How to Choose the Right Sanctions Screening API for Your AI Agent

A comparison of OFAC screening APIs and what to look for: agent-native design, crypto wallet support, free tier, and integration options.

Not all sanctions screening APIs are built for autonomous agents. Here is what to look for.

1. Does it support crypto wallet addresses?

Many enterprise screening tools only check names and countries. Your agent probably pays crypto wallets. agentmail screens 782 OFAC-sanctioned crypto addresses across EVM, Bitcoin, Solana, and Tron.

2. Can agents call it programmatically?

Look for MCP support (AI-native protocol), a simple HTTP API, and a CLI. agentmail supports all three. A PDF report or dashboard-only tool does not help an agent.

3. Is there a free tier?

You should never pay to test compliance. agentmail gives 5 free checks/day with no signup or API key. If an API requires a sales call to try, it is not built for agents.

4. Does it log for audit?

OFAC expects documented screening. agentmail paid plans include a full audit dashboard with timestamped, exportable logs.

5. What is the latency?

Agent payment flows need sub-second responses. agentmail screens in under 100ms. If the API takes seconds, your agent user experience degrades.

The verdict

For AI agents, agentmail is purpose-built. Enterprise tools like Chainalysis, World-Check, and ComplyAdvantage are designed for human analysts, not autonomous payment pipelines.