credit card chargeback for PayPal payments made via direct bank debit? Dec 12, 2011 Consumer Protection, Customer Rights and Customer Service How do online payment systems in India differ from those used in the United States? Dec 12, 2011 Domestic Payment Rails, National Switches and Clearing Systems Does Stripe allow payouts to bank accounts outside the U.S.? Dec 11, 2011 Merchant Accounts, Processors and Gateways What is the average processing time for a credit card transaction? Dec 11, 2011 Merchant Accounts, Processors and Gateways What’s the top payment gateway for merchants in the Netherlands? Dec 8, 2011 Merchant Accounts, Processors and Gateways What improvements could make PayPal better for users and businesses? Dec 8, 2011 Consumer Protection, Customer Rights and Customer Service What refund options exist for users canceling processed virtual currency purchases? Dec 8, 2011 Consumer Protection, Customer Rights and Customer Service Are users who buy virtual currency on one platform likely to spend on others? Dec 8, 2011 Payments (General) What’s required to operate an SMS subscription service in Pakistan? Dec 7, 2011 Licensing in Other Countries Why do credit card issuers take a percentage from merchants on each transaction? Dec 7, 2011 Payment Operations, Pricing and Fees How quickly would I receive my insured money if an FDIC-insured bank fails? Dec 7, 2011 Central Banks and Bank Supervision What actually happened in the dispute between PayPal and Regretsy? Dec 7, 2011 Consumer Protection, Customer Rights and Customer Service Which payment gateways are suitable for a self-hosted e-commerce store in India? Dec 4, 2011 Merchant Accounts, Processors and Gateways Is it possible to send money to Russia from the U.S. using PayPal or similar services? Dec 4, 2011 Sending and Receiving Money Abroad How do I choose and obtain the right merchant account for my business? Dec 4, 2011 Merchant Accounts, Processors and Gateways