SAR / STR
Suspicious Activity Report (SAR) or Suspicious Transaction Report (STR) — Reports filed by financial institutions when they detect potentially suspicious or unusual activity that may indicate money laundering, fraud, or other financial crimes. Different jurisdictions use different terminology (US uses SAR, Canada/UK use STR).
Sanctions
Financial restrictions imposed by governments or international bodies on specific countries, entities, or individuals. Sanctions programs prohibit transactions with designated parties and require screening of all transactions against sanctions lists (e.g., OFAC SDN list).
Primary Law
Core legislation and regulations that establish AML/CFT requirements. This includes directives, regulations, and primary legal texts (e.g., EU AMLD, AMLR) that have the force of law and form the foundation of a jurisdiction's regulatory framework.
Guidance
Regulatory guidance, technical standards, and interpretive documents issued by supervisory authorities. These clarify how institutions should comply with primary laws and provide practical implementation details (e.g., EBA guidelines, FCA financial crime materials).
Filing Portal
Electronic submission systems used to file regulatory reports. These portals allow institutions to submit SAR/STR reports and other compliance documents digitally (e.g., FinCEN BSA E-Filing, goAML systems). Digital maturity varies by jurisdiction.