As if your job wasn’t hard enough, you also have to deal with the gatekeepers; the regulators. From the justice system, to government agencies, to your company’s legal team, they hold the keys to the game. Whether it’s regulating securities, derivatives and futures, dealing with tax implications, anti-money laundering (AML) protocols, know-your-customer (KYC) regulations, or ensuring custody and monitoring to prevent deceptive financial practices, the spectrum of oversight is vast. Like it or not, they’re here to stay and they wield significant power. In some countries more than others, but in all cases, you can’t afford to ignore them. Gatekeepers can drastically impact your vision and execution. Knowing the rules, learning them inside out, and playing by them is essential—because they can easily obstruct your path to success if you don’t.