Banks in the Netherlands expect to cut about 2,600 jobs related to money laundering checks within the next two years as they increasingly rely on artificial intelligence (AI) to handle routine anti-money laundering (AML) work, according to a report by Financieele Dagblad (FD) published in October 2025. This move comes after years of significant hiring in AML departments, driven by regulatory pressures and high-profile legal cases that generated extensive backlogs for the banking sector.
Currently, roughly 13,000 people—around one-fifth of the banking sector’s workforce in the Netherlands—are employed full-time in AML roles, with the costs for these positions estimated at €1.4 billion annually. The industry also incurs an estimated additional €1 billion in paperwork-related costs impacting companies and individuals. Executives from major Dutch banks, including ABN Amro, ING, Rabobank, and ASN Bank, explained at a recent finance conference that hiring for AML compliance roles is expected to slow sharply as the backlog of investigations has been largely cleared and technology efficiencies take hold.
Jaap van der Molen, head of financial crime at ABN Amro, described the current AML approach as a “negative business case.” He pointed out that in 2024, authorities seized about €400 million in criminal assets, while banks spent €1.4 billion plus incurred extra costs on AML compliance. Van der Molen expressed optimism that AI could significantly improve efficiency by scanning transaction data and company records to flag suspicious cases; human analysts would then primarily verify AI-generated results. In his words, “on paper you could build an entire case file with AI.” This transition to AI-driven AML processes underscores the shifting landscape in financial crime prevention and compliance.
The banks and industry leaders also called for regulatory reform toward a lighter, more risk-based regime. The outgoing Dutch finance minister, Eelco Heinen, earlier this year criticized the AML system for having “overshot its target,” creating burdensome obstacles for ordinary customers and businesses. Heinen advocated targeted focus on high-risk cases with stronger regulatory support, particularly from the Dutch central bank as supervisor. The current enforcement environment has led to negative consequences for some individuals and companies, such as refusals of bank accounts for people involved in cash-reliant sectors or those with foreign backgrounds.
Heinen also expressed support for enabling banks to share customer information during AML investigations despite privacy concerns, highlighting the need for collaborative efforts to combat financial crime more effectively.
This major workforce shift reflects broader global trends in AML enforcement and technology integration. Industry experts note that as AML regulations have tightened worldwide—along with rising fines and enforcement actions—banks have invested heavily in compliance capabilities, sometimes at significant cost. For instance, in the US, banks face strict AML program rules, suspicious activity reporting obligations, and deepened customer due diligence requirements. Regulatory breaches have led to billions of dollars in fines globally in recent years.
Despite these challenges, banks and regulators alike recognize the potential of AI and advanced analytics to streamline AML processes and reduce manual workloads. This could allow institutions to focus resources on the most critical, high-risk investigations and improve overall effectiveness while mitigating compliance costs.
In summary, Dutch banks are preparing to cut approximately 2,600 AML-related jobs over the next two years by leveraging AI technology to handle routine monitoring tasks. This strategic shift follows extensive growth in AML staffing driven by enhanced regulatory demands and costly legal cases. Industry leaders urge a more risk-focused regulatory approach combined with technological innovation to maintain strong anti-financial crime defenses without imposing excessive operational burdens on banks and their customers.
Key Details at a Glance:
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Number of AML jobs to be cut | Approximately 2,600 |
| Current AML workforce in Netherlands | About 13,000 full-time employees |
| Annual AML costs for banks | €1.4 billion plus €1 billion paperwork costs |
| AI role | To handle routine transaction screening and record analysis, freeing analysts for verification |
| Regulatory comments | Dutch finance minister calls for lighter, risk-based AML regime and cooperative bank information sharing |
| Banks involved | ABN Amro, ING, Rabobank, ASN Bank |
| Expected timeline | Within two years |
Context on AML Trends
AML compliance globally has led to stringent regulations on customer due diligence, suspicious activity reporting, and financial crime prevention programs. These frameworks aim to detect and prevent money laundering, terrorist financing, and other illicit financial flows. The substantial investment in workforce and technology reflects the escalating complexity of AML efforts worldwide.
Regulators in multiple jurisdictions have increased enforcement actions and fines against financial institutions failing to meet AML standards, driving banks to expand teams and invest in sophisticated systems. Yet the evolution of AI and machine learning creates opportunities to automate repetitive tasks and analyze complex data sets more efficiently, which can streamline AML operations and reduce costs.
AML Editor’s article was originally published in dutchnews on October 3, 2025