Related provisions for CASS 6.6.4
1 - 18 of 18 items.
A firm must keep such records and accounts as necessary to enable it at any time and without delay to distinguish safe custody assets held for one client from safe custody assets held for any other client, and from the firm's own applicable assets.[Note: article 16(1)(a) of the MiFID implementing Directive]
The requirements in CASS 6.6.2 R to CASS 6.6.4 R are for a firm to keep internal records and accounts of clients'safe custody assets. Therefore any records falling under those requirements should be maintained by the firm, and should be separate to any records the firm may have obtained from any third parties, such as those with whom it may have deposited, or through whom it may have registered legal title to, clients'safe custody assets.
For each internal custody record check, each physical asset reconciliation and each external custody reconciliation carried out by a firm, it must make a record including:(1) the date it carried out the relevant process;(2) the actions the firm took in carrying out the relevant process; and(3) a list of any discrepancies the firm identified and the actions the firm took to resolve those discrepancies.
(1) An internal custody record check is one of the steps a firm takes to satisfy its obligations under:(a) Principle 10 (Clients' assets);(b) CASS 6.2.2 R (Requirement to have adequate organisational arrangements);(c) CASS 6.6.2 R to CASS 6.6.4 R (Records and accounts); and(d) where relevant, SYSC 4.1.1 R (General requirements) and SYSC 6.1.1 R (Compliance).(2) An internal custody record check is a check as to whether the firm's records and accounts of the safe custody assets
(1) A firm must perform an internal custody record check:(a) subject to (2), as regularly as is necessary but without allowing more than one month to pass between each internal custody record check; and(b) as soon as reasonably practicable after the date to which the internal custody record check relates.(2) A firm that holds no safe custody assets other than physical safe custody assets must perform an internal custody record check as regularly as necessary but, in any case,
A firm may only use the internal custody reconciliation method if: (1) it separately maintains an aggregate safe custody asset record and a client-specific safe custody asset record; and(2) its aggregate safe custody asset record and its client-specific safe custody asset record are capable of being compared.
(1) The internal system evaluation method is available to any firm, including one that is not able to use the internal custody reconciliation method because it does not meet the requirements at CASS 6.6.16R (1) and CASS 6.6.16R (2).(2) The purpose of the internal system evaluation method is to detect weaknesses in a firm's systems and controls and any recordkeeping discrepancies. However, this method is not designed to substitute a firm's other measures for ensuring compliance
The internal system evaluation method requires a firm to:(1) establish a process that evaluates: (a) the completeness and accuracy of the firm's internal records and accounts of safe custody assets held by the firm for clients, in particular whether sufficient information is being completely and accurately recorded by the firm to enable it to:(i) comply with CASS 6.6.4 R; and(ii) readily determine the total of all the safe custody assets that the firm holds for its clients; and(b)
The evaluation process under CASS 6.6.19R (1) should verify that the firm's systems and controls correctly identify and resolve at least the following types or causes of discrepancies:(1) items in the firm's records and accounts that might be erroneously overstating or understating the safe custody assets held by a firm (for example, 'test' entries and 'balancing' entries);(2) negative balances;(3) processing errors;(4) journal entry errors (eg, omissions and unauthorised system
(1) A physical asset reconciliation is a separate process to the internal custody record check. Firms that hold physical safe custody assets for clients are required to perform both processes. (2) The purpose of a physical asset reconciliation is to check that a firm's internal records and accounts of the physical safe custody assets kept by the firm for clients are accurate and complete, and to ensure any discrepancies are investigated and resolved.
When performing a physical asset reconciliation a firm must:(1) count all the physical safe custody assets held by the firm for clients as at the date to which the physical asset reconciliation relates; and(2) compare the count in (1) against what the firm's internal records and accounts state as being in the firm's possession as at the same date.
