Accepting Deposits

Accepting Deposits

Dealing in Investments as Principal Dealing in Investments as Agent  Managing Investments Managing a Collective Investment Scheme Providing Custody Arranging Custody Providing Trust Services Providing Fund Administration Advising on Investments Arranging Deals in Investments Managing a Restricted Profit Sharing Investment Account Islamic Banking Business Providing Islamic Financing Insurance Intermediation Operating a Representative Office Accepting Deposits Providing Credit Advising on a Credit Facility Arranging a Credit Facility Providing Money Services Effecting Contracts of Insurance Carrying on Contracts of Insurance Insurance Management Takaful Business Opening and Operating Bank Accounts Operating a Multilateral Trading Facility Operating an Organised Trading Facility Operating a Digital Asset Trading Facility

Accepting Deposits

Accepting Deposits means accepting money or funds received as a Deposit if that money or funds are:

  1. lent to other Persons; or
  2. used to finance wholly, or partly, any other activity of the Person accepting the Deposit.

To the extent that any activity constitutes Opening and Operating Bank Accounts, such a Regulated Activity is taken to be incorporated within Accepting Deposits.

 

General requirements

 

Requirements

Minimum threshold

Authorisation Fee (paid once)

15 000 USD

*According to AIFC Fees Rules 5.1.1., the application may not be regarded by the AFSA as submitted, and therefore ready to be reviewed, until the fee has been paid in full.

Therefore, when the application is ready for submission, please send us a completed request for invoice (please follow the link to download the form) and after that we will issue the invoice for payment. If the payment to be made by a natural person, then please provide a copy of his/her ID as well.

In accordance with the AIFC Fees Rules 1.1-1. an applicant seeking to conduct Regulated Activities in relation to Digital Assets, must pay to the AFSA an additional application fee in the amount of 2 000 USD. 

Registration Fee (paid once)

Registration fee is 300 USD (paid once) if you apply via the self-service portal and 500 USD (paid once) if you apply on paper via [email protected].

*AIFC Fees Rules

Supervision Fee (annually)

10 000 USD

*AIFC Fees Rules

Minimum Capital Requirement

An Accepting Deposits Firm’s total Regulatory Capital is the sum of its Tier 1 Capital and Tier 2 Capital.

The Base Capital Requirement for a Bank is 10 million USD.

*In accordance with the modification notice issued by AFSA (AFSA Notice № AFSA-Q-OA-2020-0029) the Base capital requirement for an Islamic Bank is defined as 5 million USD. The notice remains effective until 1 November 2023.

 *AIFC Banking Business Prudential Rules 4.

Liquid Assets Requirement

*AIFC Banking Business Prudential Rules 9.

Appointment of Internal and External Auditor

Required

*AIFC General Rules 5.5.1.

*AIFC Financial Services Framework Regulations 109.

Organisational structure 
  • Appointment of a Board of Directors;
  • Appointment of approved and designated individuals (SEO, Finance Officer, Compliance Officer, MLRO and a deputy MLRO, Risk Manager, Internal Audit Manager);
  • Appointment of committees within the company (Risk Committee, Compliance Committee etc.);

Policies and Procedures
  • AML Policy
  • Compliance Manual
  • Compliance Monitoring Program
  • Risk Management Policy
  • Remuneration Policy (AIFC GEN Rules 5.3.7.)
  • Outsourcing Policy (AIFC GEN Rules 5.2.)
  • Business Continuity Plan/Disaster Recovery Plan (AIFC GEN Rules 5.8.4.)
  • Conflict of Interest (AIFC GEN Rules 5.6.)
  • Credit Risk Management Policy (AIFC Banking Business Prudential Rules 9.)
  • Market Risk Management Policy
  • Operational Risk Management Policy
  • Interest Rate Risk Management Policy
  • Concentration Risk Policy
  • Large Exposure Policy
  • Trading Book policy
  • Interest Rate Risk in the Banking Book Management Policy
  • Liquidity Risk Management Policy
  • Bank’s Group Risk Management Policy
  • Disclosure Policy
  • *Under AIFC Banking Business Prudential Rules 1.5, an Authorised Firm is a Bank if it is authorised to conduct the Regulated Activity of Accepting Deposits and/or Opening and Operating Bank Accounts.
  • *By clicking here you can find guides to the minimum requirements for some policies and procedures.

 

 

Application package

Application Approved Individual status
Application Designated Individual status
Supplement Banking Business
Financial projections template
Request for Invoice
Fit and Proper Questionnaire for Controllers
Application RA (standard)_A07

Supporting documents

  • Incorporation certificate of Parent/head office (if applicable)
  • Board minutes approving establishment of the AIFC entity
  • Résumés/CVs for Controllers that are natural persons
  • Résumés/CVs for the members of the Board of Directors (both executive and non-executive) as applicable
  • Last audited accounts (if applicable)
  • Last audited Group accounts (if applicable)
  • A shareholding chart that depicts how the applicant is related to each of its shareholders (including natural persons) and to its related entities, Subsidiaries, and head office/Branch, as applicable
  • An organisation chart depicting the key appointments and reporting lines and, where applicable, the reporting lines to the Group or head office
  • If the applicant is a start-up evidence of source of funds
  • Evidence, such as non-binding letters of engagement, to support the applicant’s revenue-stream estimations in the financial projections
  • If the applicant is a start-up, a copy of the Shareholders’ agreement
  • Copies of any Board and management committees’ terms of reference
  • A copy of each Controller’s Kazakhstani ID card (if a Kazakhstani citizen or resident)
  • A copy of each Controller’s passport (for non-Kazakhstani citizens)
  • If your Parent is regulated in another jurisdiction provide a copy of its regulatory licence. It must include any restrictions or conditions
  • A copy of the applicant’s interbranch accounting policy (if applicable)
  • Standard Client Agreement
  • List of above-mentioned policies and procedures

*Under AIFC Financial Services Framework Regulations 31 (5), the AFSA may require the applicant to provide additional information reasonably required for the AFSA to be able to decide the application.