Beneficial ownership and KYC for a crypto company: what regulators and banks ask for
For crypto companies, proving beneficial ownership and passing KYC checks is the first hurdle set by regulators and banks. Understanding what they demand can save you weeks of back-and-forth. CRYPTO LICENSE GUIDE · 2026 Beneficial ownership and KYC Crypto licensing across 15+ jurisdictions CONSULTING24.CO Why beneficial ownership matters in crypto Regulators treat crypto firms as high risk for money laundering and terrorist financing. The EU's 5th Anti-Money Laundering Directive (5AMLD) and MiCA require that every legal entity identify its ultimate beneficial owners (UBOs). A UBO is any individual who owns or controls more than 25% of shares or voting rights, or who exercises control through other means. Banks and licensing authorities will reject applications if the ownership chain is unclear. They expect a clean, documented line from the company to each natural person. For crypto firms with token-based governance or complex structures, this can be challenging. You must show ...