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I. Product Overview
ESCROW means that a transferor, contractor or debtor hands over relevant legal instrument such as deed, money, stock or other assets to a third party for safekeeping, and the third party will return the legal instrument or assets to the former when the agreed event or conditions are triggered. ESCROW services include overseas custody of funds, securities, deeds and other assets for domestic investors, or domestic and overseas custody of such assets for overseas investors. According to different subject matters under custody, ESCROW services can be classified into ESCROW service for funds and ESCROW service in kind.
ESCROW services are widely adopted in various fund receipt and payment activities, such as cross-border commodity trading of domestic and overseas enterprises, use of earmarked funds, share transfer, M&A, debt restructuring and intermediary services. A custodian bank, as both a credit agency and payment agency, aims to eliminate the distrust between the parties to a transaction to the maximum extent, reduce default risk and help clients conclude transactions smoothly.
II. Target Customers
Objectively, customers have demands for ESCROW services, as Chinese market is furthering its opening-up to the outside world, more and more foreign institutions are investing in China and vice versa, and Chinese enterprises are increasingly expanding their global business. The ESCROW services provided by ICBC mainly target at: Domestic and overseas companies that intend to engage in cross-border restructuring, expansion, or asset sales and M&A; domestic and foreign companies with the need for cross-border trading, payment for goods, services or funding; foreign investment banking institutions, venture capital, private equity companies, and large-scale multinationals.
III. Scope of Services
ESCROW services provided by ICBC include:
1.Account opening: Open a separate ESCROW account.
2.Safekeeping of assets: Provide asset custody service for funds, securities and deeds, to ensure the safety and independence of customer’s assets, and effectively prevent asset misappropriation risk.
3.Receipt and payment of fund or payment in kind: Transfer funds to the account designated by customer or make payment in kind to the party designed by customer according to the custody agreement and the fund transfer instructions delivered by receipt and payment clients.
4.Foreign exchange conversion: Handle foreign exchange settlement and sale according to relevant foreign exchange control regulations at home and abroad, so as to help customers conclude transaction successfully.
5.Cash management: Provide cash management services including fixed-income investment and interbank placement (if requested by customers).
6.Custody reports: Provide customers with periodic custody reports on various assets (if requested by customers).
IV. Product Advantages
1.As the largest custodian bank in China, ICBC has maintained its first position in the market for 25 years in terms of market share of asset custody business.
2.ICBC is the most professional custodian bank in China, with an advanced custody service system independently developed by it. The system has obtained ISAE3402 authentication (formerly known as SAS70), the first one of its kind in China, indicating that ICBC’s internal control of custody services has met international standards.
3.ICBC has an extensive customer service network. All the tier-one (directly managed) branches of ICBC have launched asset custody service, thus convenient and efficient custody services can be provided to customers by means of more than 15,000 branches and widespread outlets.
V. Business Flow
VI. Contact Information
If you would like to apply for any service, please contact the Global Asset Custody Division of Asset Custody Department of ICBC:
Contact: Ma Pingchuan
Tel.: (8610) 81012306
E-MAIL: pingchuan.ma@icbc.com.cn
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