新加坡金融監管機構發布了反洗錢（AML）制度修正案，要求對與信託有關的人員進行更詳細和廣泛的報告。
2024年推出了重要的新措施，要求強制報告公司實際所有權、揭露名義股東並對公司服務提供者進行監管。新加坡金融管理局（MAS）目前提出的額外修訂旨在遵守金融行動特別工作組（FATF）制定的國際標準，特別是有關信託等法律安排的受益所有權和透明度的 FATF 第 25 條建議。該建議的措詞於 2023 年 2 月得到收緊。 MAS 認為必須相應修改其對「信託相關方」的定義。
目前定義包括委託人、受託人、指定受益人以及對信託財產的處置擁有權力的任何人。這些將擴及保護者、受益者階級和「權力對象」。他們還包括根據法律安排文書或法律有權執行以下操作的其他人員：投資信託財產；分配或批准分配信託財產；或變更或終止信託。
這不僅符合新的金融行動特別工作小組標準，還將使反洗錢制度與1967 年《受託人法》關於收集信託基本資訊的近期修訂保持一致。
修訂也增加了信託公司必須取得和持有的資訊量。其中包括：保護人、受益人類別和權力對像以及對信託相關方行使最終有效控制的任何其他自然人的身分。收集受益所有權資訊的要求將適用於信託或類似安排的所有「信託相關方」。信託公司必須登記全名；唯一識別符，例如稅務識別號；信託契約或同等文件；設立該安排的目的；以及執行該法的地點。
提出其他修正案是為了確保更及時提交可疑交易報告（STR）。現行指南建議金融機構應在15個工作天內決定是否進行可疑交易報告。新加坡金融管理局現在打算堅持要求，提交可疑交易報告的時間不應超過懷疑出現後的五個工作日，除非情況「特殊或異常」。文件稱，對於涉及受制裁方或其代理人的案件，可疑交易報告應在一個工作天內提交。
Singapore to extend AML reporting rules to many more trust-related persons
Singapore's financial regulator has published anti-money laundering (AML) regime amendments requiring much more detailed and extensive reporting of persons connected with trusts.
Important new measures were introduced in 2024, requiring compulsory reporting of company beneficial ownership, disclosure of nominee shareholders and regulation of corporate service providers. The additional amendments now proposed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) are intended to comply with international standards imposed by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), in particular FATF Recommendation 25 regarding beneficial ownership and transparency of legal arrangements such as trusts. The wording of that recommendation was tightened in February 2023. MAS considers it has to amend its definition of 'trust relevant party' accordingly.
The current definition includes settlors, trustees, named beneficiaries and any person who has any power over the disposition of any property that is subject to the trust. These are to be extended to protectors, classes of beneficiaries and 'objects of a power'. They will also include any other persons with the power under the legal arrangement instrument or by law to: invest trust property; distribute, or approve the distribution, of trust property; or to vary or terminate the trust.
As well as meeting the new FATF standard, this will also align the AML regime with recent amendments to the Trustees Act 1967 regarding collection of the trust's basic information.
The amendments also increase the amount of information that trust companies are required to obtain and hold. This includes the identity of: the protector, the class of beneficiaries and object of a power and any other natural person(s) exercising ultimate effective control over the trust relevant party. The requirement to collect beneficial ownership information will apply to all 'trust relevant parties' of a trust or similar arrangement. Trust companies must record the full name; unique identifier such as a tax identification number; the trust deed or its equivalent; the purpose for which the arrangement was set up; and the place where it is administered.
Other amendments are proposed to ensure that suspicious transaction reports (STR) are filed more promptly. The existing guidelines suggest that financial institutions should make a decision on whether to make an STR within 15 business days. MAS now intends to insist that the filing of an STR should not exceed five business days after suspicion was first established, unless the circumstances are 'exceptional or extraordinary'. In cases involving sanctioned parties or their agents, the STRs should be filed within one business day, it says.
Sources:
Monetary Authority of Singapore
MAS (consultation, PDF)
STEP International News 28 March 2024: Singapore government runs fast-track consultation on beneficial ownership and CSP regimes
FATF (PDF)