95-20842. Amendment to the Bank Secrecy Act Regulations Relating to Recordkeeping for Funds Transfers and Transmittals of Funds by Banks and Other Financial Institutions  

  • [Federal Register Volume 60, Number 164 (Thursday, August 24, 1995)]
    [Proposed Rules]
    [Pages 44146-44150]
    From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
    [FR Doc No: 95-20842]
    
    
    
    
    Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 164 / Thursday, August 24, 1995 / 
    Proposed Rules
    
    [[Page 44146]]
    
    
    FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM
    
    [Docket No. R-0888]
    
    DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
    
    31 CFR Part 103
    
    RIN 1506-AA16
    
    
    Amendment to the Bank Secrecy Act Regulations Relating to 
    Recordkeeping for Funds Transfers and Transmittals of Funds by Banks 
    and Other Financial Institutions
    
    AGENCY: Department of the Treasury; Board of Governors of the Federal 
    Reserve System.
    
    ACTION: Joint proposed rule.
    
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    SUMMARY: In January 1995, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network 
    (FinCEN) of the Department of the Treasury (Treasury) and the Board of 
    Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Board) jointly published a 
    final rule that requires enhanced recordkeeping related to certain 
    funds transfers and transmittals of funds by financial institutions 
    (the joint rule). Also in January 1995, the Treasury adopted a 
    companion rule, known as the travel rule, that requires financial 
    institutions to include in transmittal orders certain information that 
    must be maintained under the joint rule. The joint rule sets forth 
    definitions of terms used in both rules. The original effective date of 
    these rules was January 1, 1996. Subsequent to adoption of these rules, 
    several banks have expressed concerns to the Treasury and the Board 
    that compliance with the joint rule and the travel rule would be 
    complicated if the parties to an international transfer were defined 
    differently in the Bank Secrecy Act regulations than they are defined 
    in the Uniform Commercial Code Article 4A. The Treasury and the Board 
    have proposed amendments to the joint rule's definitions and technical 
    conforming changes to the substantive provisions of the joint rule to 
    conform the meanings of the definitions of the parties to an 
    international transfer to their meanings under Article 4A of the 
    Uniform Commercial Code. These proposed amendments are intended to 
    reduce confusion of banks and nonbank financial institutions as to the 
    applicability of the joint rule and the travel rule and to reduce the 
    cost of complying with the rules' requirements. The Treasury and the 
    Board believe that the proposed amendments will not have a material 
    adverse effect on the rules' usefulness in law enforcement 
    investigations and proceedings. The proposed amendments should not 
    affect a bank's responsibilities under the rules with respect to 
    domestic funds transfers. Due to the uncertainties resulting from these 
    proposed amendments, the Treasury and the Board have delayed the 
    effective date of the joint rule; a document delaying the effective 
    date of the final joint rule until April 1, 1996, is published 
    elsewhere in today's Federal Register.
    
    DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before September 25, 1995.
    
    ADDRESSES: Each comment should be sent separately to both the Treasury 
    and the Board at the following addresses:
        Treasury: Office of Regulatory Policy and Enforcement, Financial 
    Crimes Enforcement Network, Department of the Treasury, 2070 Chain 
    Bridge Road, Vienna, VA 22182, Attention: Funds Transfer NPRM. Comments 
    may be inspected between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. at the Treasury 
    Library, located in room 5030, 1500 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., 
    Washington, D.C. Persons wishing to inspect the comments submitted 
    should request an appointment at the Treasury Library, 202/622-0990.
        Board: Comments, which should refer to Docket No. R-0888, may be 
    mailed to Mr. William W. Wiles, Secretary, Board of Governors of the 
    Federal Reserve System, 20th Street and Constitution Avenue, N.W., 
    Washington, D.C. 20551. Comments also may be delivered to Room B-2222 
    of the Eccles building between 8:45 a.m. and 5:15 p.m. weekdays, or to 
    the guard station in the Eccles Building courtyard on 20th Street N.W. 
    (between Constitution Avenue and C Street) at any time. Comments may be 
    inspected in Room MP-500 of the Martin Building between 9:00 a.m. and 
    5:00 p.m. weekdays, except as provided in 12 CFR 261.8 of the Board's 
    Rules Regarding Availability of Information.
    
