Methodology
Risk Scoring Methodology
TrustBlocks risk scores are computed on a 0–100 scale. This page explains every signal, its weight, and how the final score maps to a compliance recommendation.
Score bands
Low risk
No known exposure to sanctioned entities, mixers, or darknet markets. Standard due diligence applies.
Medium risk
Indirect exposure or elevated counterparty risk detected. Enhanced due diligence recommended.
High risk
Significant exposure to high-risk entities. Manual analyst review required before processing.
Critical / Sanctioned
Direct OFAC/EU/UN sanctions hit, or extreme exposure. Transactions should be blocked and reported.
Risk signals & weights
Scores are additive with a ceiling of 100. Multiple signals stack. Sanctions hits are treated as floor-setters — a single OFAC match brings the minimum score to 80 regardless of other factors.
| Signal | Score Impact | Description |
|---|
| OFAC SDN match | Critical (+80) | Address appears on the US Office of Foreign Assets Control Specially Designated Nationals list. |
| EU Consolidated list | Critical (+75) | Match against the European Union consolidated sanctions list. |
| UN Security Council | Critical (+70) | Match against UN SC targeted sanctions lists. |
| Mixer / tumbler interaction | High (+35–50) | Direct send or receive involving known cryptocurrency mixers (e.g. Tornado Cash, Helix). |
| Darknet market exposure | High (+30–45) | Funds traceable to known darknet marketplace deposit addresses. |
| Ransomware cluster | High (+30–40) | Address appears in known ransomware payment clusters. |
| Cross-chain bridge risk | Medium (+15–25) | Funds passed through high-risk bridge protocols or sanctioned bridge contracts. |
| High-risk counterparty | Medium (+10–20) | Transacted with an address that itself has a risk score ≥ 50. |
| PEP association | Medium (+10–15) | Address linked to a politically exposed person or related entity. |
| Unhosted wallet | Low (+5) | Self-custodied address with no KYC association — minor flag for TFR purposes. |
FATF Recommendation alignment
FATF R.10
Customer Due Diligence
Risk scores inform CDD intensity — low risk standard CDD, high risk enhanced CDD.
FATF R.11
Record Keeping
All screenings generate a tamper-evident report with record hash for audit trail.
FATF R.12
Politically Exposed Persons
PEP associations are a dedicated signal increasing risk score by 10–15 points.
FATF R.15
New Technologies (VASPs)
Built specifically for VASP obligations under FATF guidance on virtual assets.
Disclaimer: Risk scores are heuristic estimates and do not constitute legal advice. Sanctions list data is updated daily from official sources. Always conduct independent verification before making compliance decisions. Contact compliance@trustblocks.tech for data source SLAs.