Sanctions Screening vs Monitoring
The distinction between screening and monitoring - and where each runs.
The distinction
| Layer | Question | Nature |
|---|---|---|
| Screening | Is this counterparty on the list? | Deterministic, every transaction |
| Monitoring | Does this activity look suspicious? | Behavioral, continuous |
Why it matters
Screening runs on every payment (exact/fuzzy list matching). Monitoring flags anomalies over time. They answer different questions - an account can pass screening and still be monitored; a monitored account can still be screened on every payment.
The agent angle
For agents, screening is the gate before sign - it must run every time. Monitoring is the layer above it, scoring behavior across transactions.