Customer Identification Program (CIP): Definitions and Requirements – Part II

[Continued from Customer Identification Program (CIP): Definitions and Requirements – Part I]

How Does Risk Assessment Affect a Firm’s CIP?

Appropriate verification procedures for a CIP are governed by a risk-based assessment. A CIP must include risk-based procedures for verifying the identity of each customer to a reasonable and practicable extent. These procedures must be based on the broker-dealer’s assessment of the relevant risks, including those presented by the types of accounts maintained by the broker-dealer, the methods of opening accounts, and the types of identification information available. Additionally, this risk-based assessment should take into consideration the broker-dealer’s size, location, and customer base.

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Customer Identification Program

Customer Identification Program (CIP): Definitions and Requirements – Part I

Customer Identification Program

A broker-dealer must establish, document, and maintain a written Customer Identification Program (CIP) as a part of the broker-dealer’s anti-money laundering (AML) compliance program (31 CFR 1023.220) as required by FINRA Rule 3310. The CIP must be appropriate for the broker-dealer’s size and business, and it must outline the following procedures: Read More…

RegTech: Customer Identification and AML Compliance

Welcome to the second part of our three-part series on Regulatory Technology (RegTech) tools and the securities industry! As we discussed in our previous post, “RegTech: Surveillance and Monitoring,” more and more members of the financial services industry are using RegTech tools to effectively and more efficiently meet their regulatory compliance requirements. FINRA has identified five major areas in which RegTech tools are being applied: surveillance and monitoring, customer identification and anti-money laundering (AML) compliance, regulatory intelligence, reporting and risk management, and investor risk assessment. Today we will be focusing on customer identification and AML compliance RegTech applications.

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FINRA Rule 3310: Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Program

FINRA Rule 3310 sets forth minimum standards for the required anti-money laundering (AML) compliance programs to be implemented by broker-dealers. This written AML compliance program must be reasonably designed to achieve and monitor compliance with the requirements of The Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970 (more commonly known as the “Bank Secrecy Act” or “BSA”) and with the implementing regulations declared thereunder by the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Read More…

FINRA Updates Anti-Money Laundering Template for Small Firms

Per the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) and FINRA Rule 3310, FINRA member firms are required to establish Anti-Money Laundering (AML) compliance programs. To assist its smaller member firms with fulfilling these responsibilities, FINRA publishes the “Anti-Money Laundering Template for Small Firms”, which provides instructions, relevant rules, text examples, relevant websites, and other resources that can be used to develop an AML plan for a small firm.

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New Anti-Money Laundering Program Requirements

Recently, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (“FinCEN”) adopted a final rule on Customer Due Diligence (“CDD”) Requirements for Financial Institutions.   As a result, firms will be required to address the new requirements within their Anti-Money Laundering (AML) programs.  Firms must be in compliance with its provisions by May 11, 2018. Read More…