beneficial owner

Defined in Article 3, Fourth Anti-Money Laundering Directive

Definitions over time (2)

1. 30/06/2021 – today applies on 12/11/2026 Article 3, Fourth Anti-Money Laundering Directive Scope: Whole act

   For the purposes of this Directive, the following definitions apply:

   ‘beneficial owner’ means any natural person(s) who ultimately owns or controls the customer and/or the natural person(s) on whose behalf a transaction or activity is being conducted and includes at least: in the case of corporate entities: the natural person(s) who ultimately owns or controls a legal entity through direct or indirect ownership of a sufficient percentage of the shares or voting rights or ownership interest in that entity, including through bearer shareholdings, or through control via other means, other than a company listed on a regulated market that is subject to disclosure requirements consistent with Union law or subject to equivalent international standards which ensure adequate transparency of ownership information. A shareholding of 25 % plus one share or an ownership interest of more than 25 % in the customer held by a natural person shall be an indication of direct ownership. A shareholding of 25 % plus one share or an ownership interest of more than 25 % in the customer held by a corporate entity, which is under the control of a natural person(s), or by multiple corporate entities, which are under the control of the same natural person(s), shall be an indication of indirect ownership. This applies without prejudice to the right of Member States to decide that a lower percentage may be an indication of ownership or control. Control through other means may be determined, inter alia, in accordance with the criteria in Article 22(1) to (5) of Directive 2013/34/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council (^{11}); if, after having exhausted all possible means and provided there are no grounds for suspicion, no person under point (i) is identified, or if there is any doubt that the person(s) identified are the beneficial owner(s), the natural person(s) who hold the position of senior managing official(s), the obliged entities shall keep records of the actions taken in order to identify the beneficial ownership under point (i) and this point; in the case of trusts, all following persons: the settlor(s); the trustee(s); the protector(s), if any; the beneficiaries or where the individuals benefiting from the legal arrangement or entity have yet to be determined, the class of persons in whose main interest the legal arrangement or entity is set up or operates; any other natural person exercising ultimate control over the trust by means of direct or indirect ownership or by other means; in the case of legal entities such as foundations, and legal arrangements similar to trusts, the natural person(s) holding equivalent or similar positions to those referred to in point (b);

2. 09/07/2018 – 30/06/2021 Article 3, Fourth Anti-Money Laundering Directive Scope: Whole act

   For the purposes of this Directive, the following definitions apply:

   ‘beneficial owner’ means any natural person(s) who ultimately owns or controls the customer and/or the natural person(s) on whose behalf a transaction or activity is being conducted and includes at least: in the case of corporate entities: the natural person(s) who ultimately owns or controls a legal entity through direct or indirect ownership of a sufficient percentage of the shares or voting rights or ownership interest in that entity, including through bearer shareholdings, or through control via other means, other than a company listed on a regulated market that is subject to disclosure requirements consistent with Union law or subject to equivalent international standards which ensure adequate transparency of ownership information.

Used in (37 places in 18 provisions on 12/11/2026)

Fourth Anti-Money Laundering Directive (37 in 18)

Recital 7 · Recital 12 · Recital 13² · Recital 14 · Recital 43 · Recital 51² · Article 3² · Article 13⁵ · Article 14³ · Article 18a² · Article 19a · Article 20 · Article 21 · Article 30⁶ · Article 31⁴ · Article 31a · Article 32a · Article 47²