If a firm completes a physical asset reconciliation in a single stage, such that the firm:(1) performs a single count under CASS 6.6.24R (1) which encompasses all the physical safe custody assets held by the firm for clients as at the date to which the physical asset reconciliation relates; and (2) compares that count against the firm's internal records and accounts in accordance with CASS 6.6.24R (2);then the firm will have used the total count method for that physical asset
If a firm completes a physical asset reconciliation in two or more stages, such that the firm: (1) performs two or more counts under CASS 6.6.24R (1) (each on a separate occasion and relating to a different stock line or group of stock lines forming part of the firm's overall holdings of physical safe custody assets) which, once all of the counts are complete, encompass all the physical safe custody assets held by the firm for clients; and (2) compares each of those counts against
(1) If a firm wishes to use the rolling stock method to perform a physical asset reconciliation it must first establish and document in writing its reasons for concluding that the way in which it will carry out its physical asset reconciliations is adequately designed to mitigate the risk of the firm's records being manipulated or falsified.(2) A firm must retain any documents created under (1) for a period of at least five years after the date it ceases to use the rolling stock
To meet the requirement to have adequate organisational arrangements under CASS 6.2.2 R, a firm should consider performing 'spot checks' as to whether title to an appropriate sample of physical safe custody assets that it holds is registered correctly under CASS 6.2.3 R (Registration and recording of legal title).
In CASS 6.6.34 R, the third parties whose records and accounts a firm is required to reconcile its own internal records and accounts with must include:(1) the third parties with which the firm has deposited clients'safe custody assets;3(2) where the firm has not deposited a client'ssafe custody asset with a third party:3(a) the third parties responsible for the registration of legal title to that safe custody asset; or33(b) a person acting as an operator for the purposes of any
A firmacting as trustee or depositary of an AIF that is an authorised AIF should perform the reconciliation under article 89(1)(c) (Safekeeping duties with regard to assets held in custody) of the AIFMD level 2 regulation: (1) as regularly as is necessary having regard to the frequency, number and value of transactions which the firm undertakes in respect of safe custody assets, but with no more than one month between each reconciliation; and(2) as soon as reasonably practicable
When determining the frequency at which it will undertake its internal custody record checks under CASS 6.6.11 R, physical asset reconciliations under CASS 6.6.22 R, and external custody reconciliations under CASS 6.6.37 R, a firm must have regard to: (1) the frequency, number and value of transactions which the firm undertakes in respect of clients'safe custody assets; and(2) the risks to which clients'safe custody assets are exposed, such as the nature, volume and complexity
(1) A firm must make and retain records sufficient to show and explain any decision it has taken under CASS 6.6.44 R when determining the frequency of its internal custody record checks, physical asset reconciliations and external custody reconciliations. Subject to (2), such records must be retained indefinitely.(2) If any decision under CASS 6.6.44 R is superseded by a subsequent decision under that rule then the record of that earlier decision retained in accordance with (1)
(1) Subject to (3), a firm must review the frequency at which it conducts internal custody record checks, physical asset reconciliations and external custody reconciliations at least annually to ensure that it continues to comply with CASS 6.6.11 R, CASS 6.6.22 R and CASS 6.6.37 R, respectively, and has given due consideration to the matters in CASS 6.6.44 R.(2) For each review a firm undertakes under (1), it must record the date and the actions it took in reviewing the frequency
In this section, a discrepancy should not be considered to be resolved until it is fully investigated and corrected, and any associated shortfall is made good by way of the firm ensuring that:(1) it is holding (under the custody rules) each of the safe custody assets that the firm ought to be holding for each of its clients; and(2) its own records, and the records of any relevant other person (such as a third party with whom the firm deposited the safe custody assets) accurately
When a firm identifies a discrepancy as a result of carrying out an internal custody record check, physical asset reconciliation or external custody reconciliation, the firm must:2(1) promptly investigate the reason for the discrepancy and resolve it without undue delay; and2(2) take appropriate steps under CASS 6.6.54 R for the treatment of any shortfalls until that discrepancy is resolved.2
When a firm identifies a discrepancy outside of its processes for an internal custody record check, physical asset reconciliation or external custody reconciliation, the firm must:2(1) take all reasonable steps both to investigate the reason for the discrepancy and to resolve it; and2(2) take appropriate steps under CASS 6.6.54 R for the treatment of shortfalls until that discrepancy is resolved.2
