Global Standards · FATF
FATF Guidance on Beneficial Ownership of Legal Persons
GuidanceIn Force
- Issuing authority
- FATF Plenary
- Effective date
- 2023 updated guidance March 2024
- Scope
- All sectors
Key requirements
Explains how to find out who really owns a company. The 'beneficial owner' is the actual human behind the legal entity not the lawyer, accountant or nominee on paper. Critical for AML because criminals hide behind layers of shell companies. Covers verifying ownership, handling complex structures and using public registers.