FAQ
What is Klaros Group?
Klaros Group provides advisory, investment, talent, data, analytical, and strategic support to the leading innovators in financial services.
What does Klaros Group do?
Klaros Group helps financial services companies across three core areas:
DESIGN
• Bank strategy and design
• Regulatory applications and business plans
• U.S. market entrance
• New business lines, products, and services
• Stablecoin and tokenized deposit strategy
• Stablecoin issuer strategy
• Capital strategies
BUILD
• Sponsor bank partnerships
• Bank building and scaling
• Talent recruiting and coaching
• Data and analytics
• Stablecoin issuer operations
FIX
• Compliance, Bank Secrecy Act/Anti-Money Laundering (BSA/AML), sanctions, and financial
crimes programs
• Enforcement action compliance
• Board advisory
What types of companies work with Klaros Group?
Klaros Group works with:
• Fintech companies
• Sponsor and partner banks
• Embedded finance providers
• Payments and lending companies
• Financial services investors
Klaros supports both early-stage companies and large, established institutions.
What makes Klaros Group different from traditional consulting firms?
Klaros Group combines multiple capabilities in one platform:
• Advisory (strategy and execution)
• Capital (through Klaros Capital)
• Talent (through Klaros Talent)
• Data and analytics (through Klarify)
Klaros Group partners are seasoned advisors with practical experience as:
• Founders and CEOs
• Board directors
• Former regulators
• Business leaders
• Risk and compliance architects and executives
• Investors
Unlike traditional consultants, Klaros is entirely focused on financial services and financial innovation. We are focused on execution and outcomes—not just recommendations.
Does Klaros Group help companies launch banks?
Yes. Klaros Group advises companies on whether and how to:
• Start a new bank (de novo)
• Acquire an existing bank (M&A)
• Partner with a sponsor bank
• Choose the right charter and structure
– National Trust Bank (NTB)
– State Trust Company
– Competitive Equality Banking Act (CEBA) Bank
– Industrial Loan Company (ILC)
– National bank
– State bank
– Merchant Acquirer Limited Purpose Bank Charters (MALPB)
– Special Purpose Depository Institution (SPDI)
– Connecticut Innovation Bank (CIB)
– Nebraska Digital Asset Depository Institution (DADI)
– Stablecoin issuer
Klaros supports business plan development, regulatory applications, and pre-opening readiness.
How does Klaros Group help with bank charters and regulatory approval?
Klaros Group helps clients:
• Develop regulator-ready business plans
• Prepare and submit charter applications
• Identify and mitigate approval risks
• Manage regulatory relationships and communication
Klaros works closely with management teams throughout the approval process and the process of building and launching a bank.
How does Klaros Group support U.S. market entry?
Klaros Group helps international and domestic companies enter the U.S. by:
• Identifying partner banks
• Advising on licenses and charters
• Building U.S.-based teams
• Navigating regulatory expectations
• Standing up local operations
Klaros works closely with management teams throughout the U.S. market entry process from initial strategy to execution path to launch.
What is Klaros Group’s role in sponsor bank partnership?
Klaros Group helps fintechs:
• Identify and evaluate partner banks
• Structure partnerships
• Design compliance and oversight frameworks
• Improve onboarding and scaling
• Strengthen risk management and regulatory alignment
Klaros helps clients select the right partner bank and structure successful partnerships, including risk management and compliance.
How does Klaros Group help build bank operations?
Klaros Group supports:
• Organizational design and hiring
• Policy and procedure development
• Pre-opening exam preparation
• Transition planning from partner banks
• Ongoing operational scaling
Klaros helps clients design, build, launch, and scale banks.
Can Klaros Group help launch new financial products?
Yes. Klaros Group helps companies:
• Evaluate feasibility and risk-adjusted returns
• Design compliant product structures
• Manage change and vendor risk
• Test and launch new offerings
Klaros helps clients design, build, launch, and scale new financial products and lines of business.
Does Klaros Group work on stablecoin and crypto strategies?
Yes. Klaros Group advises on:
• Stablecoin issuer licensing
• Compliance and regulatory strategy
• Risk management frameworks
• Operational setup for digital asset businesses
Klaros helps clients design stablecoin strategies and launch stablecoins. Klaros also helps traditional institutions respond to crypto-related threats and/or disruption.
How does Klaros Group help with compliance and financial crimes?
Klaros Group helps organizations:
• Assess and improve compliance programs
• Strengthen BSA/AML frameworks
• Prepare for regulatory exams
• Detect and manage emerging fraud risks
• Train boards and management teams
Klaros helps clients design and build strategies and programs to prevent and combat financial crime, including the fast-growing threat of AI-driven financial crime.
What does Klaros Group do for companies under enforcement action?
Klaros Group supports companies by:
• Diagnosing issues and gaps
• Developing remediation plans
• Supporting execution and monitoring
• Advising boards and management
• Preparing for re-examination and regulatory engagement
Klaros helps clients build strong, productive relationships with their regulators and helps clients repair and rebuild those relationships if necessary.
What is Klaros Capital?
Klaros Capital is the investment arm of Klaros Group. It partners with mid-cap banks by providing capital and strategic support, often in connection with mergers, acquisitions, or balance sheet repositioning.
What is Klaros Talent?
Klaros Talent provides executive search and human capital advisory for financial services companies. It helps clients hire leadership, build teams, and strengthen risk and compliance capabilities.
What is Klarify?
Klarify is Klaros Group’s data and analytics capability, providing insights and tools to support risk management, compliance, and strategic decision-making.
When should a company hire Klaros Group?
Companies typically work with Klaros Group when they:
• Are launching or redesigning a financial services business
• Need a bank partner or charter
• Are entering the U.S. market
• Are scaling operations or adding new products
• Are facing regulatory pressure or enforcement action
• Want the most experienced and sophisticated advisory team in the market
What outcomes can clients expect from Klaros Group?
Clients work with Klaros Group to:
• Launch faster with the right regulatory strategy
• Build scalable, regulator-aligned operations
• Strengthen partnerships between fintechs and banks
• Resolve regulatory issues effectively
• Execute complex initiatives with confidence
Why Klaros Group?
Klaros leverages deep knowledge of innovation, financial services, and regulation, broad networks of relationships, and direct experience to help our clients:
• Build business scale and momentum;
• Make smart strategic choices; and
• Navigate the complexities of financial services regulation.
1. We’ve seen the movie.
Our senior team has deep experience in banking, business, financial technology, regulation, and law, much of it in senior operating and executive roles.
2. We know how to help.
We use our business and operational expertise to spot issues quickly and develop practical solutions that meet the needs of clients and regulators alike.
3. We are small and hands-on.
Our partners work directly with our clients. We use leverage to support, not replace, experience and expertise. With minimal bureaucracy, we are nimble and highly responsive to client needs.
4. We don’t compromise on quality.
No consultancy word salad here. Our products are clear, concise, rigorous, and effective.