(1) This rule applies where a firm identifies a discrepancy as a result of, or that reveals, a shortfall, which the firm has not yet resolved.(2) Subject to (3), until the discrepancy is resolved a firm must do one of the following:(a) appropriate a sufficient number of its own applicable assets to cover the value of the shortfall and hold them for the relevant clients under the custody rules in such a way that the applicable assets, or the proceeds of their liquidation, will
A firm must inform the FCA in writing without delay if:(1) its internal records and accounts of the safe custody assets held by the firm for clients are materially out of date, or materially inaccurate or invalid, so that the firm is no longer able to comply with the requirements in CASS 6.6.2 R to CASS 6.6.4 R; or(2) if it is a firmacting as trustee or depositary of an AIF and has not complied with, or is materially unable to comply with, the requirements in CASS 6.6.2 R or in
(1) 9If a client communicates to a firm that it wishes (whether pursuant to a contractual right or otherwise) to terminate an arrangement relating to the transfer of full ownership of its safe custody asset to a firm for the purposes set out in CASS 6.1.6R (1) and CASS 6.1.6AR (1) and the client's communication is not in writing, the firm must make a written record of the client's communication which also records the date the communication was received.(2) A firm must keep a client's
9When a firm notifies a client under CASS 6.1.8AR (3)(a) of when the termination of an arrangement relating to the transfer of full ownership of the safe custody asset to a firm is to take effect, it should take into account:(1) any relevant terms relating to such a termination that have been agreed with the client; and(2) the period of time it reasonably requires to return the safe custody asset to the client or to update the registration under (Holding of client assets) CASS
(1) 9Following the termination of an arrangement relating to the transfer of full ownership of safe custody assets to a firm for the purposes set out in CASS 6.1.6R (1) and CASS 6.1.6AR (1), where a firm does not immediately return the safe custody assets to the client the firm should consider whether the custody rules apply in respect of the safe custody assets pursuant to CASS 6.1.1R (1A) to CASS 6.1.1R (1C).(2) Where the custody rules apply to a firm for safe custody assets
(1) Subject to (2) and CASS 6.1.12B R and with the written agreement of the relevant client, a9firm need not treat this chapter as applying in respect of a delivery versus payment transaction through a commercial settlement system if:9929(a) in respect of a client's purchase, the firm intends for the asset in question to be due to the client within one business day following the client's fulfilment of its payment obligation to the firm;9 or9(b) in respect of a client's sale, the
When a firm temporarily handles a safe custody asset,2 in order to comply with its obligation to act in accordance with Principle 10 (Clients' assets), the following are guides to good practice:2(1) a firm should keep the
safe custody asset2
secure, record it as belonging to that client, and forward it to the client or in accordance with the client's instructions as soon as practicable after receiving it; and2(2) a firm should make and retain a record of the fact that the firm
2When a trustee firm or depositary acts as a custodian for a trust or collective investment scheme, (except for a firmacting as trustee or depositary of an AIF),7 and:
- (1)
the trust or scheme is established by written instrument; and
- (2)
the trustee firm or depositary has taken reasonable steps to determine that the relevant law and provisions of the trust instrument or scheme constitution will provide protections at least equivalent to the custody rules for the trust property or scheme property;
the trustee firm or depositary need comply only with the custody rules listed in the table below.
Reference |
Rule |
CASS 6.1.1 R to CASS 6.1.9 G and CASS 6.1.15 G to CASS 6.1.16C R |
Application |
Trustees and depositaries |
|
General purpose |
|
Protection of clients' safe custody assets |
|
CASS 6.2.3 R and CASS 6.2.3B G9 9 |
Registration and recording of legal title9 |
Holding9 |
|
9CASS 6.3.1 R to CASS 6.3.4B G9 9 |
Depositing safe custody assets with third parties |
Use of safe custody assets |
|
| 9 | Records, accounts and reconciliations |
A firm must introduce adequate organisational arrangements to minimise the risk of the loss or diminution of clients' safe custody assets,2 or the rights in connection with those safe custody assets,2 as a result of the misuse of the safe custody assets,2 fraud, poor administration, inadequate record-keeping or negligence.[Note: article 16(1)(f) of the MiFID implementing Directive]222
Subject to CASS 6.2.3A-1R, a9firm must effect appropriate registration or recording of legal title to a
safe custody asset2
belonging to a client8 in the name of:62(1) the client, unless the client is an authorised person acting on behalf of its client, in which case it may be registered in the name of the client of that authorised person;6(2) a nominee company which is controlled by:(a) the firm;(b) an affiliated company;(c) a recognised investment exchange; or5(d) a third party
9A firm need not comply with CASS 6.2.3 R for any safe custody asset:(1) that it has deposited with a third party in accordance with CASS 6.3 (Depositing assets and arranging for assets to be deposited with third parties); and(2) for which, because of the arrangements with that third party for depositing the safe custody asset, it is not practicable for the firm to effect appropriate registration or recording of legal title itself.
