identity-canon/research/commercial-identity/commercial-identity-nuance-settlement.md

# Commercial Identity Nuance Settlement (2026)

## Source Type

identity-canon adjudication note — resolves remaining open questions and
"remaining nuance" items across the commercial-identity research stack.

## Domain

Standard enums, cross-registry linking rules, regulatory layering, and adapter
guidance for commercial identity edge cases.

## Beneficial Ownership Nuances

### `control_basis` enum (settled)

Use a **jurisdiction-neutral role code** on Beneficial Ownership Relationship,
plus `regulatory_basis` for program-specific rules.

| `control_basis` | Typical sources |
| --- | --- |
| `senior_managing_official` | FATF generic; US CDD control prong when no other role fits |
| `chief_executive` | CEO, managing director, president, executive director |
| `chief_financial` | CFO, treasurer with control |
| `managing_member` | LLC managing member |
| `general_partner` | Partnership general partner |
| `board_chair` | Chair with operational control |
| `trustee` | Trust with management control |
| `settlor_with_control` | Settlor retaining control over trust |
| `other_control` | Catch-all — require `control_basis_detail` free text |

`regulatory_basis` values: `us_cdd`, `us_boi_cta`, `eu_amld`, `fatf_r24`, `national_statute`.

US CDD "significant responsibility to control, manage, or direct" maps to the
most specific code available, else `senior_managing_official`. EU AMLD "senior
managing official" maps directly. Store **one** control-prong person per US CDD
rule; multiple ownership-prong persons allowed.

### FinCEN ID (settled)

FinCEN ID for BOI filers maps to **Registry Identifier**:

- `authority_class: government_registry`
- `scheme: fincen_individual_id` (or jurisdiction-specific extension)
- `jurisdiction: US`
- Attached to **Natural Person**, not Organization.

### Exempt legal entity customers (settled)

Do not rely on absence of Beneficial Ownership Relationships. Record explicit
**Beneficial Ownership Exemption** as **Evidence Source** on the Legal Entity /
Organization with:

- `exemption_type`: `publicly_traded`, `government_entity`, `regulated_financial_institution`, `subsidiary_of_exempt_parent`, `other`
- `regulatory_basis`, `evidence_reference`, `lifecycle_state`

Absence alone is ambiguous (not collected vs. exempt vs. not applicable).

### BOI filing volatility vs. CDD (settled)

Separate regulatory layers in canon — do not merge:

| Layer | Canon artifact | Volatility |
| --- | --- | --- |
| CDD beneficial ownership | Beneficial Ownership Relationship | Stable for covered FIs; collection obligation endures |
| BOI registry filing | Evidence Source (`evidence_type: boi_filing`) | Jurisdiction-dependent; track lifecycle downstream |
| Transparency registry | Evidence Source (`evidence_type: bo_registry_extract`) | Per national register |

Canon does not prescribe legal outcomes; downstream adapters apply current statute.
CDD relationships remain even when BOI filing requirements change.

## Registry Identifier Nuances

### `authority_class` extension (settled)

Add `industry_association` for identifiers issued by trade, standards, or
procurement bodies without government incorporation authority:

- NCAGE / CAGE (defense supplier ID)
- GS1 GLN when used as organization/location key in supply chain

Retain `government_registry`, `regulatory_global`, `commercial_proxy`, `tax`.

### Cross-registry Synonymity strength (settled)

| Link | Default strength | Notes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| LEI ↔ national company reg / ALEI | **strong** | Same legal entity when LOU or government register confirms |
| LEI ↔ UEI | **strong** | When SAM.gov or authoritative crosswalk confirms |
| LEI ↔ DUNS | **medium** | D&B may assign per location; proxy authority |
| DUNS ↔ UEI | **medium** | Historical procurement migration |
| DUNS ↔ company reg | **medium** | Branch/location mismatch common |
| company reg ↔ ALEI | **authoritative** | Same register encoding |

Use `relation_type: same_as` when strength is strong or authoritative;
`linked_to` for medium. Require `evidence_reference` (crosswalk, operator verify).

### ISO 6523 OPI / branch modeling (settled)

ISO 6523 **organization part identifier (OPI)** models a **branch or org unit**,
not a separate legal entity by default:

- Store OPI on **Registry Identifier** as optional `organization_part_id`.
- Map branch to **Organization Unit** (Group specialization) or child **Organization**
  when operationally distinct.
- Branch DUNS + parent LEI: link branch Proxy Commercial Identifier to parent
  Organization via structural relationship; Synonymity Assertion (medium) between
  branch DUNS and parent LEI when same legal entity confirmed.

