Fintech firm Plannr has partnered with SmartSearch to add anti-money laundering (AML) verification and monitoring technology to its CRM platform.

The integration will allow Financial Planning firms using Plannr, which provides Financial Planning software, to carry out compliance checks and client onboarding processes within their day-to-day workflows on the CRM platform.

Automated AML and identity checks are triggered directly from the Plannr interface during onboarding, introducing technology that supplies a pass rate of up to 97% and completes checks in as little as two seconds, according to the firm.

SmartSerarch’s system draws data from Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.

Gareth Thompson, chief technical architect at Plannr, said: “This integration has been highly anticipated, and we're delighted to have partnered so effectively with SmartSearch in pursuit of our quest to bring expert advice tools under one roof.

“By enabling seamless data sharing across platforms and eliminating the need for re-keying, we're significantly boosting adviser efficiency and reducing manual entry errors.”

Tackling financial crime is a key priority for the Financial Conduct Authority, which has issued a number of large fines for AML failings over the past year.

Challenger bank Metro Bank was fined £16m by the Financial Conduct Authority in November for money laundering failings from 2016 to 2020. The fine was imposed after the bank failed to monitor more than 60 million transactions with a value of more than £61bn, according to the FCA.

The integration with SmartSearch is the latest in a series of integrations for fintech Plannr, which was launched in 2024 to challenge the likes of established CRM firms such as Intelliflo, IRESS and Time4Advice.

Earlier this month adviser platform Transact announced it had integrated with the CRM platform to speed up the account opening process.

In May Plannr launched an integration with AI platform Advisory AI to automate client documentation. Other integrations include SECCL, Fidelity, Nucleus, and Selectapension.

SimplyBiz and Defaqto-owner Fintel invested in Plannr in 2023 and now owns a quarter of the fintech.