DeFi protocols are being sold CeFi compliance stacks at $100K–$500K+/year — built for banks, not smart contracts. This 2026 comparison covers every major DeFi compliance tool — Chainalysis, Elliptic, TRM Labs, Scorechain, and ChainAware — and explains which obligations actually apply to DeFi protocols and which tools deliver real MiCA coverage at a fraction of the cost.
MiCA is live and most DeFi protocols are being quoted $100K–$500K+/year for compliance tools built for banks. This guide explains what MiCA actually requires from DeFi protocols, what it doesn’t, and how ChainAware delivers 70–75% MiCA coverage at 1% of the cost of Chainalysis — pay-per-use, no annual contract.
Generative AI creates content — it cannot process numerical transaction data or make real-time fraud classifications. Predictive AI is purpose-built for compliance: 98% accuracy, sub-100ms response, deterministic outputs. This 2026 guide explains the distinction and how to deploy predictive AI correctly for crypto KYC, AML, and transaction monitoring.