    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
        Treasury: Roger Weiner, Assistant Director, 202/622-0400; Stephen 
    R. Kroll, Legal Counsel, 703/905-3534; or Nina A. Nichols, Attorney-
    Advisor, 703/905-3598, FinCEN.
        Board: Louise L. Roseman, Associate Director, 202/452-2789; Gayle 
    Brett, Manager, Fedwire Section, 202/452-2934; Division of Reserve Bank 
    Operations and Payment Systems; Oliver Ireland, Associate General 
    Counsel, 202/452-3625; or Elaine Boutilier, Senior Counsel, 202/452-
    2418, Legal Division, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. 
    For the hearing impaired only, Telecommunication Device for the Deaf 
    (TDD), Dorothea Thompson, 202/452-3544.
    
    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    
    I. Background
    
        The statute generally referred to as the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) 
    (Pub. L. 91-508, codified at 12 U.S.C. 1829b and 1951-1959, and 31 
    U.S.C. 5311-5330) authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to require 
    financial institutions to keep records and file reports that the 
    Secretary determines have a high degree of usefulness in criminal, tax, 
    or regulatory investigations or proceedings. The authority of the 
    Secretary to administer the BSA has been delegated to the Director of 
    FinCEN. The BSA was amended by the Annunzio-Wylie Anti-Money Laundering 
    Act of 1992 (Pub. L. 102-550), which authorizes the Treasury and the 
    Board to prescribe regulations to require maintenance of records 
    regarding domestic and international funds transfers. The Treasury and 
    the Board are required to promulgate jointly, after consultation with 
    state banking supervisors, recordkeeping requirements for international 
    funds transfers by depository institutions and nonbank financial 
    institutions. The Treasury and the Board are required to consider the 
    usefulness of recordkeeping rules for international funds transfers in 
    criminal, tax, or regulatory investigations or proceedings and the 
    effect of such rules on the cost and efficiency of the payments system. 
    The Treasury and the Board are authorized to promulgate regulations for 
    domestic funds transfers by depository institutions. The Treasury, but 
    not the Board, is authorized to promulgate recordkeeping and reporting 
    requirements for domestic funds transfers by nonbank financial 
    institutions.
        In January 1995, the Treasury and the Board jointly published 
    enhanced recordkeeping requirements related to certain funds transfers 
    and transmittals of funds by banks and other financial institutions, in 
    accordance with the BSA (60 FR 220, January 3, 1995). At the same time, 
    the Treasury adopted a companion rule, known as the travel rule, that 
    requires financial institutions to include in transmittal orders 
    certain information that must be retained under the joint rule (60 FR 
    234, January 3, 1995). The joint rule sets forth definitions of terms 
    used in both rules. These rules were scheduled to become effective on 
    January 1, 1996.
    
    II. Industry Concerns Regarding Definition of Parties to an 
    International Funds Transfer
    
        Subsequent to adoption of these rules, several large banks as well 
    as bank 
    
    [[Page 44147]]
    counsel have advised the Treasury and the Board that compliance with 
    the joint rule and the travel rule would be complicated if the parties 
    to an international funds transfer were defined differently in the 
    joint rule than they are in the Uniform Commercial Code Article 4A (UCC 
    4A). Under the joint rule adopted in January, the first U.S. bank 
    office that handles an incoming international funds transfer is defined 
    as the originator's bank.1 Under UCC 4A and the Board's Regulation 
    J governing Fedwire transfers (12 CFR Part 210, subpart B), which 
    incorporates UCC 4A, if the U.S. bank receives a payment order from a 
    foreign bank and executes a corresponding payment order to a subsequent 
    receiving bank, the first U.S. bank would be deemed an intermediary 
    bank rather than the originator's bank. Large banks that regularly 
    process international funds transfers believe that substantial 
    confusion would result from defining the parties to an international 
    funds transfer for the purposes of the BSA rules differently from the 
    manner in which they are defined under UCC 4A.
    
