Compliance

Compliance and regulation

Sentvia Services Ltd is regulated by the Bank of Canada as a payment service provider under the Retail Payment Activities Act (RPAA) and is registered with FINTRAC as a Money Services Business, MSB No. C100000474. Both registrations are on public registries, so you can check them yourself before you send us a payment.

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RegistrationsSentvia
Bank of Canada
Payment service provider under the RPAA
FINTRAC
Money Services Business, MSB No. C100000474
Incorporated
British Columbia, Canada, Company No. BC1505563
Registered office
410 West Georgia Street 5th Floor, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6B 1Z3, Canada

Two registrations, two regulators

FINTRAC, the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada, is the country's financial intelligence unit. A Money Services Business registered with it takes on anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing obligations: knowing who its clients are, keeping records, and reporting suspicious and prescribed transactions.

The Bank of Canada supervises payment service providers under the Retail Payment Activities Act. Its focus is different: how a provider manages operational risk and how it protects the funds it holds for the people and businesses it serves.

One registration doesn't imply the other. A provider can hold either, both or neither, so check each one separately.

What we don't claim

  • Sentvia is not a bank and holds no banking licence.
  • Sentvia is not authorised by the FCA, the SEC, VARA, the CBUAE or any regulator other than the two above.
  • Accounts and IBANs are provided through regulated banking partners.
  • Registration is not an endorsement. It means a business is on record and bound by obligations, not that a regulator has approved its products.
  • Your own anti-money laundering obligations stay with you.

How to check our registrations

  1. Open FINTRAC's Money Services Business registry and search for C100000474 or Sentvia Services Ltd.
  2. Confirm the status is registered and the legal name matches the company you are contracting with.
  3. Open our entry in the Bank of Canada's payment service provider registry.
  4. Check the incorporation separately: British Columbia company number BC1505563 is its own record in the BC Registry.

Ask every provider you consider for the same three things: the regulator, the status and the number. If you can't look it up, it isn't a credential.

How compliance works day to day

Before an account opens

We verify every business before activation. Expect questions about who the company is, who owns and controls it, who acts on its behalf, what it does, and the payments you expect to send and receive.

On every transaction

Monitoring is risk-based and continuous. Automated tools flag unusual activity and our compliance team reviews it. Third-party payments go only to approved beneficiaries, and every beneficiary is subject to compliance review.

When something doesn't add up

We may ask for more information, hold or restrict a payment, or report it where the law requires. A request for information is a routine part of the process, not an accusation.

Oversight

A designated Money Laundering Reporting Officer is responsible for our anti-money laundering programme. We assess our money laundering and terrorist financing risk across the business at least once a year, and an independent review tests the programme's effectiveness at least every two years.

Published policies

Sentvia does not provide investment advice, portfolio management, banking, or lending services.

FAQ

Common questions

Is Sentvia regulated?
Yes. Sentvia Services Ltd is regulated by the Bank of Canada as a payment service provider under the Retail Payment Activities Act, and is registered with FINTRAC as a Money Services Business, MSB No. C100000474.
Is Sentvia a bank?
No. Sentvia holds no banking licence. Accounts and IBANs are provided through regulated banking partners.
How do I check the FINTRAC registration?
Search FINTRAC's public Money Services Business registry for MSB No. C100000474 or for the legal name Sentvia Services Ltd, and confirm the status is registered.
What is the difference between FINTRAC registration and RPAA supervision?
FINTRAC registration covers anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing obligations. The RPAA is a separate law under which the Bank of Canada supervises payment service providers, covering operational risk and the protection of users' funds.
Does using Sentvia cover our own anti-money laundering obligations?
No. If your business is subject to anti-money laundering rules, those obligations stay with you. Our checks sit alongside your own, not in place of them.

Further reading

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Tell us about the payments you expect and a dedicated onboarding officer will guide you through set-up.

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