Sardine Raises $70M in AI Funding to Boost Compliance

Sardine has raised $70 million in Series C funding, led by Activant Capital, with support from Andreessen Horowitz, Visa, Experian Ventures, and others. The company builds AI tools for fraud prevention and compliance automation across payments, banking, and crypto.

Sardine reports 130% year-over-year revenue growth, over 2.2 billion devices profiled, and a customer base that includes FIS, Deel, GoDaddy, and Ascensus. Its platform automates core compliance functions, including KYC, transaction monitoring, and merchant risk reviews.

This raise points to strong investor interest in infrastructure that improves security and speed for financial platforms.

Sardine’s investor group includes Andreessen Horowitz, Activant Capital, Visa, Experian Ventures, and Nyca Partners. Each one brings more than capital. They invest in companies that solve operational problems at scale and can serve both startups and large financial institutions.

Activant focuses on infrastructure built for efficiency and scale. Visa’s involvement points to strategic relevance across payment networks. Andreessen’s continued participation suggests a strong conviction in Sardine’s long-term potential.

This kind of backing is rarely about short-term growth. It usually points to a larger plan that involves product depth, broader adoption, and market leadership.

AI is changing how fintech and payments companies manage fraud and compliance. Machine learning and behavioral analysis now handle tasks that once required full teams. These tools cut costs, speed up decision-making, and scale easily across different financial models. That combination has become a top priority for buyers.

Payment processors, enterprise software firms, and banking platforms are actively pursuing acquisitions that strengthen their risk and compliance capabilities. Sardine’s ability to assess risk across device signals, user behavior, and transaction activity makes it attractive to companies looking to replace slow, rules-based systems.

Recent M&A activity shows growing demand for real-time risk tools that work in both startup and enterprise environments. Sardine fits that profile and is likely already on the radar of strategic buyers.

Sardine targeted a specific operational problem in financial services and built a product that reduced cost, improved speed, and scaled easily. It focused on automation in fraud and compliance, which allowed the platform to become embedded in core workflows rather than serving as a standalone tool.

Founders building in fintech or AI can take note of that strategy. Clear problem-solving, proven technical execution, and relevance to enterprise buyers tend to matter more than broad feature sets. Sardine’s traction came from understanding where its value was most urgent, then delivering results in that area before expanding.

The timing of the raise also worked in its favor. Financial institutions are looking to replace manual processes that no longer support their growth goals. Products that align with those shifts often attract more attention, more capital, and better exit options.

Sardine fits the profile of a company that attracts early acquisition interest. It has strong revenue growth, enterprise adoption, and a product that replaces outdated systems. Its investors include both financial backers and strategic players like Visa, which suggests potential alignment with larger platform goals.

As banks, payment processors, and enterprise software firms modernize their compliance and fraud stacks, they often look to acquire rather than build. Sardine already serves that need and has the integrations and customer references that strategic buyers typically require.

While the company may continue growing independently for now, the structure of this funding round and the mix of investors signal that M&A conversations could become part of its future.