Transparent Pricing

ASTIAC operates as an independent international compliance commission, with its primary institutional mandate - including regulatory research, standards development, and inter-governmental coordination - funded through governmental and multilateral contributions. The accreditation fee does not constitute a profit mechanism. Instead, it is a cost-recovery charge that covers the direct operational expenditure incurred during the processing of each individual application: multi-source AML/CTF screening, OFAC/EU/UN sanctions database queries, PEP cross-referencing, compliance officer allocation, document authentication, blockchain certificate issuance, physical dispatch, and registry publication. Without this allowable facilitatory fee, the cost of these compliance-intensive services would be borne entirely by institutional contributors, which is not the mandate of the Commission.

The accreditation fee funds six distinct operational stages: (1) documentary intake and entity classification; (2) multi-layer AML/CTF screening against OFAC, EU Consolidated List, UN Security Council, and proprietary adverse-media databases; (3) beneficial ownership mapping and Politically Exposed Persons (PEP) verification; (4) a compliance officer's structured due diligence assessment, producing an internal risk-rating memorandum; (5) blockchain-anchored digital certificate issuance with a verifiable hash registered to the ASTIAC Global Registry; and (6) production and dispatch of the embossed physical certificate. All stages are covered by a single flat fee - no surcharges, no stage-gate payments.

The fee is collected upon submission as it compensates for the investigative work performed, irrespective of outcome. Should an application be declined, you will receive a written compliance assessment detailing the grounds for the determination. Depending on which review stage the application reached at the point of declination, a partial refund may be applicable under the terms set out in our Refund Policy. Applications withdrawn before the compliance officer assessment phase may qualify for a higher partial refund.

No. Once the AML/CTF compliance screening process has commenced - which includes sanctions database queries, PEP verification, and adverse media screening - the costs incurred for those services are non-refundable. These are third-party investigative costs that ASTIAC incurs immediately upon submission and cannot be recovered regardless of the outcome. Only the portion of the fee attributable to stages not yet commenced may be considered for a partial refund. This policy is consistent with international AML/CTF service standards.

Yes. Tier reclassification is permitted when the applicant's organisational or professional circumstances materially change - for example, when an individually accredited practitioner incorporates a corporate entity. In such cases, the delta between the applicable fees is assessed and invoiced accordingly. Prior screening records are carried forward where still within the evidentiary validity window, which may reduce the scope of re-investigation required and expedite the reclassification timeline.

Organisations seeking accreditation for multiple subsidiaries, affiliated entities, or professional staff cohorts may qualify for a structured volume arrangement. Such arrangements are assessed individually based on the number of applications, entity types, and jurisdictional diversity involved. Volume pricing is not available through the standard online application portal - contact our team at accreditation@astiac.org to initiate a preliminary scoping discussion.

Standard processing time is 10 to 15 business days from the date of complete documentary submission. This window covers documentary intake review, AML/CTF database screening, compliance officer assessment, and certificate production. Applications flagged for Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD) - typically those involving high-risk jurisdictions, complex beneficial ownership structures, or prior adverse media findings - may require additional time. Expedited processing, which reduces the standard timeline by up to 40%, is available as an add-on service.