⚡ Quick Answer: A UBO (Ultimate Beneficial Owner) is anyone who owns or controls 25% or more of a company. All UBOs must complete KYC verification before services are activated. See examples below.

What Is a UBO?

Under UK AML regulations, we must identify and verify all Persons of Significant Control (PSCs) or Ultimate Beneficial Owners (UBOs) who ultimately own or control a company. A UBO is typically anyone with 25% or more ownership or voting rights, or anyone who exercises significant control.

Example 1: Single Director / Sole Shareholder

• Director A owns 100% of shares
• UBO: Director A (must verify)

Example 2: Two Directors, Equal Shareholding

• Director A owns 50%, Director B owns 50%
• UBOs: Both Director A and Director B (both must verify)

Example 3: Parent Company Ownership

• Parent Corp Ltd owns 100% of Subsidiary Ltd
• We verify the UBOs of Parent Corp Ltd (the individuals who ultimately own/control it)

Example 4: Multiple Shareholders

• Shareholder A — 40%
• Shareholder B — 35%
• Shareholder C — 25%
• UBOs: All three (each owns 25%+)

Example 5: Below 25% Threshold

• Shareholder A — 20%
• Shareholder B — 20%
• Shareholder C — 20%
• Shareholder D — 20%
• Shareholder E — 20%
• UBOs: None meet the 25% threshold individually. In this case, we verify the senior managing officials (e.g., directors).

Common Questions

What if ownership is through a trust?

We look through the trust to identify the individuals who ultimately benefit from or control the assets.

Do all directors need to verify?

Only directors who are also UBOs/PSCs (25%+ ownership) or authorised representatives. We identify all directors but only verify those meeting the criteria.

What if I’m the sole director and sole shareholder?

You’re the only UBO. You’ll need to provide proof of ID and proof of address.

Next: TCSP KYC & AML Compliance Overview →

Updated on: 28/03/2026