        \1\  The originator's bank is defined as ``the receiving bank to 
    which the payment order of the originator is issued if the 
    originator is not a bank, or the originator if the originator is a 
    bank.'' (103.11(w)) A receiving bank is defined as ``the bank to 
    which the sender's instruction is addressed.'' (103.11(aa)) As the 
    definition of bank is limited to an ``agent, agency, branch or 
    office within the United States'' (103.11(c)), a receiving bank must 
    be a U.S. banking office, and therefore the originator's bank is the 
    first U.S. banking office to handle the transfer.
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        In addition to the confusion created by defining the parties to an 
    international funds transfer in a manner that is not consistent with 
    the roles of the parties as defined by UCC 4A, several banks have 
    indicated that they believe the difference between the BSA and the UCC 
    4A definitions may cause certain problems in the application of the 
    joint rule and the travel rule to international funds transfers. The 
    following chart depicts a hypothetical funds transfer that serves to 
    illustrate the operational issues raised by the industry 
    representatives if the first U.S. bank in an incoming international 
    funds transfer were deemed to be the originator's bank and the last 
    U.S. bank in an outgoing international funds transfer were deemed to be 
    the beneficiary's bank:
    
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                                            Definitions of bank and FI                                              
                                        parties to transfer limited to US      Definitions that conform to UCC 4A   
            Parties to transfer             offices (rule published in          meanings (proposed amended rule)    
                                                  January 1995)                                                     
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    German Company....................  .................................  Originator/Transmittor.                  
    German Bank 1.....................  .................................  Originator's bank/Transmittor's FI.      
    German Bank 2.....................  Originator/Transmittor...........  Intermediary bank/Intermediary FI.       
    New York Bank 1...................  Originator's bank/Transmittor's    Intermediary bank/Intermediary FI.       
                                         FI.                                                                        
    New York Bank 2...................  Intermediary bank/Intermediary's   Intermediary bank/Intermediary FI.       
                                         FI.                                                                        
    California Bank...................  Beneficiary's bank/Recipient's FI  Intermediary bank/Intermediary FI.       
    Japanese Bank.....................  Beneficiary/Recipient............  Beneficiary's bank/Recipient's FI.       
    Japanese Company..................  .................................  Beneficiary/Recipient.                   
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        In this transfer, a German company instructs its bank (German Bank 
    1) to send a dollar payment to Japanese Bank for credit to a Japanese 
    company. German Bank 1 forwards the payment instructions to its 
    correspondent, German Bank 2. German Bank 2 sends the payment 
    instructions via SWIFT to its New York correspondent, New York Bank 1. 
    New York Bank 1 executes a payment order via CHIPS to New York Bank 2. 
    New York Bank 2 forwards the payment order via Fedwire to California 
    Bank. California Bank sends the payment order via SWIFT to Japanese 
    Bank, which credits the account of the Japanese company.
    III. Definitions Under Joint Rule as Published in January 1995
    
        Under the joint rule as adopted in January, German Bank 2 is 
    defined as the originator (transmittor) of the transfer, because it is 
    the sender of the first payment order 2 in a funds transfer and 
    New York Bank 1 is defined as the originator's bank (transmittor's 
    financial institution). Japanese Bank 1, which is neither a bank nor a 
    financial institution under the BSA definitions, is defined as the 
    beneficiary and California Bank is defined as the beneficiary's bank. 
    In the example, New York Bank 1 as originator's bank would be subject 
    to the following requirements under the joint rule:
    
        \2\ A payment order is defined as ``an instruction of a sender 
    to a receiving bank. . . .'' (31 CFR 103.11(y)) As noted above, a 
    receiving bank is defined as ``the bank to which the sender's 
    instruction is addressed.'' Because the BSA rules limit the 
    definition of bank to an office within the United States, the 
    instruction of a sender to the first U.S. banking office is defined 
    as the first payment order.
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        A. Obtain and retain the name and address of German Bank 2 (the 
    originator) (103.33(e)(1)(i)). New York Bank 1 generally would have a 
    record of the name and address of German Bank 2, which in virtually all 
    cases would be an accountholder at New York Bank 1. In the rare case in 
    which German Bank 2 is not an established customer of New York Bank 1, 
    New York Bank 1 would be required to obtain this information.
        B. Have the capability to retrieve the record of the funds transfer 
    by name or account number of German Bank 2 (103.33(e)(4)). All 
    financial institutions are currently subject to the general 
    retrievability requirements under section 103.38(d), which states that 
    all records required to be retained under 31 CFR Part 103 ``. . . shall 
    be filed or stored in such a way as to be accessible within a 
    reasonable time, taking into consideration the nature of the record, 
    and the amount of time expired since the record was made.'' While the 
    requirements of the joint rule emphasize the need for an originator's 
    bank to have the capability to retrieve funds transfer records by name 
    or account number of the originator, the bank would nonetheless have to 
    have the capability to retrieve these records if it were deemed to be 
    an intermediary bank.
        C. Comply with the verification requirements if German Bank 2 is 
    not an established customer (103.33(e)(2)). If German Bank 2 were not 
    an established customer of New York Bank 1 (a situation that would 
    occur only rarely), New York Bank 1 would have to comply with the joint 
    rule's verification requirements. This would require manual 
    intervention in what is generally a highly automated process, and the 
    Treasury and the Board do not believe that the resulting information 
    would be highly useful to law enforcement.
        In addition, under the travel rule, the originator's bank and each 
    intermediary bank (if the information is received from the sender) 
    would be required to:
        D. Include the name, address, and account number of German Bank 2 
    in the payment order it executes (103.33(g) 
    
