8.1.1. Purpose of COB 8

The purpose of this section is providing protection for the Client, in the event that an Authorised Firm becomes insolvent or is otherwise unable to fulfil its obligations, in relation to any Money or Investments that are held by the Authorised Firm for that Client.

8.1.2. Application of COB 8

This section applies to an Authorised Firm which:

• (a) receives Money from, or holds or controls Money for or on behalf of, a Client in the course of, or in connection with, the carrying on of Investment Business in or from the AIFC;
• (b) holds or controls Instruments belonging to a Client in the course of, or in connection with, the carrying on of Investment Business in or from the AIFC; or
• (c) Provides Custody in or from the AIFC.

8.1.3. Meaning of "hold" and "control"

Client Assets are held or controlled by an Authorised Firm if they are:

• (a) directly held by the Authorised Firm;
• (b) held in an account in the name of the Authorised Firm;
• (c) held by a Person, or in an account in the name of a Person, controlled by the Authorised Firm; or
• (d) held in the Client’s own name, but the Authorised Firm has a mandate from the Client to manage those assets on a discretionary basis.

Guidance: Examples of Client Assets controlled by an Authorised Firm

For the purposes of COB 8.1.3, the AFSA would consider:

(i) a Person to be controlled by an Authorised Firm if that Person is inclined to act in accordance with the instructions of the Authorised Firm;

(ii) an account to be controlled by an Authorised Firm if that account is operated in accordance with the instructions of the Authorised Firm; and

(iii) if an Authorised Firm has a discretionary portfolio mandate from a Client, even though the assets are to be held in the name of the Client (for example, under a power of attorney arrangement), the Authorised Firm controls those assets as it can execute transactions relating to those assets, within the parameters set out in the mandate, in which situation the rules on mandates in COB 8.4 shall apply.

8.1.4. General requirements

An Authorised Firm which receives Money from, or holds Money for or on behalf of, a Client in the course of, or in connection with, the carrying on of Investment Business in or from the AIFC must comply with COB 8.2.

An Authorised Firm which holds Investments belonging to a Client in the course of, or in connection with, the carrying on of Investment Business in or from the AIFC or Provides Custody in or from the AIFC must comply with COB 8.3. A Client whose Investments or Money is required to be held in compliance with either COB 8.2 or COB 8.3 is a "Segregated Client". An Authorised Firm which controls Money or Investments belonging to a Client under a Mandate but does not receive or hold that Money or those Investments itself must comply with COB 8.4.

8.1.5. Arranging Custody

An Authorised Firm which Arranges Custody must comply with the requirements in COB 8.3.7 (on assessing the suitability of Third Party Account Providers), COB 8.3.13 (on disclosure), COB 8.3.14(2) (on client reporting) and COB 8.3.15 (on record keeping).