TABLE OF CONTENTS



First AML’s Unwrap feature combines our Entity Tree Builder with real-time data from global company registries. With a single click, users can request official registry information for any private company.

The entity tree will automatically populate with key details, including:

  • Directors

  • Shareholders

  • Ultimate Beneficial Owners (UBOs)

This streamlines the process of identifying ownership structures and compliance obligations.


Note: Each unwrap incurs a billable charge, which varies depending on the jurisdiction of the entity.
For pricing details, please contact support@firstaml.com.

 


Video demonstration




Step-by-step


1. Click ‘Create new case’, then complete the following fields:

  • Primary entity type: Select Private company

  • Verification type: Choose the type of verification for beneficial owners (more info here)

  • Find an entity*: Enter the full legal name of the company

  • Registered country*: Select the company’s registration country

  • Company registry number: Enter the registration number

  • Case reference (optional): Add an internal client reference if needed

  • Fields marked with an asterisk () are mandatory to enable KYB Unwrap.

Click ‘Create case’ to proceed.



2. Go to the Structure tab

Click ‘Start unwrap’

The platform will fetch information from the relevant company registry. The structure tab will automatically populate with:

  • Directors

  • Shareholders

We recommend reviewing the company extract for additional registry-specific insights, such as shareholding percentages or nominee flags.







If any shareholder is another entity and we can't automatically match it, you’ll be prompted to confirm the match:

  • Click ‘Confirm entity’ to match the name from the registry to the correct entity in the global database

  • A global search will auto-run, showing matching entities

  • Review the options and select the correct match

  • Click ‘Confirm entity’



Tips if you can't find a match:

  • Only active companies will appear

  • Remove suffixes like "Ltd" or "Limited" when searching

  • The registry name may have changed recently and might not yet appear in global data

Once confirmed, the system will auto-populate:

  • Entity name

  • Registered country

  • Registry number

  • Address

  • Entity type




If the confirmed shareholding entity is also a Private company, you can repeat steps 2–3 to unwrap that entity.


If the entity type appears as “Other”, it may not be a mappable private company. You can:

  • Review the company extract to confirm the entity type

  • Manually update the entity type in the entity profile if needed




Extra tips


Reviewing the Company Extract 


Option 1: From the Entity Structure Tab

  1. Click on the unwrapped entity within the Entity Structure tab

  2. Navigate to the Manifest tab

  3. The Company Extract will be available for viewing and download

Option 2: From the Case Requirements Tab

  • Go to the relevant Case

  • Click on the Requirements tab

  • Locate and open the Company Extract directly from there




Share class representation 

In some cases, an individual may appear with multiple shareholder percentages within a single entity. This indicates that the individual holds multiple share classes or types of shares in that company.

What does a 0% shareholding mean?

If a shareholder percentage shows as 0%, it typically means:

  • The number of shares held is extremely low, and/or

  • The share class may carry special control rights (e.g., voting powers) despite low economic ownership

  • These cases may require further investigation to assess whether the individual has significant influence or control.

You can review the full Company Extract for details, including:

  • The number of shares held per class

  • The total share structure of the entit


To explore the entity structure:

  • Use the mini map to get an overview and quickly jump to different sections. (You can also hide the mini map)

  • Click and drag directly on the structure to move around.

  • Zoom in and out by holding Ctrl (or Cmd on Mac) and scrolling with your mouse wheel.







Cancelling an unwrap

We understand there may be situations where you request an unwrap for a company in a jurisdiction with a delayed data retrieval timeframe, but later find the unwrap is no longer required.

You can cancel an unwrap request at any time. However, please note:


Cancellation does not reverse the charge.
Charges are applied once the unwrap request is submitted, regardless of whether the results are retrieved or the process is cancelled.

If you’re unsure whether to proceed with an unwrap for a specific jurisdiction, we recommend contacting support@firstaml.com to confirm expected turnaround times and cost.

 




 





Max entity/individual limit is 50

The KYB Unwrap feature supports up to:

  • 50 individuals, and

  • 50 entities

If the target company exceeds either of these limits, the entity structure will not be automatically unwrapped.

Why?

Very large structures often include numerous low-percentage shareholders, which can clutter the Entity Structure and Manifest. This creates additional manual clean-up and may obscure the key ownership picture.

What to do instead:

  • Open the Company Extract to review the full registry data

  • Manually edit the entity structure to include only key shareholders or influential entities

  • This approach ensures a cleaner, more manageable structure that highlights relevant ownership and control relationships




Individual matching

To prevent duplication, the platform automatically performs exact name matching when the same individual is identified multiple times across the structure. This ensures the individual appears only once in the Manifest.

When auto-matching does not occur:

  • If there are differences in the name (e.g. inclusion of a middle name, alternative spelling), the platform will not auto-match.

  • These instances are flagged for manual review.

How to Manually Match Individuals

When adding a new individual to the structure:

  1. Start typing their name

  2. The platform will display any “IN CASE” matches (i.e. individuals already in the case)

  3. Select the matching person to re-use their profile and enter their ownership information

Once linked, you can safely delete the unmatched duplicate from the entity structure.

This helps maintain a clean and accurate structure, especially for complex ownership networks.


Non-beneficially held shareholding

When unwrapping an Australian company, First AML retrieves company information from ASIC (Australian Securities and Investments Commission). ASIC data may indicate when a shareholding is non-beneficially held—commonly when shares are held on behalf of a trust.

How We Represent This in the Entity Structure

If a non-beneficial shareholding is detected:

  1. A placeholder trust is automatically created in the structure

    • This trust is shown as holding the shareholding percentage flagged by ASIC

  2. The non-beneficially holding entity (often a company acting as trustee) is shown as a controlling entity of the placeholder trust

  3.  Note: ASIC does not provide trust details, so the actual trust name and structure will not appear in the unwrap.


Next Steps

  • The placeholder trust will appear in the Manifest

  • You should request relevant documents, such as:

    • Certified trust deed

    • Certified deed of amendment

If you determine that the placeholder is not a trust, you can:

  • Edit the entity structure

  • Select the placeholder and change its entity type as needed

  •  This process ensures compliance with beneficial ownership requirements while giving you the flexibility to accurately update the structure once more information is obtained.

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Trusts in shareholding in New Zealand private companies 

In New Zealand, trusts often appear in the ownership of private companies in forms that aren’t always explicit—such as:

  • Joint shareholdings, or

  • Companies with "Trustee" in the name

To streamline your workflow and reduce ambiguity, the platform will automatically create a trust entity in the structure where we reasonably predict a trust exists.

This prediction is based on years of experience conducting AML verifications on NZ private companies and helps ensure trust relationships are accurately reflected from the start.