    [[Page 44148]]
    (1) and (2)). New York Bank 1 typically would include in the payment 
    order it executes the SWIFT Bank Identification Code (BIC) or CHIPS 
    Universal Identifier (UID) of German Bank 2 (the originator), rather 
    than German Bank 2's name, address, and account number. The Treasury 
    believes that use of a widely-used industry code, such as a BIC, UID, 
    or routing number, to identify the transmittor constitutes compliance 
    with the travel rule requirement to include the name, address, and 
    account number of the transmittor in subsequent payment orders.
        Information pertaining to German Bank 2 may not be retained in all 
    subsequent payment orders, however, because German Bank 2 generally 
    would be identified as the instructing bank, rather than the 
    originator's bank, in the CHIPS message sent by New York Bank 1. While 
    the identification of the bank included in the originator's bank field 
    generally is retained in subsequent payment orders, the identification 
    of the bank in the instructing bank field may change in subsequent 
    payment orders.3
    
        \3\  Banks often define the parties to an international transfer 
    in the SWIFT, CHIPS, and Fedwire formats differently than the 
    parties are defined in the BSA rules as adopted in January. These 
    formats have fields for the identification of the originator's bank, 
    the instructing bank, the sender bank (the bank that sends the 
    transfer through SWIFT, CHIPS, or Fedwire), the receiver bank, the 
    intermediary bank, and the beneficiary's bank. The first U.S. or 
    foreign bank in a transfer is generally identified in the message 
    format as the originator's bank; the bank that immediately precedes 
    the sender bank (if different than the originator's bank) is 
    identified as the instructing bank. For transfers that are sent 
    through a large number of receiving banks, the identification of 
    instructing bank may change from payment order to payment order.
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        California Bank, as beneficiary's bank, would be required under the 
    joint rule to (1) retain the information contained in the payment order 
    sent by New York Bank 2 (103.33(e)(1)(iii)); (2) have the capability to 
    retrieve the record of the funds transfer by name or account number of 
    Japanese Bank (103.33(e)(4)); and (3) comply with the verification 
    requirements if Japanese Bank is not an established customer 
    (103.33(e)(3)).
    
    IV. Effect of Proposed Amendment
    
        If New York Bank 1 and California Bank in the example above were 
    considered to be intermediary banks instead of the originator's bank 
    and beneficiary's bank, respectively, under the BSA rules, they would 
    be required under the joint rule to retain a copy of the payment order 
    they accept (103.33(e)(1)(ii)). As noted above, while there is no 
    specific retrievability requirement under the joint rule for 
    intermediary banks, under 103.38(d) information retained must be 
    ``accessible.'' Under the travel rule, New York Bank 1 would be 
    required to include in its payment order to New York Bank 2 only the 
    information pertaining to the transmittor and other transfer 
    information that it received from German Bank 2 (103.33(g)(2)). 
    Similarly, New York Bank 2 and California Bank, as other intermediary 
    banks in the funds transfer, would be required to include this 
    information in the payment orders they execute if received in the 
    payment orders they accepted.
        Treatment of New York Bank 1 and California Bank as intermediary 
    banks addresses the concerns of industry representatives. Under current 
    industry practice, banks generally would be in compliance with the 
    recordkeeping, retrievability, and travel rule requirements for 
    intermediary banks. The Treasury and the Board do not believe that 
    identifying the banks in an international transfer in the same manner 
    as they are defined in UCC 4A will reduce the usefulness of the 
    information to law enforcement, provided that intermediary banks comply 
    with the requirements of 103.38(d). As part of the 36-month review of 
    the effectiveness of the joint rule and the travel rule, Treasury will 
    monitor the experience of law enforcement in obtaining from 
    intermediary banks information retained pursuant to the joint rule.
    V. Corresponding Changes Affecting Nonbank Financial Institutions
    
