Key definitions: FATCA & CRS
The US Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) and the Common Reporting Standard (CRS) require Odin to provide tax authorities with certain information about your investing activity on our platform.
Please note that Odin does not provide tax advice. If you are in any doubt to your classification, please contact your tax advisor.
FATCA definitions (applicable to the UK IGA)
Account Holder means the person listed or identified as the holder of a Financial Account by the Financial Institution that maintains the account. A person, other than a Financial institution, holding a Financial Account for the benefit or account of another person as agent, custodian, nominee, signatory, investment advisor, or intermediary, is not treated as holding the account for purposes of this Agreement, and such other person is treated as holding the account. For purposes of the immediately preceding sentence, the term “Financial institution” does not include a Financial Institution organised or incorporated in a U.S. Territory. In the case of a Cash Value Insurance Contract or an Annuity Contract, the Account Holder is any person entitled to access the Cash Value or change the beneficiary of the contract. If no person can access the Cash Value or change the beneficiary, the Account Holder is any person named as the owner in the contract and any person with a vested entitlement to payment under the terms of the contract. Upon the maturity of a Cash Value Insurance Contract or an Annuity Contract, each person entitled to receive a payment under the contract is treated as an Account Holder.
Active Non-Financial Foreign Entity means any NFFE which is a Non-U.S. entity that meets any of the following criteria:
a) Less than 50 percent of the NFFE’s gross income for the preceding calendar year or other appropriate reporting period is passive income and less than 50 percent of the assets held by the NFFE during the preceding calendar year or other appropriate reporting period are assets that produce or are held for the production of passive income;
b) The stock of the NFFE is regularly traded on an established securities market or the NFFE is a Related Entity of an Entity the stock of which is traded on an established securities market;
c) The NFFE is organised in a U.S. Territory and all of the owners of the payee are bona fide residents of that U.S Territory;
d) The NFFE is a non-U.S. government, a government of a U.S. Territory, an international organisation, a non-U.S. central bank of issue, or an Entity wholly owned by one or more of the foregoing;
e) substantially all of the activities of the NFFE consist of holding (in whole or in part) the outstanding stock of, and providing financing and services to, one or more subsidiaries that engage in trades or businesses other than the business of a Financial Institution, except that an NFFE shall not qualify for this status if the NFFE functions (or holds itself out) as an investment fund, such as a private equity fund, venture capital fund, leveraged buyout fund or any investment vehicle whose purpose is to acquire or fund companies and then hold interests in those companies as capital assets for investment purposes;
f) The NFFE is not yet operating a business and has no prior operating history, but is investing capital into assets with the intent to operate a business other than that of a Financial Institution; provided, that the NFFE shall not qualify for this exception after the date that is 24 months after the date of the initial organisation of the NFFE;
g) The NFFE was not a Financial lnstitution in the past five years, and is in the process of liquidating its assets or is reorganising with the intent to continue or recommence operations in a business other than that of a Financial Institution;
h) The NFFE primarily engages in financing and hedging transactions with or for Related Entities that are not Financial Institutions, and does not provide financing or hedging services to any Entity that is not a Related Entity, provided that the group of any such Related Entities is primarily engaged in a business other than that of a Financial Institution;
i) The NFFE is an “excepted NFFE” as described in relevant U.S. TreasuryRegulations; or
j) The NFFE meets all of the following requirements:
i) It is established and maintained in its country of residence exclusively for religious, charitable, scientific, artistic, cultural, athletic or educational purposes;
ii) It is exempt from income tax in its country of residence;
iii) It has no shareholders or members who have a proprietary or beneficial
interest in its income or assets;
iv) The applicable laws of the Entity’s country of residence or the Entity’s formation documents do not permit any income or assets of the Entity to be distributed to, or applied for the benefit of, a private person or non-charitable Entity other than pursuant to the conduct of the Entity’s charitable activities, or as payment of reasonable compensation for services rendered, or as payment representing the fair market value of property which the Entity has purchased; and
v) The applicable laws of the Entity’s country of residence or the Entity’s formation documents require that, upon the Entity’s liquidation or dissolution, all of its assets be distributed to a governmental Entity or other non-profit organisation, or escheat to the government of the Entity’s jurisdiction of residence or any political subdivision thereof.
Code means the U.S Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
Controlling Person means the natural persons who exercise direct or indirect control over an entity. In the case of a trust, such term means the settlor, the trustees, the protector (if any), the beneficiaries or class of beneficiaries, and any other natural person exercising ultimate effective control over the trust, and in the case of a legal arrangement other than a trust, such term means persons in equivalent or similar positions. The term ‘Controlling Persons’ shall be interpreted in a manner consistent with the Financial Action Task Force Recommendations (“FATF”).
