MSB Licensing Consultation and Advisory
Not sure whether you are an MSB? Speak to a consultant before you register. We assess your activities, confirm exactly which registrations you actually need, and map the path to full compliance.
What You Declare Defines What You Owe
MSB registration is free and easy to submit, which is exactly why so many businesses get it wrong. The activities you declare will determine your obligations for the next two years. Under-declare and you are non-compliant. Over-declare and you carry burdens you never actually needed.
One Business, Possibly Two Regulators
Many businesses that need FINTRAC registration also fall under the Retail Payment Activities Act, meaning a separate registration with the Bank of Canada. These are different regulators, with different rules and entirely different portals. We assess both regimes together, so you discover the full picture now rather than much later.
Scope Assessment
We determine whether your business performs money services activities requiring registration.
Activity Mapping
We identify precisely which activities you must declare, and which you must not.
Dual Registration
We confirm whether the Bank of Canada also requires you to register as a PSP.
Compliance Roadmap
We give you a sequenced plan covering registration, policies, and ongoing obligations.
Ready to Simplify Your Compliance?
Businesses We Help Advise
We advise currency exchanges, remittance operators, cryptocurrency businesses, payment platforms, fintechs, and foreign firms entering Canada. Whether you are launching, already trading, or simply unsure of your status, we start where you are.
We support banks with program design, oversight, & regulatory examination readiness.
We help credit unions meet obligations proportionate to their membership and scale.
We handle registration, renewals, reporting, & controls FINTRAC expects from you.
We cover Bank of Canada registration alongside your anti money laundering obligations.
We establish what your wallet activity triggers, then build only what applies.
We build compliance around what your product does, before volumes and questions arrive.
We register virtual currency dealers and build the reporting their activity demands.
We support financial institutions across registration, program build, and reporting duties.
Why Businesses Consult Us First
Declaration Accuracy
Your registered activities set your obligations, so we get the declaration right before anything is filed with FINTRAC.
Full Picture
We check FINTRAC and Bank of Canada obligations together, so a second regulator never appears as an unwelcome surprise.
Honest Advice
If you do not need to register, we say so plainly rather than selling you a registration you never required.
Advising Businesses Across Canada
We consult with businesses right across Canada, from Toronto and Montreal to Vancouver and Calgary, and we also advise international firms weighing entry into the Canadian market wherever they are based.
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.
MSB Consultation Questions
Clear answers to the questions businesses ask most before registering as a money services business with FINTRAC under the PCMLTFA in Canada.
Am I actually an MSB?
It depends on your activities. Dealing in foreign exchange, transferring funds, issuing money orders, or trading virtual currency can all bring you into scope.
What happens in the consultation?
We review your business model, confirm which activities you must declare, check whether other regulators apply, and give you a clear compliance roadmap.
Could we need two registrations?
Often yes. Payment businesses frequently need both FINTRAC registration as an MSB and Bank of Canada registration as a payment service provider.
What if we registered incorrectly?
We review your existing declaration, correct inaccurate activities, and update FINTRAC before the discrepancy surfaces during an examination or bank review.
Might we not need registration?
Yes. If your activities fall outside the definitions in the PCMLTFA, we tell you directly, with the reasoning documented for your records.