2021-01-01
The Egyptian Financial Regulatory Authority (FRA) issued Board of Directors Decision No. (9) of 2021, as amended, to establish mandatory licensing conditions and application procedures for companies seeking to operate clearing and settlement services for futures exchange contracts. The regulation mandates a minimum issued capital of 100 million EGP, restricts corporate purpose to clearing and settlement activities, requires specific executive departments and experienced management, and imposes strict criminal and insolvency background checks on founders and key executives. Applicants must submit a standardized form with detailed shareholder disclosures, technical capability declarations, and full-time management commitments, with the Authority required to adjudicate complete applications within thirty days.
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Chairman of the Authority
Board of Directors Decision No. (9) of 2021 dated 2021/1/31 Regarding the conditions and procedures for licensing the operation of clearing and settlement for contracts traded in futures exchanges (according to the latest amendment dated 2023/8/9)¹
Board of Directors of the Financial Regulatory Authority Having reviewed the Capital Market Law issued by Law No. (95) of 1992; Having reviewed the Central Depository and Registration Law for Securities and Financial Instruments issued by Law No. (93) of 2000; Having reviewed Law No. (10) of 2009 regulating supervision over non-banking financial markets and instruments; Having reviewed Board of Directors Decision No. (53) of 2018 regarding licensing issuance and renewal rules and share ownership rules for companies operating in non-banking financial activities; Having reviewed Board of Directors Decision No. (100) of 2020 regarding corporate governance rules for companies operating in non-banking financial activities; Having reviewed Board of Directors Decision No. (126) of 2020 regarding company ownership structure controls for entities conducting central depository and registration activities for government securities and financial instruments, and controls for forming boards of directors of such companies; Having reviewed Board of Directors Decision No. (2) of 2021 regarding supervisory controls in combating money laundering and terrorist financing for entities operating in non-banking financial activities; Having reviewed Board of Directors Decision No. (3) of 2021 reorganizing registration, renewal, and deregistration controls for auditors in the Authority's register; And after approval by the Board of Directors in its meeting held on 2021/1/31;
DECIDED
(Article One) Companies wishing to obtain a license to operate clearing and settlement for contracts traded in futures exchanges must meet the following conditions:
¹ The Decision was amended by Board of Directors Decision No. 19 of 2023 dated 2023/2/22, and Board of Directors Decision No. 165 dated 2023/8/9.
Smart Village, Building 136, Giza, Egypt Postal Code: 110 Tel: +20235345350 Fax: +20235370036 WWW.FRA.GOV.EG Building Bridges not Walls We Build Bridges, Not Walls
Chairman of the Authority
² Item (1) of Article One was replaced by Board of Directors Decision No. 19 of 2023 dated 2023/2/22. ³ Item (2) of Article One was replaced by Board of Directors Decision No. 165 dated 2023/8/9.
Smart Village, Building 136, Giza, Egypt Postal Code: 110 Tel: +20235345350 Fax: +20235370036 WWW.FRA.GOV.EG Building Bridges not Walls We Build Bridges, Not Walls
Chairman of the Authority
(Article Two) The license application must be submitted on the form prepared by the Authority for this purpose, accompanied by supporting documents proving compliance with the conditions in Article One of this Decision, plus the following documents:
(⁴) For the purpose of applying this Decision, serious crimes refer to crimes punishable by imprisonment or a fine with a maximum penalty of no less than five hundred thousand Egyptian pounds in any of the laws regulating non-banking financial activities, the Central Bank and banking system law, or the anti-money laundering law.
Smart Village, Building 136, Giza, Egypt Postal Code: 110 Tel: +20235345350 Fax: +20235370036 WWW.FRA.GOV.EG Building Bridges not Walls We Build Bridges, Not Walls
Chairman of the Authority
The Authority shall issue the applying company a certificate of receipt for the required documents if submitted in full, and shall rule on the license application within thirty days from the date of submission of the complete required documents.
(Article Three) Provisions of Board of Directors Decision No. (53) of 2018 regarding licensing issuance and renewal rules and share ownership rules for companies operating in non-banking financial activities shall apply to matters not specifically addressed in this Decision.
(Article Four) This Decision shall be published in the Egyptian Gazette and on the Authority's website, and shall take effect from the day following its publication in the Egyptian Gazette.
Smart Village, Building 136, Giza, Egypt Postal Code: 110 Tel: +20235345350 Fax: +20235370036 WWW.FRA.GOV.EG Building Bridges not Walls We Build Bridges, Not Walls