AML Compliance Services for Custodians
Custody looks entirely passive from the outside, which is precisely why the obligations attached to holding other people’s assets get so very quietly underestimated by the businesses that are actually holding them.
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Safekeeping Assets and the Obligations Attached
A custodian holds assets belonging to somebody else, and the function looks administrative rather than financial. That appearance is misleading. Assets arrive from somewhere, they move on instruction, and the custodian sits at the point where ownership and movement both become visible. Whether obligations attach depends on what the business actually does alongside pure safekeeping.
Instructions are where custody becomes genuinely interesting. An asset transferred in from an unexpected source, moved to an unrelated party, or instructed by somebody who is not the recorded owner all deserve examination rather than processing. Custodians frequently see patterns that the managers instructing them do not, because the custodian holds the complete picture across accounts nobody else views together.
Compliance Support for Custodians
We deliver scope and obligation determinations, client and instructing party identification, asset movement monitoring design, sanctions screening frameworks, programme development where obligations apply, independent effectiveness reviews, and ongoing compliance support for custody businesses.
PSP Registration
End-to-end PSP registration support under Canada's Retail Payment Activities Act framework.
MSB Licensing
Complete MSB licensing and FINTRAC registration for money services businesses nationwide.
Banking
Deliver secure banking compliance solutions supporting regulatory excellence and operational efficiency.
AML Compliance
Build robust AML frameworks ensuring regulatory compliance and effective financial crime prevention.
Regulatory Consulting
Receive strategic regulatory advice supporting sustainable growth and complete compliance confidence.
Transaction Monitoring
Ongoing transaction monitoring and screening to detect and report suspicious activity.
Why Custodians Choose Our Support
We establish precisely which obligations attach to your own custody activity rather than assuming safekeeping is passive, because custodians frequently hold visibility that nobody else in the chain actually has.
Scope Properly Established
We determine which obligations genuinely attach to your activity, since custody arrangements vary considerably in what they involve.
Instructions Actively Examined
We build checks around who instructs movement, because instructions from parties other than the owner deserve genuine examination.
Asset Movement Monitored
We design monitoring for transfers in and out, which is where custody visibility becomes genuinely useful rather than merely administrative.
Sanctions Always Screened
We build sanctions screening regardless of reporting entity status, because those obligations arise under entirely separate legislation.
Custody Businesses We Support Nationwide
We support custody businesses in every single province right across the whole of Canada today, from specialist custodian firms through to custody divisions operating inside much larger financial institutions nationally.
What Our Clients Say
Canadian financial firms trust ABM Global Compliance to navigate complex regulation with clarity and care. From MSB licensing to ongoing AML support, our clients value our responsiveness, expertise, and genuine commitment to their long-term compliance success.
Let's Talk About Your Compliance Needs
Schedule a Free Consultation
Whether you’re starting a new MSB or need ongoing AML support, our team responds within one business day.
Custody Compliance Questions
Clear and direct answers to the questions custodians ask most about which obligations genuinely attach to the holding of client assets.
Is custody a regulated activity?
That depends on what you do beyond pure safekeeping, which is why we establish scope specifically rather than assuming either answer.
Somebody else instructed the transfer
Instructions from parties other than the recorded owner warrant examination and recording rather than straightforward processing without any question.
What should we monitor exactly?
Transfers in and out, unexpected sources, unrelated destinations, and instruction patterns that do not match the account arrangement.
Do sanctions obligations apply here?
Yes. Sanctions requirements arise under separate legislation and reach custody businesses whatever their anti money laundering reporting status.
We only hold assets passively
Custody still creates visibility others lack, and obligations may attach depending on the services provided alongside pure safekeeping.