# Trust and company services

Source page: https://protegra.io/licensing/activities/trust-corporate-services/

Forming companies, supplying a registered office, acting as nominee director or administering trusts needs a trust and corporate service provider (TCSP) licence under FATF Recommendations 22 and 23. National regimes, in the UK, Cyprus and offshore centres among others, enforce fit-and-proper vetting, beneficial ownership registers and anti-money-laundering supervision on these corporate intermediaries.

## Definition

Forming companies, acting as or arranging directors, nominee shareholders and trustees, and providing a registered office.

- FATF, Recommendations 22-23 and Glossary: TCSP: [official text](https://www.fatf-gafi.org/en/publications/Fatfrecommendations/Fatf-recommendations.html)

## Which licence you need

Licence families that typically permit this activity:

- [Trust and corporate service provider (TCSP)](https://protegra.io/licensing/licences/trust-company/)

- [TCSP · Cayman IslandsTrust Licence / Nominee Trust Company LicenceTrust Licence / Nominee Trust Company Licence under the Banks and Trust Companies ActCIMA](https://protegra.io/licensing/licences/trust-company/cayman-islands/)
- [TCSP · CyprusAdministrative Services Provider (ASP) authorisationCySEC](https://protegra.io/licensing/licences/trust-company/cyprus-asp/)
- [TCSP · EstoniaAuthorisation for providing trust and company servicesFIU](https://protegra.io/licensing/licences/trust-company/estonia/)
- [TCSP · MaltaCompany service provider authorisation (Class A, B, or C)MFSA](https://protegra.io/licensing/licences/trust-company/malta-csp/)
- [TCSP · NetherlandsTrust office licence (Vergunning trustkantoor)DNB](https://protegra.io/licensing/licences/trust-company/netherlands/)
- [TCSP · SeychellesInternational Corporate Service Provider (ICSP) LicenceInternational Corporate Service Provider (ICSP) Licence under the International Corporate Service Providers Act 2003FSA](https://protegra.io/licensing/licences/trust-company/seychelles/)
- [TCSP · SingaporeTrust Company LicenceMAS](https://protegra.io/licensing/licences/trust-company/singapore/)
- [TCSP · SwitzerlandTrustee licenceFINMA](https://protegra.io/licensing/licences/trust-company/switzerland/)

## Where it can be licensed

| | EU/EEA passport | Domestic |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [Cayman Islands: Trust Licence / Nominee Trust Company Licence](https://protegra.io/licensing/licences/trust-company/cayman-islands/) | | ✓ |
| [Cyprus: Administrative Services Provider (ASP) authorisation](https://protegra.io/licensing/licences/trust-company/cyprus-asp/) | | ✓ |
| [Estonia: Authorisation for providing trust and company services](https://protegra.io/licensing/licences/trust-company/estonia/) | | ✓ |
| [Malta: Company service provider authorisation (Class A, B, or C)](https://protegra.io/licensing/licences/trust-company/malta-csp/) | | ✓ |
| [Netherlands: Trust office licence (Vergunning trustkantoor)](https://protegra.io/licensing/licences/trust-company/netherlands/) | | ✓ |
| [Seychelles: International Corporate Service Provider (ICSP) Licence](https://protegra.io/licensing/licences/trust-company/seychelles/) | | ✓ |
| [Singapore: Trust Company Licence](https://protegra.io/licensing/licences/trust-company/singapore/) | | ✓ |
| [Switzerland: Trustee licence](https://protegra.io/licensing/licences/trust-company/switzerland/) | | ✓ |

## Frequently asked questions

### Why are trust and company service providers treated as gatekeepers by FATF?

Because a TCSP builds the corporate vehicles and trust structures that can obscure who actually owns them. FATF answers that by making TCSPs gatekeepers. They must verify beneficial owners, identify politically exposed persons and report suspicious transactions to the intelligence unit.

### What records must a licensed TCSP maintain on client entities?

A TCSP keeps certified corporate formation records, registers of directors and members, identification documents for the ultimate beneficial owners, source-of-funds documentation and statutory accounting records, retained even after the business relationship ends.

## Sources

1. [FATF Recommendations 22-23 and Glossary: TCSP](https://www.fatf-gafi.org/en/publications/Fatfrecommendations/Fatf-recommendations.html): retrieved 2026-09-24

Last verified 2026-09-24 · Author: Danil Marmysh · Reviewed by Anastasia Sidorenkova · © Protegra. Data: CC BY 4.0, cite "Protegra Licensing Atlas". Not legal advice.