Switchboard Finance Logo – Beneficial Owner Glossary

Beneficial Owner

A Beneficial Owner is the individual who ultimately owns, controls, or benefits from a company — even if they are not listed publicly on ASIC. In lending, identifying the beneficial owner is essential for compliance, authority checks, risk assessment, and verifying who is responsible for the business behind Business Loans, Invoice Finance, and Business Line of Credit. For a deeper look at how ownership links into cashflow facilities, you can also read our Business Cashflow System guide.

Why Beneficial Ownership Matters in Lending

Lenders must determine the “true owners” of a business to comply with AML/CTF (Anti-Money Laundering & Counter-Terrorism Financing) obligations. A beneficial owner is generally defined as someone who:

  • owns at least 25% of the company, or
  • exerts significant control or influence over decisions

Identifying beneficial owners helps lenders confirm:

  • who must provide personal guarantees
  • who has ultimate financial responsibility
  • whether the business structure is legitimate
  • who benefits from the loan or debt

This is closely related to Company Structure, Shareholders, and Directors.

If you're mapping out your structure before applying, the Business Owners Finance Hub pulls together how lenders view owners, directors and guarantors across different structures.

How Beneficial Ownership Works

  • Share registers show legal owners
  • Trust deeds reveal beneficiaries (for Trading Trusts)
  • Corporate structures may mask ownership through layers of entities
  • Lenders must “look through” corporate entities to identify controlling individuals
  • Beneficial owners often must provide ID and guarantees

Who counts as a beneficial owner can shift depending on whether you're a Sole Trader, Partnership, Pty Ltd company or operating via a Trading Trust.

Official source: business.gov.au

Is a beneficial owner the same as a shareholder?
Not always — a shareholder may hold shares on behalf of another person who is the real beneficial owner.
Do lenders always need to identify beneficial owners?
Yes — AML/CTF law requires lenders to verify beneficial ownership for all business borrowers.
What percentage defines a beneficial owner?
Typically 25% ownership or control, but lenders may investigate any person exercising influence.
Do beneficial owners need to provide ID?
Yes — they must pass identity checks and may need to sign guarantees.
Is the trustee the beneficial owner?
No — in a trust, the beneficiaries are the beneficial owners, not the trustee.