approved bank
4613(except in COLL and CIS) (in relation to a bank account opened by a firm):
- (a) if the account is opened at a branch in the United Kingdom:
- (i) the Bank of England; or
- (ii) the central bank of a member state of the OECD; or
- (iii) a bank; or
- (iv) a building society which offers, unrestrictedly, banking services; or
- (v) a bank which is supervised by the central bank or other banking regulator of a member state of the OECD; or
- (b) if the account is opened elsewhere:
- (i) a bank in (a); or
- (ii) a credit institution established in an EEA State other than the United Kingdom and duly authorised by the relevant Home State regulator; or
- (iii) a bank which is regulated in the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands; or
- (c) a bank supervised by the South African Reserve Bank; or
- (d) any other bank that:
- (i) is subject to regulation by a national banking regulator;
- (ii) is required to provide audited accounts;
- (iii) has minimum net assets of £5 million (or its equivalent in any other currency at the relevant time) and has a surplus revenue over expenditure for the last two financial years; and
- (iv) has an annual audit report which is not materially qualified.