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Add commercial-identity-nuance-settlement.md resolving control_basis, binding_trigger, cross-registry Synonymity strengths, OPI branch modeling, escrow commitment type, reputation portability, payment edge cases, CRM renewal rules, Person Account adapters, and eIDAS wallet scope. Update canon, OpenQuestions, and all commercial-identity source notes.
4.8 KiB
4.8 KiB
KYC AML and Commercial Identity Binding
Source Type
Regulatory framework synthesis. USA PATRIOT Act CIP, FinCEN KYC/AML, FATF digital identity guidance.
Domain
Financial regulation, customer identification, beneficial ownership, and ongoing commercial relationship monitoring.
Why This Source Matters
KYC/AML is where governments mandate commercial identity binding: institutions must verify who they transact with, retain evidence, and monitor behavior. This is the strongest practical force turning fluid identities into regulated, high-stakes counterparty records.
Key Concepts
- KYC (Know Your Customer): policies ensuring institutions know customers and risks.
- AML (Anti-Money Laundering): broader program preventing illicit finance.
- CIP (Customer Identification Program): US mandate to verify identity before account opening.
- CDD (Customer Due Diligence): risk assessment of customer relationship.
- EDD (Enhanced Due Diligence): heightened review for high-risk customers.
- Beneficial owner (BO): natural persons owning/controlling legal entity customers (historically 25% threshold; may be lowered for high risk).
- Ongoing monitoring: transaction surveillance after onboarding.
- Record retention: CIP records kept years after relationship ends.
- Sanctions / PEP screening: compare identities against government lists.
- Digital identity (FATF): guidance on digital ID assurance for KYC.
Relevant Terminology
| Term | Source meaning |
|---|---|
| KYC | Know-your-customer compliance program. |
| CIP | Customer identification at onboarding. |
| Beneficial owner | Natural person behind legal entity customer. |
| PEP | Politically exposed person (elevated risk). |
| Due diligence | Risk-based identity and activity review. |
| Ongoing monitoring | Continued scrutiny of customer activity. |
| Risk profile | Customer risk classification. |
| FinCEN | US Financial Crimes Enforcement Network. |
Modeling Assumptions
- Commercial relationship triggers identity rigor proportional to risk.
- Legal entity customers require beneficial owner identification — natural persons bound to organization customers.
- Identity verification is not one-time; monitoring continues across lifecycle.
- Evidence must be retained even after account closure.
- False identity has regulatory and criminal consequences — binding is external, not user preference.
- Friction is accepted where commercial stakes require it.
Identity-Canon Implications
- KYC onboarding creates Commercial Record + Commercial Commitment (regulated relationship) bound to Natural Person and/or Organization/Legal Entity.
- Beneficial owner maps to Natural Person linked via Beneficial
Ownership Relationship to Organization/Legal Entity customer (see
beneficial-ownership-kyc-boi.md). - CIP evidence maps to Evidence Source with Assurance Level.
- Ongoing monitoring produces Evidence Source events affecting Lifecycle State and Trust Relationship.
- Supports fluid-to-bound transition: anonymous lead → verified customer with retained proof.
- Account (bank/login) is insufficient alone; KYC binds the counterparty.
Terminology Conflicts
- Customer (KYC) vs. Customer (Stripe) vs. Customer (role): regulated counterparty vs. billing object vs. commercial role.
- CIP customer vs. Account holder: verified party vs. access credential.
- Digital identity vs. login identity: assurance-ranked ID vs. session user.
Candidate Canonical Mappings
| KYC/AML concept | Candidate canonical concept |
|---|---|
| Verified customer | Commercial Record + Actor binding |
| CIP evidence | Evidence Source |
| Beneficial owner | Natural Person + Beneficial Ownership Relationship |
| Risk profile | Assurance Level + metadata on Commercial Relationship |
| EDD review | Evidence Source (enhanced) |
| Sanctions hit | Lifecycle State / Trust Relationship revocation |
| Transaction alert | Evidence Source event |
| Record retention | Lifecycle/archival policy on Commercial Record |
Open Questions
(none — settled in commercial-identity-nuance-settlement.md)
Settled
- Beneficial Owner → Beneficial Ownership Relationship;
control_basisenum; CDD vs. BOI filing layered separately.
References
- Thomson Reuters, Customer Identification Program overview — https://legal.thomsonreuters.com/blog/overview-customer-identification-program-cip/
- Okta KYC definition — https://www.okta.com/identity-101/kyc/
- FinCEN, USA PATRIOT Act Section 326 — https://www.fincen.gov/resources/statutes-regulations/usa-patriot-act
- FATF Guidance on Digital Identity — https://www.fatf-gafi.org/en/publications/Fatfrecommendations/Guidance-on-Digital-Identity.html