FATF Recommendations on Controlling Persons:
Identify the beneficial owners of the customer and take reasonable measures to verify the identity of such persons, through the following information. For legal persons:
a) The identity of the natural persons (if any – as ownership interests can be so diversified that there are no natural persons (whether acting alone or together) exercising control of the legal person or arrangement through ownership) who ultimately have a controlling ownership interest in a legal person; and
b) to the extent that there is doubt under (a) as to whether the person(s) with the controlling ownership interest are the beneficial owner(s) or where no natural person exerts control through ownership interests, the identity of the natural persons (if any) exercising control of the legal person or arrangement through other means.
c) Where no natural person is identified under (a) or (b) above, financial institutions should identify and take reasonable measures to verify the identity of the relevant natural person who holds the position of senior managing official.
Entity means a legal person or a legal arrangement such as a trust.
Exempt Beneficial Owners under the UK IGA these include Government entities, International Organisations, Central Bank, Broad Participation Retirement Funds, Narrow Participation Retirement Funds, Pension Funds of an Exempt Beneficial Owner, and Investment Entities wholly owned by Exempt Beneficial owners. Please refer to the IGA for the detailed definitions.
Financial Institution means a Custodial Institution, a Depository Institution, an Investment Entity, or a Specified Insurance Company, where:
a) Custodial institution means any entity that holds, as a substantial portion of its business, financial assets for the account of others. An entity holds financial assets for the account of others as a substantial portion of its business if the entity’s gross income attributable to the holding of financial assets and related financial services equals or exceeds 20 percent of the entity’s gross income during the shorter of: (i) the three-year period that ends on 31 December (or the final day of a non-calendar year accounting period) prior to the year in which the determination is being made; or (ii) the period during which the entity has been in existence;
b) Depository Institution means any entity that accepts deposits in the ordinary course of a banking or similar business;
c) Investment Entity means any entity that conducts as a business (or is managed by an entity that conducts as a business) one or more of the following activities or operations for or on behalf of a customer: (1) trading in money market instruments (cheques, bills, certificates of deposit, derivatives, etc); foreign exchange; exchange, interest rate and index Instruments; transferable securities; or commodity futures trading; (2) individual and collective portfolio management; or (3) otherwise investing, administering, or managing funds or money on behalf of other persons. The term Investment Entity shall be interpreted in a manner consistent with similar language set forth in the definition of “financial institution” in the Financial Action Task Force Recommendations; and
d) Specified Insurance Company means any entity that is an insurance company (or the holding company of an insurance company) that issues, or is obligated to make payments with respect to, a Cash Value Insurance Contract or an Annuity Contract.
NFFE means any Non-U.S. Entity that is not a Financial Institution as defined in US FATCA.
Non-U.S. Entity means an Entity that is not a U.S. Person.
Passive Non-Financial Foreign Entity means any NFFE that is not an Active
Non-Financial Foreign Entity.
Related Entity An Entity is a Related Entity of another entity if either Entity controls the other entity, or the two Entities are under common control. For this purpose, control includes direct or indirect ownership of more than 50 percent of the vote or value in an Entity. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the United Kingdom competent authority may treat an entity as not a Related Entity if the two Entities are not members of the same affiliated group, as defined in Section 1471(e)(2) of the Code.
Specified U.S Person means a U.S. Person other than:
a) a corporation the stock of which is regularly traded on one or more established securities markets;
b) any corporation that is a member of the same expanded affiliated group as a corporation described in a);
c) the United States or any wholly owned agency or instrumentality thereof;
d) any State of the United States, any U.S. Territory, any political subdivision or wholly owned agency or instrumentality of any one or more of the foregoing;
e) any organisation exempt from taxation under section 501(a) of the Code or certain individual retirement plans defined in section 7701(a) (37) of the Code;
f) any bank as defined in section 581 of the Code;
g) any real estate investment trust as defined in section 856 of the Code;
h) any regulated investment company defined in section 851 of the Code or any entity registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission under the Investment Company Act of 1940;
i) any common trust fund as defined in section 584(a) of the Code;
j) any trust that is exempt from tax under section 664(c) of the Code or that is described in section 4947(a)(1) of the Code;
k) a dealer in securities, commodities, or derivative financial instruments that is registered as such under the laws of the United States or any State; or
l) a broker as defined in section 6045(c) of the Code.
U.S. Person means a U.S. citizen or resident individual, a partnership or corporation organised in the United States or under the laws of the United States or any State thereof, a trust if (i) a court within the United States would have authority under applicable law to render orders or judgments concerning substantially all issues regarding administration of the trust, and (ii) one or more U.S. persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust, or an estate of a decedent that is a citizen or resident of the United States. Refer to the Code for further interpretation.
