The Latency Challenge
When we started building OFAC Shield, our customers gave us a simple requirement: don't slow us down.
High-frequency trading firms execute trades in microseconds. Even a 100ms delay is unacceptable—it's the difference between capturing alpha and missing the opportunity entirely.
We needed to build sanctions screening that operates at the speed of trading itself.
Our Architecture
Edge Deployment
We deploy validator nodes in 23 global edge locations. Your request hits the nearest node, typically within 5ms of round-trip network latency.
Pre-computed Indexes
We don't query a database when you call us. The entire SDN list is pre-processed into optimized data structures:
- Bloom filters for fast negative matching
- Phonetic indexes for fuzzy name matching
- Address tries for efficient wallet lookup
Streaming Updates
When OFAC updates the SDN list, we propagate changes to all edge nodes within 60 seconds. No batch processing, no stale data.
The Results
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For HFT firms, this means sanctions screening adds less latency than a single network hop. For the first time, compliance doesn't cost alpha.
Try It Yourself
Our Speed Bump tier ($1/validation) is designed for high-volume, latency-sensitive use cases. Integrate once, validate forever.
