In the 2021 survey, 80% of firms said they filed more suspicious activity reports (SARs) in 2021, compared to 70% who said the same in 2020 (Figure 1). Almost a third of respondents (31%) said they filed 10-20% more SARs in 2021 compared to 2020. A number of underlying factors can be attributed to this trend, including the growing volume and variety of payment channels consumers are using across mobile money, SWIFT, instant payments, crypto and distributed ledger technology – all underpinned by a wider shift toward remote and hybrid working environments. The 2020s have also been characterized by a high degree of instability, increasing the risk of various financial crimes including trade-based money laundering, terrorist financing and wildlife trafficking.