4If:(1) the safe custody asset is an emission auction product that is a financial instrument; and(2) it is not practicable or possible for a firm to effect registration or recording of legal title in this asset in the manner set out in CASS 6.2.3 R, the firm must register or record legal title in its name provided it has notified the client in writing.
A firm may only6 register or record legal title to its own
applicable asset6
in the same name as that in which legal title to a
client's6safe custody asset2
is registered or recorded if the firm'sapplicable asset is separately identified from the client'ssafe custody asset in the firm's records, and either or both of the conditions in (1) and (2) are met.6262(1) The firm's holding of its own applicable asset arises incidentally to:66(a) designated investment business it carries
6(1) Consistent with a firm's requirements to protect clients'safe custody assets and have adequate organisation arrangements in place (CASS 6.2.1 R and CASS 6.2.2 R), before a firm registers or records legal title to its own applicable asset in the same name as that in which legal title to a client'ssafe custody asset is registered or recorded under CASS 6.2.5 R, it should consider whether there are any means to avoid doing so.(2) Examples of where the conditions under CASS 6.2.5R
(1) 6If a firm pays away a client's unclaimed safe custody assets to charity or liquidates a client's unclaimed safe custody assets and pays the proceeds to charity under CASS 6.2.10 R it must make and retain, or where the firm already has such records, retain:(a) records of all safe custody assets divested under CASS 6.2.10 R (including details of the value of each asset at that time and the identity of the client to whom the asset was allocated); (b) all relevant documentation
In discharging its obligations under CASS 6.3.1 R,6 a firm should also consider, as appropriate,6 together with any other relevant matters:6(1) the third party's performance of its services to the firm;6(2) the arrangements that the third party has in place for holding and safeguarding the safe custody asset;22(3) current industry standard reports, for example "Assurance reports on internal controls of services organisations made available to third parties" made in line with Technical
(1) 6A firm must make a record of the grounds upon which it satisfies itself as to the appropriateness of its selection and appointment of a third party under CASS 6.3.1 R. The firm must make the record on the date it makes the selection or appointment and must keep it from that date until five years after the firm ceases to use the third party to hold safe custody assets belonging to clients.(2) A firm must make a record of each periodic review of its selection and appointment
6A firm should consider carefully the terms of any agreement entered into with a third party under CASS 6.3.4A R. The following terms are examples of the issues that should be addressed in these agreements (where relevant):(1) that the title of the account in the third party's books and records indicates that any safe custody asset credited to it does not belong to the firm;(2) that the third party will hold or record a safe custody asset belonging to the firm'sclient separately
Where a firm uses
safe custody assets2
as permitted in this section, the records of the firm must include details of the client on whose instructions the use of the
safe custody assets2
has been effected, as well as the number of
safe custody assets2
used belonging to each client who has given consent, so as to enable the correct allocation of any loss.[Note: article 19(2) of the MiFID implementing Directive]222
- (1)
A firm may calculate either:
- (a)
one individual client balance for each client,1 based on the total of the firm's holdings for that1client; or
- (b)
a number of individual client balances for each client, equal to the number of products or business lines the firm operates for that client and each balance based on the total of the firm's holdings for that client in respect of the particular product or business line.1
- (a)
- (2)
Each individual client balance for a client should be calculated in accordance with this table:
Individual client balance calculation
Free money (sums held for a client free of sale or purchase (eg, see (3)(a)) and
A
sale proceeds due to the client:
(a)
for principal deals when the client has delivered the designated investments; and
B
(b)
for agency deals, when:
(i)
the sale proceeds have been received by the firm and the client has delivered the designated investments; or
C1
(ii)
the firm holds the designated investments for the client; and
C2
the cost of purchases:
(c)
for principal deals, paid for by the client when the firm has not delivered the designated investments to the client; and
D
(d)
(i)
the firm has not remitted the money to, or to the order of, the counterparty; or
E1
(ii)
the designated investments have been received by the firm but have not been delivered to the client;
E2
Less
money owed by the client for unpaid purchases by, or for, the client if delivery of those designated investments has been made to the client; and
F
proceeds remitted to the client for sales transactions by, or for, the client if the client has not delivered the designated investments.