## Reputation and Assurance Nuances

### `assurance_tier` vs. numeric score (settled)

**Primary:** `assurance_tier` enum (`opinion` | `observed` | `committed` | `adjudicated`).

**Optional:** `numeric_score` + `score_scale` on Evidence Source for downstream
(e.g., PAYDEX 0–100, star rating 1–5). Downstream maps score ranges to tiers;
canon does not merge tiers from scores alone.

### Platform escrow without separate contract (settled)

Segregated escrow with defined release conditions is **committed** tier:

- Model **Commercial Commitment** `commitment_type: escrow`
- Evidence Source: platform escrow terms, payment-provider escrow object, or
  marketplace buyer-protection policy accepted at transaction time
- Funds segregation + conditional release = commitment, not merely observed metric

### Cross-platform reputation portability (settled)

Portable reputation uses **Synonymity Assertion** between **Reputation Signal**
Evidence Sources:

- Default `relation_type: linked_to` (not `same_as`)
- Default strength: **weak**
- Upgrade to medium only with verified identity bridge (same Natural Person proof,
  verified purchase on both platforms, operator confirmation)
- Require `portability_evidence` reference; scope must list both platforms

### Smart-contract / oracle outcomes (settled)

| Outcome type | Tier | Canon |
| --- | --- | --- |
| On-chain condition check (oracle, escrow release) | observed | Performance Evidence |
| Binding ADR with identified parties (incl. on-chain tribunal with published rules) | adjudicated | Adjudication Outcome |
| Court judgment enforced on-chain | adjudicated | Adjudication Outcome |

Automation alone does not elevate to adjudicated without identifiable dispute
authority and parties.

## Payment Nuances

### Network tokens e.g. Visa VTS (settled)

Network tokens map to **Payment Instrument Reference**:

- `instrument_type: network_token`
- `network_token_service` (e.g., `visa_vts`, `mastercard_mdes`)
- Same lifecycle and PCI boundary as `pm_xxx` references

### Shared payment methods across org customers (settled)

One Payment Instrument Reference may attach to **multiple Commercial Records**
within the same payment-provider org **Scope**:

- `sharing_scope: payment_provider_org`
- `shared_across_records: [commercial_record_ids]`
- Do not Synonymity-merge Commercial Records — only share the instrument reference

### Customer wallet balance (settled)

Provider ledger balance (Stripe Customer balance) is a **Commercial Record**
attribute `provider_ledger_balance` — not a Credential, not a Commercial Commitment.
Currency and provider scope required.

## CRM and Pipeline Nuances

### `binding_trigger` enum (settled)

| Value | Commitment state | Typical evidence |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `quote_accepted` | proposed | CPQ acceptance, e-sign |
| `loi_signed` | proposed | Signed LOI |
| `purchase_order_executed` | active | PO record |
| `contract_executed` | active | Signed agreement |
| `subscription_activated` | active | Billing webhook |
| `regulatory_onboarding_complete` | active | KYC/KYB completion |
| `org_policy_closed_won` | active only if org maps Closed Won → executed contract **and** policy documented as Evidence |

`org_policy_closed_won` is downstream-configured; canon requires explicit Evidence.

### Renewal Opportunity (settled)

| Situation | Canon treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Renewal on existing contract (same agreement extended) | **Commitment amendment** Evidence on existing Commercial Commitment; optional Pipeline Pursuit for forecast tracking |
| Competitive rebid / new agreement cycle | New **Pipeline Pursuit** |
| Material term change | Commitment amendment + may create Pipeline Pursuit |

Rule: if `amends_commitment_id` is set and change type is `renewal` or `amendment`,
do not create a new root Commercial Commitment unless terms are net-new contract.

### Partner vs. customer Opportunity (settled)

Same **Pipeline Pursuit** type with `pursuit_role`:

- `customer` (default)
- `partner` (channel, alliance)
- `vendor` (reverse sourcing)

Role affects **Commercial Relationship** typing, not Pipeline Pursuit structure.

### Person Account adapter guidance (settled)

Salesforce Person Account and similar B2C shortcuts:

- **Canon storage:** Natural Person + Commercial Record (split layers)
- **Adapter projection:** `projection_mode: person_account_combined` on export only
- Do not introduce Person Account as canonical root; discourage unified tables in
  downstream schema without layer tags

## eIDAS / EUDI Nuances (commercial stack)

### Qualified electronic seal (settled)

Maps to **Credential** with `credential_type: qualified_seal`, bound to
**Organization** / **Legal Entity** through **Representation Relationship**
(signing officer or mandated agent). Distinct from login Credential.

### EUDI organizational wallet Scope (settled)

Organizational wallet is a **Scope** specialization (`wallet_scope`) holding
wallet-hosted **Credentials** and **Claims** — not a **Tenant** (no admin
isolation semantics). Link wallet Scope to **Commercial Record** and Organization
actor via Commercial Relationship.

## References

All prior commercial-identity source notes. This note supersedes their Open
Questions sections where marked settled below.