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Regional PayFi Summit 2026: The Compliance Premium with AxiomXchange

Chief Compliance Officer, AxiomXchange

Founder & CEO, RegTech.com

15 Oct 2026

Regional PayFi Summit 2026: The Compliance Premium with AxiomXchange — Middle: Jessica Chuah, Chief Compliance Officer, AxiomXchange. Left: Shann Ng, Founder and CEO, Regtech.com. Right: Andrew Rizkalla, Global Head of Sales, Aquanow

Interviewing Jessica Chuah, Chief Compliance Officer at AxiomXchange

As the official media partner for the Regional PayFi Summit 2026, Regtech.com convened industry leaders during Token2049 to examine the commercial realities of regulatory compliance. The Regional PayFi Summit 2026's panel, The Compliance Premium: Navigating Operational Efficiencies in a Regulated Environment, focused on how financial institutions can streamline operational workflows without compromising regulatory rigour.

We extend our sincere thanks to AxiomXchange and the sponsors for having us at the event. For those unable to attend in person, below is an interview with Jessica Chuah, Chief Compliance Officer at AxiomXchange, with her insights from the discussion.

Jessica Chuah, Chief Compliance Officer, AxiomXchange, Regional PayFi Summit 2026

Q1. What does the “compliance premium” mean in practice, and should businesses view it as a cost of operating or as a competitive advantage?

Jessica: I think the compliance premium is very real, particularly for businesses operating in highly regulated industries.

In practical terms, it is the additional investment a business makes in governance, people, systems, controls and processes to meet regulatory expectations and maintain the confidence of its stakeholders.

But I would challenge the perception that this is simply an additional cost of doing business.

To me, compliance is a cost when we approach it purely as an obligation. It becomes a competitive advantage when we use it strategically.

For example, two companies may offer very similar products and services. But if one has stronger governance, more transparent operations and a proven compliance track record, that company is likely to be in a stronger position when engaging banks, institutional partners, investors and even customers.

Particularly in today’s environment, where financial institutions are becoming increasingly selective about whom they work with, the ability to demonstrate a strong compliance framework can be a real differentiator.

It can potentially mean smoother onboarding, greater confidence from banking partners and better access to new markets.

Of course, not every dollar spent on compliance automatically creates value. We need to be proportionate and risk-based in our approach.

Ultimately, I believe the real compliance premium is not what we pay to be compliant, but the commercial opportunities and trust we gain from doing compliance well.

Compliance starts creating commercial value when it moves beyond meeting minimum regulatory requirements and begins helping the business make better decisions, build stronger partnerships and execute growth plans with greater confidence.

Q2. How should firms measure the return on investment from compliance, not only through avoided penalties, but also through improved banking access, customer trust and business scalability?

Jessica: I think this is a very important question because, traditionally, compliance has been measured by what did not happen. No regulatory breaches, no penalties, no major audit findings.

And while those are important indicators, they don’t necessarily tell us the full story of the value that compliance brings to an organisation.

I believe we need to start measuring compliance not only as a risk management function, but also as a business enabler. I would look at this from three perspectives.

First, banking and institutional relationships. For many businesses, particularly those operating across borders or in higher-risk sectors, access to reliable banking services is critical.

A strong compliance framework can help build confidence with financial institutions, support due diligence processes and strengthen long-term banking relationships. We can measure this through indicators such as onboarding turnaround times, the number of successful banking relationships established or maintained, and the frequency of compliance-related escalations.

Second, operational efficiency and scalability. Good compliance should not mean adding more layers of approvals indefinitely.

If we invest in the right technology, processes and controls, we should be able to support increasing business volumes without increasing compliance costs at the same rate. For example, through risk-based customer due diligence, automation and better monitoring systems, we can improve efficiency while maintaining effective oversight.

Third, customer and stakeholder confidence. Trust is more difficult to quantify, but it has genuine commercial value.

Customers and business partners increasingly want assurance that they are dealing with responsible, transparent and well-governed organisations. A strong compliance reputation can support customer retention, commercial partnerships and market expansion.

Ultimately, I think we should move away from asking, “How much does compliance cost us?” Instead, we should ask, “How much more effectively, confidently and sustainably can our business operate because we have invested in compliance?”

That, to me, is the real return on investment.

Q3. How can compliance, operations, product and commercial teams work together more effectively so that compliance is embedded into the business rather than treated as a final approval function?

Jessica: I think one of the biggest challenges in many organisations is that compliance is still being brought into discussions too late.

The commercial team develops an opportunity, the product team designs the solution, operations prepares for implementation, and only at the final stage does someone ask compliance whether it can proceed. And sometimes, by that point, significant time and resources have already been invested.

In my view, compliance should not be the last person invited to the table. We should be part of the conversation from the beginning.

There are three things I believe can make a real difference

First, early engagement. When the business is considering a new product, entering a new market or onboarding a strategic partner, compliance should be involved at the planning stage. This allows us to identify regulatory considerations early and, more importantly, help the business structure solutions that are commercially viable and compliant.

Second, shared ownership. Compliance cannot be the responsibility of the compliance department alone.

The commercial team needs to understand the risks associated with its customers and markets.

Operations needs to understand the importance of effective controls. Product teams need to consider regulatory requirements as part of product design.

Compliance provides the framework, guidance and independent challenge, but managing risk must be embedded across the organisation.

Third, changing the mindset from saying “no” to finding the right “how”. Of course, there will always be situations where we have to say no because the risks are unacceptable or the activity is prohibited.

But in many situations, our role should be to help the business explore how an opportunity can be pursued responsibly, with appropriate safeguards. And that requires compliance professionals to understand not just the regulations, but also the business model, commercial priorities and operational realities.

Ultimately, successful compliance is not about how many transactions we stop. It is about how effectively we help the business move forward without compromising regulatory standards or integrity.

Axiom Corp Sp. z o.o. is registered as a Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) under the supervision of the Director of the Tax Administration Chamber in Katowice (Dyrektor Izby Administracji Skarbowej w Katowicach). The company operates in compliance with Polish and European regulations governing virtual assets, including the Act of 18 March 2018 on Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing.

This interview with Jessica Chuah, Chief Compliance Officer of AxiomXchange, is conducted by Shann Ng and is exclusive to RegTech.com.