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UBO vs PSC: What’s the Difference?

  • 24 November 2020

Understanding who ultimately controls a company is a key part of modern compliance. Two terms often used are UBO (Ultimate Beneficial Owner) and PSC (Person with Significant Control) and while they overlap, they are not the same.

What Is a UBO?

A UBO is the individual who ultimately owns or controls a company and benefits from it.

The term is used internationally in anti–money laundering (AML) regulations. Financial institutions are required to identify UBOs to help prevent fraud, money laundering, and financial crime.

What Is a PSC?

A PSC is a UK-specific legal term under the Companies Act 2006.
It refers to someone who owns or controls more than 25% of shares or voting rights or otherwise exercises significant influence over a UK company. PSC details must be recorded and filed with Companies House.

The Key Difference

  • UBO is a global AML concept focused on financial crime prevention.
  • PSC is a UK legal requirement focused on corporate transparency.

A UBO will have some degree of ownership, whereas a PCS does not necessarily have any shares in the company they may control.

In many cases, the same person may be both a UBO and a PSC, but the reporting obligations and thresholds can differ depending on the jurisdiction and purpose, financial crime prevention versus public transparency.

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