G
Individual client balance 'X' = (A+B+C1+C2+D+E1+E2)-F-G
X
- (3)
When calculating an individual client balance for each client, a firm should also:
- (a)
ensure it includes:
- (i)
client money consisting of dividends received and interest earned and allocated (see CASS 7.11.32 R);
- (ii)
client money consisting of dividends (actual or payments in lieu), stock lending fees and other payments received and allocated (see CASS 6.1.2 G);
- (iii)
money the firm appropriates and segregates as client money to cover an unresolved shortfall in safe custody assets it identifies in its internal records which is attributable to an individual client (see CASS 6.6.54R (2)); and
- (iv)
money the firm segregates as client money instead of an individual client's safe custody asset until such time as the relevant delivery versus payment transaction settles under CASS 6.1.12R (2); and
- (i)
- (b)
deduct any amounts due and payable by the client to the firm (see CASS 7.11.25 R).
- (a)
- (4)
Compliance with (1), (2) and (3)1 may be relied on as tending to establish compliance with CASS 7.16.21 R.
When calculating the client money requirement under either of the methods in CASS 7.16.10 R, a firm must:(1) include any unallocated client money (see CASS 7.13.36 R) and unidentified receipts of money it considers prudent to segregate as client money (see CASS 7.13.37 R);(2) include any money the firm appropriates and holds as client money to cover an unresolved shortfall in safe custody assets identified in its internal records which is not attributable, or cannot be attributed
A firm must include within its CASS resolution pack:(1) a master document containing information sufficient to retrieve each document in the firm'sCASS resolution pack;(2) a document which identifies the institutions the firm has appointed (including through an appointed representative, tied agent, field representative or other agent):(a) in the case of client money, for the placement of money in accordance with CASS 7.13.3 R1 or to hold client money in accordance with CASS 7.14.2
For the purpose of CASS 10.2.1R (4), examples of individuals within the firm who are critical or important to the performance of operational functions include:(1) those necessary to carry out both internal and external client money and safe custody asset reconciliations and record checks1; and(2) those in charge of client documentation for business involving client money and safe custody assets.
(1) 1A firm must ensure that every prime brokerage agreement that includes its right to use safe custody assets for its own account includes a disclosure annex.(2) A firm must ensure that the disclosure annex sets out a summary of the key provisions within the prime brokerage agreement permitting the use of safe custody assets, including:(a) the contractual limit, if any, on the safe custody assets which a prime brokerage firm is permitted to use;(b) all related contractual definitions
(1) Principle 10 (Clients’ assets) requires a firm to arrange adequate protection for client's assets when it is responsible for them. As part of these protections, the custody rules require a firm to take appropriate steps to protect safe custody assets for which it is responsible.(2) Subject to paragraph (3), a 3prime brokerage firm should not enter into “right to use arrangements” for a client'ssafe custody assets unless:13(a) in the case of a CASS small firm or a firm to
A firm must include, as applicable, within its CASS resolution pack the records required under:(1) CASS 6.3.2A R1 (safe custody assets: appropriateness of the firm’s selection of a third party);1(2) CASS 6.4.3 R (firm’s use of safe custody assets);(3) CASS 6.6.2 R and CASS 6.6.3 R (safe custody assets held for each client);11(4) CASS 6.6.6 R1 (client agreements: firm’s right to use);1(4A) CASS 6.6.8 R (internal custody record checks, physical asset reconciliations and external