Finance:Treasury company

A treasury company is a government licensed financial institution. Treasury companies can take, hold, and invest deposits on behalf of their clients. Treasury companies are also called "capital management companies".

How do treasury companies work?

A treasury company typically works by holding its customers' assets in the name of the treasury company. The treasury company will typically utilize bank and brokerage accounts at major international banks and commercial banks. These deposits are only accepted on a non-discretionary basis. This means that the treasury company cannot use these funds and securities, nor even move them, without the express written direction of the customer. Unlike banks, treasury companies operate on a fee basis, not by investing customers' deposits for their own profit.

Why use a treasury company?

There are various reasons that a customer might wish to employ the services of a treasury company. The most common reason however is financial privacy. In cases or situations where a beneficial owner or client would prefer that his assets or a transaction remain anonymous, treasury accounts are used to provide an extra measure of banking privacy. Treasury companies exist to provide an extra level of privacy previously offered by offshore banks, but without the stigma attached to offshore banks due to the Patriot Act.