MVB Bank is outsourcing its initial KYC and AML compliance screening to Bretton AI, aiming to boost efficiency and consistency while managing regulatory risk as its embedded finance and payments business grows
MVB Bank, based in West Virginia, has entered a multi-year agreement with Bretton AI to overhaul its compliance operations. The partnership will see Bretton AI's automation platform take over the initial screening of transactions for anti-money laundering (AML) and know your customer (KYC) compliance, flagging any activity that falls outside the bank's established risk framework. A dedicated US-based team from Bretton AI will then review each AI-generated alert before it is escalated to MVB Bank, aiming to ensure that only relevant cases reach the bank's internal compliance staff.
This move is designed to help MVB Bank scale its compliance capacity without a proportional increase in back-office staff, a challenge faced by many banks as transaction volumes rise. According to the bank, the new system is expected to deliver greater consistency in compliance decisions and reduce the risk of missed alerts, while also supporting business growth in embedded finance, banking-as-a-service (BaaS), and payments infrastructure.
Operational Shift and Executive Oversight
The agreement with Bretton AI is among the first major initiatives led by Michael Giorgio, who was promoted to executive vice president and chief information and operating officer in April 2026. Giorgio, who joined MVB Bank as chief information officer in July 2023, now oversees both technology and operations, with a particular focus on compliance and regulatory requirements. The bank's leadership has emphasized that strengthening compliance is central to its strategy as it expands services for fintech, payments, and gaming clients.
MVB Bank, a subsidiary of MVB Financial Corp, employs around 400 people and manages assets exceeding $3.5 billion as of 2026. The bank's decision to outsource compliance screening reflects a broader trend among US regional banks to adopt automation and external expertise in response to evolving regulatory expectations and the increasing complexity of financial crime risks.
Compliance Automation in Context
Automated compliance solutions are becoming more common as banks seek to balance regulatory obligations with operational efficiency. By integrating AI-driven screening with human oversight, MVB Bank aims to minimize false positives and ensure that genuine risks are identified promptly. This approach is particularly relevant for institutions serving high-growth sectors such as embedded finance and digital payments, where transaction volumes and risk profiles can shift rapidly.
Similar modernization efforts are underway at other banks in the region. For example, Belize Bank recently adopted an AI-native banking platform to streamline onboarding and strengthen fraud prevention, as reported in a recent article on the integration of Backbase's technology (see coverage of Belize Bank's digital overhaul).
Key Figures and Industry Trends
As of 2026, MVB Bank's asset base stands at over $3.5 billion, with a workforce of approximately 400 employees. The bank's embedded finance and BaaS offerings have contributed to rising transaction volumes, increasing the importance of robust compliance controls. Industry data shows that US regional banks are investing heavily in automation to meet regulatory standards and manage operational costs, with compliance spending accounting for a growing share of technology budgets.
Outsourcing compliance functions to specialized providers like Bretton AI allows banks to access advanced analytics and dedicated review teams without the need to build large in-house departments. However, the effectiveness of such arrangements depends on clear risk frameworks, ongoing oversight, and the ability to adapt to changing regulatory requirements.
Automated compliance screening combines machine learning algorithms with rule-based checks to identify suspicious activity in real time. While AI can process large volumes of data quickly, human review remains essential for interpreting complex cases and ensuring that alerts are handled appropriately. The balance between automation and manual oversight is a central challenge for banks seeking to improve efficiency without compromising regulatory standards. As financial crime risks evolve and regulatory scrutiny intensifies, the ability to adapt compliance processes will remain a key differentiator for banks operating in competitive sectors such as embedded finance and digital payments.