        The example reviewed above involves banks, as banks have raised 
    concerns with the differences between the definitions of the parties to 
    international funds transfers in the joint rule and UCC 4A. Financial 
    institutions other than banks have not raised operational concerns with 
    the Treasury and the Board on this matter. The Treasury and the Board 
    believe, however, that nonbank financial institutions that conduct 
    international transmittals of funds may have similar compliance 
    concerns. Accordingly, the proposed amendments to the joint rule 
    include modifications that correspond to the changes that apply to 
    banks.
    
    VI. Request for Comment
    
        The Treasury and the Board request comment on proposed amendments 
    to the definitions that make the roles of the parties to an 
    international funds transfer consistent under the BSA rules and under 
    UCC 4A and that make parallel changes to the definitions of the parties 
    to an international transmittal of funds. The proposed amendments 
    include expansion of the definitions of beneficiary's bank, 
    originator's bank, payment order, receiving bank, receiving financial 
    institution, recipient's financial institution, transmittal order, 
    transmittor, and transmittor's financial institution to include both 
    domestic and foreign institutions. The Treasury and the Board have also 
    proposed technical conforming changes to the joint rule to clarify that 
    only bank and financial institution offices located within the United 
    States are subject to the joint rule's requirements.
        These amendments should reduce confusion with respect to the 
    interpretation of the rules and should facilitate compliance with the 
    rules' requirements. Moreover, the Treasury and the Board do not 
    believe that these proposed amendments will increase the cost of 
    compliance with the rules' requirements for those banks and nonbank 
    financial institutions that have prepared to comply with the rules 
    under the assumption that the first U.S. banking office in an 
    international transfer is subject to the originator's bank 
    responsibilities.
        In addition, the Treasury and the Board have revised section 
    103.33(e)(6) by deleting the word ``domestic'' prior to the word 
    ``bank'' and prior to the words ``broker or dealer in securities.'' 
    These changes have no material effect on the scope of the exclusions 
    set forth in this section as the word ``bank'' is defined to be limited 
    to offices located within the United States and the term ``broker or 
    dealer in securities'' is limited to brokers registered with the 
    Securities and Exchange Commission.4
    
        \4\ The Treasury has also proposed companion amendments to the 
    travel rule. See document elsewhere in today's Federal Register.
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    VII. Paperwork Reduction Act
    
        The collection of information required by the joint final rule 
    whose amendment is proposed in this notice was submitted by the 
    Treasury to the Office of Management and Budget in accordance with the 
    requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3504(h)) under 
    control number 1505-0063. (See, 60 FR 227 (January 3, 1995)) The 
    collection is authorized, as before, by 12 U.S.C. 1829b and 1959 and 31 
    U.S.C. 5311-5330.
        The changes to the joint final rule proposed in this document will 
    eliminate information collection requirements that were required by the 
    joint final rule. Therefore, no additional Paperwork Reduction Act 
    submissions are required. 
    
    [[Page 44149]]
    
    
    VIII. Regulatory Flexibility Act
    
        Pursuant to section 605(b) of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 
    U.S.C. 605(b)), the Treasury and the Board hereby certify that these 
    proposed amendments to the joint final rule will not have a significant 
    economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. The proposed 
    amendments eliminate uncertainty as to the application of the joint 
    final rule and reduce the cost of complying with the joint rule's 
    requirements. Furthermore, the proposed amendments affect international 
    funds transfers and transmittals of funds, which are handled almost 
    exclusively by large institutions. Accordingly, a regulatory 
    flexibility analysis is not required.
    
    IX. Executive Order 12866
    
        The Treasury finds that these proposed amendments to the joint rule 
    are not ``significant'' for purposes of Executive Order 12866. The 
    modifications should reduce the cost of compliance with the joint rule 
    and the travel rule. The Treasury believes that these proposed rule 
    changes will not affect adversely in a material way the economy, a 
    sector of the economy, productivity, competition, jobs, the 
    environment, public health or safety, or State, local, or tribal 
    governments or communities. These proposed revisions create no 
    inconsistencies with, nor do they interfere with actions taken or 
    planned by other agencies. Finally, these proposed revisions raise no 
    novel legal or policy issues. A cost and benefit analysis therefore is 
    not required.
    