CRS definitions
Account Holder means the person listed or identified as the holder of a Financial Account by the Financial Institution that maintains the account. A person, other than a Financial Institution, holding a Financial Account for the benefit or account of another person as agent, custodian, nominee, signatory, investment advisor, or intermediary, is not treated as holding the account for purposes of the Common Reporting Standard, and such other person is treated as holding the account. In the case of a Cash Value Insurance Contract or an Annuity Contract, the Account Holder is any person entitled to access the Cash Value or change the beneficiary of the contract. If no person can access the Cash Value or change the beneficiary, the Account Holder is any person named as the owner in the contract and any person with a vested entitlement to payment under the terms of the contract. Upon the maturity of a Cash Value Insurance Contract or an Annuity Contract, each person entitled to receive a payment under the contract is treated as an Account Holder.
Active Non-Financial Entity means any NFE that meets any of the following criteria:
a) less than 50% of the NFE’s gross income for the preceding calendar year or other appropriate reporting period is passive income and less than 50% of the assets held by the NFE during the preceding calendar year or other appropriate reporting period are assets that produce or are held for the production of passive income;
b) the stock of the NFE is regularly traded on an established securities market or the NFE is a Related Entity of an Entity the stock of which is regularly traded on an established securities market;
c) the NFE is a Governmental Entity, an International Organisation, a Central Bank, or an Entity wholly owned by one or more of the foregoing;
d) substantially all of the activities of the NFE consist of holding (in whole or in part) the outstanding stock of, or providing financing and services to, one or more subsidiaries that engage in trades or businesses other than the business of a Financial Institution, except that an Entity does not qualify for this status if the Entity functions (or holds itself out) as an investment fund, such as a private equity fund, venture capital fund, leveraged buyout fund,
or any Investment vehicle whose purpose is to acquire or fund companies and then hold Interests in those companies as capital assets for investment purposes;
e) the NFE is not yet operating a business and has no prior operating history, but is investing capital into assets with the intent to operate a business other than that of a Financial Institution, provided that the NFE does not qualify for this exception after the date that is 24 months after the date of the initial organisation of the NFE;
f) the NFE was not a Financial Institution in the past five years, and is in the process of liquidating its assets or is reorganising with the intent to continue or recommence operations in a business other than that or a Financial Institution;
g) the NFE primarily engages in financing and hedging transactions with, or for, Related Entities that are not Financial Institutions, and does not provide financing or hedging services to any Entity that is not a Related Entity, provided that the group of any such Related Entities is primarily engaged in a business other than that of a Financial Institution; or
the NFE meets all of the following requirements:
i) it is established and operated in its jurisdiction of residence exclusively for religious, charitable, scientific, artistic, cultural, athletic, or educational purposes; or it is established and operated in its jurisdiction of residence and it is a professional organisation, business league, chamber of commerce, labour organisation, agricultural or horticultural organisation, civic league or an organisation operated exclusively for the promotion of social welfare;
ii) it is exempt from income tax in its jurisdiction of residence;
iii) it has no shareholders or members who have a proprietary or beneficial interest in its income or assets;
iv) the applicable laws of the NFE’s jurisdiction of residence or the NFE’s formation documents do not permit any income or assets of the NFE to be distributed to, or applied for the benefit of, a private person or non-charitable Entity other than pursuant to the conduct of the NFE’s charitable activities, or as payment or of reasonable compensation for services rendered, or as payment representing the fair market value of property which the NFE has purchased; and
v) the applicable laws of the NFE’s jurisdiction of residence or the NFE’s formation documents require that, upon the NFE’s liquidation or dissolution, all of its assets be distributed to a Governmental Entity or other non-profit organisation, or escheat to the government or the NFE’s jurisdiction of residence or any political subdivision thereof.
Controlling Person means the natural persons who exercise direct or indirect control over an Entity. In the case of a trust, such term means the settlor(s), the trustees(s), the protector(s) (if any), the beneficiary(ies) or class(es) of beneficiaries, and any other natural person(s) exercising ultimate effective control over the trust, and in the case of a legal arrangement other than a trust, such term means persons in equivalent or similar positions. The term ‘Controlling Persons’ shall be interpreted in a manner consistent with the Financial Action Task Force Recommendations (“FATF”) (see overleaf).
FATF Recommendations on Controlling Persons:
Identify the beneficial owners of the customer and take reasonable measures to verify
the identity of such persons, through the following information. For legal persons:
a) The identity of the natural persons (if any as ownership interests can be so diversified that there are no natural persons (whether acting alone or together) exercising control of the legal person or arrangement through ownership) who ultimately have a controlling ownership interest in a legal person; and
b) to the extent that there is doubt under (a) as to whether the person(s) with the controlling ownership interest are the beneficial owner(s) or where no natural person exerts control through ownership interests, the identity of the natural persons (if any) exercising control of the legal person or arrangement through other means.
c) Where no natural person is identified under (a) or (b) above, financial institutions should identify and take reasonable measures to verify the Identity of the relevant natural person who holds the position of senior managing official.
