Identity & ownership
- Incorporation + registers (directors/UBO)
- Group structure (HoldCo/OpCo clarity)
- Key persons bios + roles (who does what)
Counterparty guide
Banking Expectations
Banks don’t “approve” your story. They verify consistency: entity → scope → funds flow → controls → evidence. The fastest way to get stuck is to be vague or to imply payment/custody activity without proof.
Informational only. This page explains what banks typically
verify and how to reduce back-and-forth.
Core checks
What banks try to verify
-
Entity truthWho you are, where you operate, who controls it, and where decisions are made.
-
Scope truthYour real activities, not marketing claims.
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Funds flow truthWho pays whom, and who can move money (control points).
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Controls truthPolicies + how they are actually used (monitoring, escalation, records).
The hidden test
The “consistency triangle”
Banks compare these three things for contradictions:
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DocumentsIncorporation, policies, contracts, registers, board minutes.
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Website claimsLanguage, features, and implied permissions.
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OperationsActual counterparties, flows, vendor stack, and where staff sit.
Most rejections are contradictions, not “missing documents”.
Practical pack
A future-safe banking document pack
This is an evidence-style pack. It is intentionally conservative to avoid implying payments/custody on this domain.
Business model & flows
- High-level funds flow diagram (who pays whom)
- Counterparty list + purpose (LPs, brokers, vendors)
- “What we do / do not do” scope statement
Policies & controls
- AML/CFT policy (risk-based, escalation)
- Complaints + incident response (operational)
- Recordkeeping + access controls
Sequence
How onboarding usually progresses
1
Truth checkBasic identity + verification of
public claims and entity structure.
2
Scope checkMatch your stated activity to
contracts, vendors, and website content.
3
Money checkFunds flow and who can move money,
including any custody posture.
4
Controls checkPolicies + evidence that the
controls are operational, not decorative.
Avoid this
Fastest ways to trigger “More docs please”
These are the classic friction points. Fix them on the website first, then align documents.
Implied payment services
“Deposits”, “wallet”, “withdrawal processing”, “payouts” language implies payments/custody.
- Use “funds flow” / “settlement” language
- State boundaries explicitly
Claims without proof
“Audited”, “segregated”, “safeguarded” claims cause immediate follow-ups.
- Keep claims factual and bounded
- Align website + contracts + ops
Scope drift
Describing capital markets activity like “banking”, “asset management”, or “payments”.
- Keep terms category-consistent
- Use explainer pages for nuance
Contact
Contact us
For reference enquiries, verification questions, or corrections. This site does not accept applications.
Reference enquiries
Replace placeholders with your final channels.
Include: intended banking use (collections/ops/treasury), a
simple flow summary, and any scope boundary concerns.
Reference desk
Contact details
Emailinfo@nevesfinancialauthority.org
Phone+2399087684
LocationCapital Markets Desk, Neves Financial Services Authority Division, Neves Licensing Authority, R.3 de Feveirero, Almeirim, São Tomé , São Tomé & Príncipe
If you need application intake, use the commercial domain
(.com). This .org is a reference site.