    X. Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 Statement
    
        Section 202 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995, Public Law 
    104-4 (Unfunded Mandates Act), signed into law on March 22, 1995, 
    requires that an agency prepare a budgetary impact statement before 
    promulgating a rule that includes a federal mandate that may result in 
    expenditure by state, local, and tribal governments, in the aggregate, 
    or by the private sector, of $100 million or more in any one year. The 
    Treasury has determined that it is not required to prepare a written 
    budgetary impact statement for the proposed amendments, and has 
    concluded that the proposed amendments are the most cost-effective and 
    least burdensome means of achieving the stated objectives of the rule.
    
    List of Subjects in 31 CFR Part 103
    
        Administrative practice and procedure, Banks, banking, Brokers, 
    Currency, Foreign banking, foreign currencies, Gambling, 
    Investigations, Penalties, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, 
    Securities.
    
    Amendment
    
        For the reasons set forth in the preamble, 31 CFR Part 103 is 
    proposed to be amended as set forth below:
    
    PART 103--FINANCIAL RECORDKEEPING AND REPORTING OF CURRENCY AND 
    FOREIGN TRANSACTIONS
    
        1. The authority citation for Part 103 is revised to read as 
    follows:
    
        Authority: 12 U.S.C. 1829b and 1951-1959; 31 U.S.C. 5311-5330.
    
        2. Section 103.11 is amended by revising paragraphs (e), (w), (y) 
    introductory text, (aa), (bb), (dd), (kk) introductory text, (ll), and 
    (mm) to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 103.11  Meaning of terms.
    
    * * * * *
        (e) Beneficiary's bank. The bank or foreign bank identified in a 
    payment order in which an account of the beneficiary is to be credited 
    pursuant to the order or which otherwise is to make payment to the 
    beneficiary if the order does not provide for payment to an account.
    * * * * *
        (w) Originator's bank. The receiving bank to which the payment 
    order of the originator is issued if the originator is not a bank or 
    foreign bank, or the originator if the originator is a bank or foreign 
    bank.
    * * * * *
        (y) Payment order. An instruction of a sender to a receiving bank, 
    transmitted orally, electronically, or in writing, to pay, or to cause 
    another bank or foreign bank to pay, in a fixed or determinable amount 
    of money to a beneficiary if:
    * * * * *
        (aa) Receiving bank. The bank or foreign bank to which the sender's 
    instruction is addressed.
        (bb) Receiving financial institution. The financial institution or 
    foreign financial agency to which the sender's instruction is 
    addressed. The term receiving financial institution includes a 
    receiving bank.
    * * * * *
        (dd) Recipient's financial institution. The financial institution 
    or foreign financial agency identified in a transmittal order in which 
    an account of the recipient is to be credited pursuant to the 
    transmittal order or which otherwise is to make payment to the 
    recipient if the order does not provide for payment to an account. The 
    term recipient's financial institution includes a beneficiary's bank, 
    except where the beneficiary is a recipient's financial institution.
    * * * * *
        (kk) Transmittal order. The term transmittal order includes a 
    payment order and is an instruction of a sender to a receiving 
    financial institution, transmitted orally, electronically, or in 
    writing, to pay, or cause another financial institution or foreign 
    financial agency to pay, a fixed or determinable amount of money to a 
    recipient if:
    * * * * *
        (ll) Transmittor. The sender of the first transmittal order in a 
    transmittal of funds. The term transmittor includes an originator, 
    except where the transmittor's financial institution is a financial 
    institution or foreign financial agency other than a bank or foreign 
    bank.
        (mm) Transmittor's financial institution. The receiving financial 
    institution to which the transmittal order of the transmittor is issued 
    if the transmittor is not a financial institution or foreign financial 
    agency, or the transmittor if the transmittor is a financial 
    institution or foreign financial agency. The term transmittor's 
    financial institution includes an originator's bank, except where the 
    originator is a transmittor's financial institution other than a bank 
    or foreign bank.
    * * * * *
        3. In Sec. 103.33, paragraphs (e) introductory text, (e)(1)(i) 
    introductory text, (e)(1)(ii), (e)(1)(iii), (e)(6)(i)(A) through 
    (e)(6)(i)(G), (e)(6)(ii), (f) introductory text, (f)(1)(i) introductory 
    text, (f)(1)(ii), (f)(1)(iii), (f)(6)(i)(A) through (f)(6)(i)(G) and 
    (f)(6)(ii) are revised to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 103.33  Records to be made and retained by financial institutions.
    
