By ยท ยท last updated 2026-08-06

How to Respond to a Sanctions Match

The match-response workflow: verify, decide, document, report. What to do in the minutes after screening flags a counterparty.

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A sanctions match is a decision point, not a panic. The workflow has four steps - and the first one is the most important.

1. Verify the match

Compare identifiers: name/wallet, jurisdiction, aliases, ownership. Exact wallet matches are deterministic; name matches need the false-positive triage. The review template structures it.

2. Decide

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Release (false positive, documented) or block (real hit). Never release a possible hit without review - the asymmetry is $356,000.

3. Document

Log the decision with the list version, the matched entry, and the reasoning. This is the evidence an inquiry demands.

4. Report

For real hits, report per your obligations - blocking reports typically within 10 days. The notification template has the structure.

The agent angle

An agent should never decide a match alone: block, alert a human, and log. The inquiry scenario shows why the trail matters.

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