Ilkley-based digital compliance specialist SmartSearch has completed the acquisition of Credas Technologies Ltd, marking a significant step in the company’s growth strategy and strengthening its position in the UK digital compliance market.
The combined business will deliver increased flexibility, capability and innovation for regulated firms operating across sectors including financial services, legal, accountancy, property and insurance. By uniting Credas’ digital identity verification technology with SmartSearch’s established compliance platform, customers will benefit from streamlined onboarding, enhanced monitoring and improved risk management as regulatory requirements continue to evolve.
Phil Cotter, CEO of SmartSearch, said:
“This acquisition enables us to streamline onboarding and monitoring for regulated firms, combining complementary technologies to deliver greater efficiency and accelerate product development.”
SmartSearch currently supports more than 7,500 UK customers with automated sanctions, PEP, UBO and adverse media screening. Following the acquisition, the combined business will serve over 8,500 regulated firms, reinforcing SmartSearch’s strong growth trajectory.
Tim Barnett, CEO of Credas, commented:
“With financial crime on the rise, digital identity verification is more critical than ever. Joining SmartSearch allows us to help more businesses protect themselves and maintain compliance.”
The acquisition is backed by SmartSearch’s investors, Triple Private Equity, and reflects the successful execution of the company’s long-term growth strategy. SmartSearch was named a 2025 Long-Term Growth Champion by the Financial Times and Statista and has developed one of the UK’s most comprehensive digital compliance platforms.
Ben Shepherd, Head of Value Creation and Founding Partner at Triple, said:
“The acquisition of Credas reflects SmartSearch’s continued upward trajectory in the market for digital compliance solutions. We have no doubt that SmartSearch, with the addition of Credas, will continue to trailblaze in this fast-moving market.”
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