The Securities Commission of The Bahamas has published a sectoral risk assessment assigning the corporate services segment an overall medium-high risk rating, with vulnerability scored at 0.64 on a scale of zero to one. The rating reflects the use of companies, trusts, nominee arrangements and similar structures by a predominantly international client base, which can obscure ownership and facilitate illicit finance. The assessment covers 251 providers administering about 27,700 entities, including roughly 7,800 with no apparent economic activity. Company services scored 0.72 for vulnerability, compared with 0.67 for trust services. The rating remains below high because providers are licensed and supervised, cash is largely absent, transactions settle through regulated financial institutions and firms report 97% completeness for beneficial ownership records. However, this control evidence remains substantially self-reported. Sanctions screening covers 89% of providers, while only 57% of provider risk assessments expressly address proliferation financing. The commission will prioritize beneficial ownership verification, monitoring of entities without apparent economic activity and risk-based supervision. Providers must document the purpose of inactive structures, conduct full due diligence on introduced business and exit relationships whose purpose cannot be established.
Securities Commission of The Bahamas rates corporate services segment medium-high for money laundering, terrorist financing and proliferation financing risk
The Securities Commission of The Bahamas has rated the corporate services segment medium-high for money laundering, terrorist financing and proliferation financing risk. Key drivers include international clients, nominee arrangements and roughly 7,800 administered entities with no apparent economic activity. Supervisory priorities include beneficial ownership verification, proliferation financing coverage and scrutiny of inactive structures.