Today we are sitting down with Anders Bäckström, Founder and Partner of Current Consulting Group
* Hello ! Could you tell me a little bit about yourselves and your team?
Current Consulting Group is a Hong Kong-based boutique risk management firm with a focus on asset recovery services, litigation support, and due diligence. Members of our team have been active in the crypto space since 2013, and our firm has been engaged in crypto risk advisory work since 2018. We support law firms, investors, risk managers, and crypto exchanges and we handle blockchain-based asset tracing in-house. We combine the technical asset trace with top traditional investigative tools and skills and we are well in tune with the challenges of crypto-based asset recovery and global legislations.
* We always like to start our interviews with this question, what got you in the Blockchain/Web3 rabbit hole in the first place?
Our move to blockchain work has always been driven by our work in asset recovery and the need to effectively trace money and assets. We support clients and institutions with difficult and sensitive problems, including fraud and contentious litigation. With the introduction and growth of new assets classes in crypto, it was natural for us to start offering a broader portfolio of asset trace services to also cover the blockchain.
* So, what problem are you trying to solve, and why is it important?
To successfully trace on-chain assets, you need to connect digital assets to real-world actors. You can then freeze assets and start legal action to recover. There are some blockchain analytics firms in the market, but many don’t offer off-chain services, and we aim to bridge that gap. In addition, many traditional off-chain investigative firms have been slow to adopt their offering and services to crypto.
* Could you walk me through your solution in layman's terms? Pretend you're explaining it to my grandma!
Our clients have mostly been victims of fraud of some sort. We help them trace the money that rightfully belongs to them, and we do that in all forms: cash, real estate, luxury yachts etc. Sometimes assets are in the form of digital assets, or Crypto currencies, and we track these by using specialized software that enables us to follow digital assets across the so-called blockchain. Ultimately our aim is the same with all assets: identify them and tie them to a specific owner.
* How are you different from what's already out there?
We combine the on- and off-chain asset trace work into a full-service solution. We handle blockchain-based asset tracing in-house as a partner of Elliptic, and we combine the technical asset trace
with top traditional investigative tools and skills. Our seniors are certified Fraud Examiners and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) experts, which offers a strong foundation in traditional financial controls.
* How did you first learn about our marketplace?
We met Semoto at an industry event this year, and we saw instant synergies. Semoto offers an innovative platform in the industry, and we are proud to be part of building the network.
* What motivated you to give our platform a try? Were there any particular pain points you were looking to address?
Semoto provides an increased reach to both our target customers and potential providers. The platform helps us navigate, analyse and identify the options that are genuinely the best fit for our specific needs. We prefer not to allocate valuable time on lengthy introductions and negotiations, and Semoto’s reach and expertise in the industry significantly accelerated this critical phase for us, and our clients.
* Could you describe your ideal customer?
We predominantly work with global law firms, investors, risk managers, and digital assets firms. We also offer our services directly to high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs). We value transparency with our customers, and real appreciation for risk, and what it means to detect, and deal with, risk correctly. We work well with customers that are willing to let us into their fundamental view of their problems and goals are. This way we are able to minimize risk and maximize our ability to help our clients make the correct decisions.
* How do you see the future of this space?
As the many scandals of the last few years reveal, the crypto industry is still maturing. Some issues seem obvious, such as over-reliance on technical solutions, and a lack of traditional safeguards. This will all change. We have seen a surge in demand of our services the past few years, and as a company we see ourselves as one of the forces trying to push the crypto space, and its actors and infrastructure, in the right direction.
* Is there anything that you know now that you wish you or the customers out there knew from the beginning?
The crypto space is pretty wild and it is challenging to find the trustworthy partners you need to secure your interests. Generally speaking, we wish clients and partners would more often ask the most obvious questions about crypto, and about safeguards to crypto business. Many disasters could have been avoided.
* How can people reach you or support your mission?
Thanks to our global team of experts spread out over three continents, we are available 24/7 and take every inquiry seriously. You can contact us through Semoto’s platform, or through our website www.current-consulting.hk.
* Thanks a lot for sitting down with us today and for your time.
The Semoto Team
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