Financial Institution means a Custodial lnstitution, a Depository Institution, an Investment Entity, or a Specified Insurance Company, where:
a) Custodial Institution means any Entity that holds, as a substantial portion of its business, Financial Assets for the account of others. An Entity holds Financial Assets for the account of others as a substantial portion of its business if the Entity’s gross income attributable to the holding of Financial Assets and related financial services equals or exceeds 20 percent of the Entity’s gross income during the shorter of: (i) the three-year period that ends on 31 December (or the final day of a non-calendar year accounting period) prior to the year in which the determination is being made; or (ii) the period during which the Entity has been in existence;
b) Depository Institution means any Entity that accepts deposits in the ordinary course of a banking or similar business; Investment Entity means any Entity:
(A) that primarily conducts as a business one or more of the following activities or operations for or on behalf of a customer:
i) trading in money market instruments (cheques, bills, certificates of deposit, derivatives, etc.); foreign exchange; exchange, interest rate and index instruments; transferable securities; or commodity futures trading;
ii) individual and collective portfolio management; or
iii) otherwise investing, administering, or managingFinancial Assets or money on behalf of other persons; or
(B) the gross income of which is primarily attributable to investing, reinvesting, or trading in Financial Assets, if the Entity is managed by another Entity that is a Depository Institution, a Custodial lnstitution, a Specified Insurance Company, or an Investment Entity described in limb (A) of this definition.
An Entity is treated as primarily conducting as a business one or more of the activities described in limb (A), or an Entity’s gross income is primarily attributable to investing, reinvesting, or trading in Financial Assets for purposes of limb (B) if the Entity’s gross income attributable to the relevant activities equals or exceeds 50% of the Entity’s gross income during the shorter of: (i) the three-year period ending on 31 December of the year
preceding the year in which the determination is made; or (ii) the period during which the Entity has been in existence. The term “Investment Entity” does not include an Entity that is an Active NFE because it meets any of the criteria in subparagraphs d) through (g) of the definition of Active NFE. The preceding paragraph shall be interpreted in a manner consistent with similar language set forth in the definition of “financial institution” in the FATF Recommendations; and
c) Specified Insurance Company means any Entity that is an insurance company (or the holding company of an insurance company) that issues, or is obligated to make payments with respect to, a Cash Value Insurance Contract or an Annuity Contract.
Non-Financial Entity or NFE means any Entity that is not a Financial lnstitution.
Non-Participating Jurisdiction means a jurisdiction that is not a Participating Jurisdiction.
Non-Reporting Financial Institution means any Financial Institution that is:
a) a Governmental Entity, International Organisation or Central Bank, other than with respect to a payment that is derived from an obligation held in connection with a commercial financial activity of a type engaged in by a Specified Insurance Company, Custodial Institution, or Depository Institution;
b) a Broad Participation Retirement Fund; a Narrow Participation Retirement Fund; a Pension Fund of a Governmental Entity, International Organisation or Central Bank; or a Qualified Credit Card Issuer;
c) any other Entity that presents a low risk of being used to evade tax, has substantially similar characteristics to any of the Entities described in (a) and (b) above, and is defined in domestic law as a Non-Reporting Financial Institution, provided that the status of such Entity us a Non-Reporting Financial institution does not frustrate the purposes of the Common Reporting Standard;
d) an Exempt Collective Investment Vehicle; or
e) a trust to the extent that the trustee of the trust is a Reporting Financial Institution and reports all information required to be reported pursuant to the General Reporting Requirements (Section I of the CRS) with respect to all Reportable Accounts of the trust.
Participating Jurisdiction means a jurisdiction (i) with which an agreement is in place pursuant to which it will provide the information specified in Section I (of the CRS), and (ii) which is identified in a published list.
Participating Jurisdiction Financial Institution means (i) any Financial Institution that is resident in a Participating Jurisdiction, but excludes any branch of that Financial Institution that is located outside such Participating Jurisdiction, and (ii) any branch of a Financial Institution that is not resident in a Participating Jurisdiction, if that branch is located in such Participating Jurisdiction.
Passive Non-Financial Entity means any: (i) NFE that is not an Active NFE; or (ii) an Investment Entity described in limb (c)(B) of the definition of Financial Institution (above)(or subparagraph A(6)(b) of the CRS) that is not a Participating Jurisdiction Financial institution.
Related Entity means an entity related to another entity because (i) either Entity controls the other Entity; (ii) the two Entities are under common control; or (iii) the two entities are Investment Entities described limb (c)(B) of the definition of Finance Institution (above) (or subparagraph A(6)(b) of the CRS), are under common management, and such management fulfils the due diligence obligations of such Investment Entities, For this purpose control includes direct or indirect ownership of more than 50% of the vote and value in an Entity.