Tazama
Tazama is an open-source platform that monitors transactions in real time to detect fraud and associated money-laundering typologies.
What Tazama is
Tazama is an open-source platform that monitors transactions in real time to detect fraud and associated money-laundering typologies. Its rules assess current transaction data alongside historical participant behavior, then combine results into typologies using configurable thresholds. It can block high-risk transactions or send alerts for investigation. Analysts can build rules visually in Rule Studio, replay past transactions, and submit rules for review before deployment. Connection Studio and DEMS help map and ingest message formats, while ISO 20022 payment messages are accepted as standard. Investigators can triage, assign, investigate, file, and close alerts in a case system that records decisions. BIAR combines detection data and case outcomes in a lakehouse with dashboards and calibration notebooks. Studio changes, case actions, triage decisions, and workflow transitions are audited. The software and license have no charge; the Tazama open-source software plan is free. Running it still requires hardware or cloud services, implementation, and support resources. A Docker Compose stack supports evaluation on one machine, while production guides cover on-premises Kubernetes and EKS, GKE, and AKS.
Good
- Rules combine current transaction data and historical behavior.
- High-risk transactions can be blocked or routed for investigation.
- Rule Studio supports visual rule building and transaction replay.
- Case decisions and workflow actions are audited.
Watch out
- Running the software requires hardware or cloud services.
- Implementation and support require resources or a contract.
- Private rule repositories have restricted access.
Who it suits
Tazama is aimed at central banks, payment services advisors, banks, government agencies, and financial institutions that need transaction monitoring and case investigation tools. It requires resources for hosting, implementation, and support despite having no software or license charge.
Verdict
Tazama provides an open-source transaction-monitoring platform with rule building, alert investigation, and audit capabilities. The software is free, but organizations still need to account for deployment and implementation resources.
Plans and prices
From Tazama's own pricing page, checked 15 Oct 2026.
| Plan | Price | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| Tazama open-source software | Free | No software or license charge · hosting, hardware/cloud services, implementation, support and custom-rule development require resources |
The facts
Each one read from Tazama's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- AI functions
- Tazama describes AI assistance for anomaly detection, rule recommendations, calibration, threshold tuning and alert prioritization.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Analytics
- BIAR combines detection and case data in a lakehouse with JupyterHub notebooks and six reporting dashboards.checked 15 Oct 2026
- API documentation
- Tazama publishes API references and setup guidance in its GitHub documentation repository.checked 15 Oct 2026
- API implementation
- The documentation describes a Transaction Monitoring Service API and a Payment Platform Adapter for ingestion.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Case management
- The case system supports alert queues, assignment, investigation, evidence, deadlines, workflow roles and audit trails.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Cloud deployment
- The cloud guide uses Kubernetes, Terraform/OpenTofu, Helm, Argo CD and Kustomize, with EKS tested and GKE/AKS listed in the compatibility matrix.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Connection Studio
- Connection Studio lets analysts map, transform and test incoming data feeds through a visual interface.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Deployment
- A Docker Compose stack runs the platform on one machine for evaluation, and production deployment guides cover Kubernetes on premises, EKS, GKE and AKS.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Detection
- Rules evaluate current transaction data and historical participant behavior, then combine results into typologies with configurable thresholds.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Detection engine
- Its core uses forward-chaining rules, participant history and configurable typology thresholds.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Developer API
- The case-management repository exposes an interactive Swagger UI at /api/docs with generated schemas, authentication requirements and REST operations.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Developer support
- The project directs users to GitHub issues and discussions, Slack and a mailing list for help and contribution.checked 15 Oct 2026
- External launch
- Linux Foundation Charities launched Tazama on 28 February 2024 with Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation support.checked 15 Oct 2026
- External partners
- The launch announcement named BankservAfrica, IPSL, JoPACC and BCEAO as organizations exploring Tazama synergies.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Installation limitation
- The Docker Compose stack explicitly says it is for demonstration, exploration, testing and sandbox use rather than production.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- The platform connects to REST APIs, message queues, external case systems and real-time alert routes.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Intended users
- Tazama identifies central banks, payment services advisors, banks, government agencies and financial institutions as target customers.checked 9 Oct 2026
- License
- Tazama repositories identify the Apache License 2.0.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Limit: deployment effort
- The project states that users must provide or contract hardware/cloud services, implementation, support and developer time for custom rules.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Limit: production readiness of sample stack
- The public Docker Compose repository warns that its sample deployment is not a production deployment.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Message formats
- The API is designed for ISO 20022, while a Payment Platform Adapter converts non-ISO 20022 messages.checked 15 Oct 2026
The company
- Company type
- LinkedIn classifies Tazama.org as a nonprofit financial-services organization with 2–10 employees.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Founded
- LinkedIn lists Tazama.org as founded in 2024.checked 15 Oct 2026
Money
- Cost limits
- The software is available at no charge, but running it requires hardware or cloud services and implementation and support resources.checked 9 Oct 2026
Alternatives to Tazama
- 1
Sift Payment Protection
AndroidiOSWebAPI7.6From $0.06 a month - 2
Jube
Free planWebAPILinuxSelf-hosted7.3From $350 a month - 3
Marble Case Manager
Free planWebAPISelf-hosted6.6Free plan - 4
Lexis+
AndroidiOSWeb6.5 - 5
NICE Actimize
WebAPI6.2 - 6
Unit21
WebAPI6.2