    * * * * *
        (e) Banks. Each agent, agency, branch, or office located within the 
    United States of a bank is subject to the requirements of this 
    paragraph (e) with respect to a funds transfer in the amount of $3,000 
    or more:
        (1) Recordkeeping requirements. (i) For each payment order that it 
    accepts as an originator's bank, a bank shall obtain and retain either 
    the original or a microfilm, other copy, or electronic record of the 
    following information relating to the payment order:
    * * * * *
        (ii) For each payment order that it accepts as an intermediary 
    bank, a bank shall retain either the original or a microfilm, other 
    copy, or electronic record of the payment order. 
    
    [[Page 44150]]
    
        (iii) for each payment order that it accepts as a beneficiary's 
    bank, a bank shall retain either the original or a microfilm, other 
    copy, or electronic record of the payment order.
    * * * * *
        (6) Exceptions. * * *
        (i) * * *
        (A) A bank;
        (B) A wholly-owned domestic subsidiary of a bank chartered in the 
    United States;
        (C) A broker or dealer in securities;
        (D) A wholly-owned domestic subsidiary of a broker or dealer in 
    securities;
        (E) The United States;
        (F) A state or local government; or
        (G) A federal, state or local government agency or instrumentality; 
    and
        (ii) Funds transfers where both the originator and the beneficiary 
    are the same person and the originator's bank and the beneficiary's 
    bank are the same bank.
        (f) Nonbank financial institutions. Each agent, agency, branch, or 
    office located within the United States of a financial institution 
    other than a bank is subject to the requirements of this paragraph (f) 
    with respect to a transmittal of funds in the amount of $3,000 or more:
        (1) Recordkeeping requirements. (i) For each transmittal order that 
    it accepts as a transmittor's financial institution, a financial 
    institution shall obtain and retain either the original or a microfilm, 
    other copy, or electronic record of the following information relating 
    to the transmittal order:
    * * * * *
        (ii) For each transmittal order that it accepts as an intermediary 
    financial institution, a financial institution shall retain either the 
    original or a microfilm, other copy, or electronic record of the 
    transmittal order.
        (iii) for each transmittal order that it accepts as a recipient's 
    financial institution, a financial institution shall retain either the 
    original or a microfilm, other copy, or electronic record of the 
    transmittal order.
    * * * * *
        (6) Exceptions. * * *
        (i) * * *
        (A) A bank;
        (B) A wholly-owned domestic subsidiary of a bank chartered in the 
    United States;
        (C) A broker or dealer in securities;
        (D) A wholly-owned domestic subsidiary of a broker or dealer in 
    securities;
        (E) The United States;
        (F) A state or local government; or
        (G) A federal, state or local government agency or instrumentality; 
    and
        (ii) Transmittals of funds where both the transmittor and the 
    recipient are the same person and the transmittor's financial 
    institution and the recipient's financial institution are the same 
    broker or dealer in securities.
        In concurrence:
    
        By the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, August 
    17, 1995.
    William W. Wiles,
    Secretary to the Board.
    
        Dated: July 31, 1995.
    
        By the Department of the Treasury.
    Stanley E. Morris,
    Director, Financial Crimes Enforcement Network.
    [FR Doc. 95-20842 Filed 8-23-95; 8:45 am]
    BILLING CODE 6210-01-P; 4820-03-P
    
    

Document Information

Published:
08/24/1995
Department:
Treasury Department
Entry Type:
Proposed Rule
Action:
Joint proposed rule.
Document Number:
95-20842
Dates:
Comments must be submitted on or before September 25, 1995.
Pages:
44146-44150 (5 pages)
Docket Numbers:
Docket No. R-0888
RINs:
1506-AA16: Amendment to Bank Secrecy Act Regulations Relating to Recordkeeping for Funds Transfers and Transmittals of Funds by Banks and Other Financial Institutions
RIN Links:
https://www.federalregister.gov/regulations/1506-AA16/amendment-to-bank-secrecy-act-regulations-relating-to-recordkeeping-for-funds-transfers-and-transmit
PDF File:
95-20842.pdf
CFR: (2)
31 CFR 103.11
31 CFR 103.33