ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) criteria help to evaluate companies on their non-financial performance and sustainability progress. The term was first used in 2005. Today, “ESG friendly” score gained substantial importance for investors as it considers the ethical side of the companies and has a wide spectrum of issues that are traditionally excluded from financial analysis:

**Environmental:**
* Climate change
* Food safety
* Usage of renewable resources
* Greenhouse gas emissions

**Social:**
* Working conditions
* Respect for human rights
* Health and safety
* Employee relations and diversity

**Governance:**
* Executive pay
* Transparency
* Board composition, diversity and structure
* Tax strategy
* Donations

## Why is ESG growth accelerating?

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused economic pressure on some industries, which has affected companies' exposure to and ability to manage ESG risks. Companies face increasing challenges and increased scrutiny if they do not adequately manage their ESG or climate risks. The shift towards ESG activities may become the only way for companies to remain successful in the near future. 

Since ESG criteria are part of the investment process, companies are pushing to “adapt” the standards in order to impact their revenues. This, in turn, helps the whole economy to be more sustainable and “green”. The approach is widely supported by the European regulations that are moving to the implementation of the ESG rules in any business-related areas.

## Here is what your company can do

**Step 1:** Assess your current state, identify potential risks, map metrics to corporate goals and establish a governance structure.

**Step 2:** Use a materiality analysis to engage with key internal stakeholders and establish priorities around strategy, goals, and metrics.

**Step 3:** Collect and consolidate information for reporting. You must systematize responding to a wave of third-party ESG ratings. 
* Sustainalytics - a leading provider of ESG ratings, data and research thay supports ESG investors. It works with more than 200 indicators.
* Bloomberg — provides data about the company’s ESG metrics.

ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) criteria help to evaluate companies on their non-financial performance and sustainability progress.

What is ESG?

Web 3.0 is a concept of a new Internet generation development, which is built around the ideas of decentralization, machine learning, artificial intelligence (AI), and greater user utility.

It is assumed that in the third generation of the Internet, users will be able to trade values and information and work with global counterparties in a trustless manner and without intermediaries. This shift will spark a whole new wave of previously unimaginable business models, from global cooperatives to decentralized autonomous organizations and self-sustaining data markets.

![This is an image](https://admin.finscanner.io/storage/2022/04/14/3c368b9ccc0130690dbd688da43e9a4df3dd5290.png)

## Why it matters

The technologies under Web 3.0 will fundamentally expand the way people and companies interact online, far beyond what we're used to today. Their very existence carries with it the inevitable implementation into the digital processes of human activity to varying degrees. Here's what happens:

* The encryption of people's personal information prevents large corporations from controlling and using it for their own interests. Hence, users gain complete ownership and privacy of their information.

* With the reduction the number of third parties society to becomes more efficient by returning that value directly to the users and providers on the network. Users have the choice to share their profiles and sell their data to advertisers.

* Users and enterprises share and filter out more data with more privacy & security assurances. This also supports problem-solving and intensive knowledge creation tasks.

* Everyone track data that is accessible from anywhere and from any device. Consequently, users openly receive information about the authenticity and quality of goods and services the companies provide.

* The restrictionless nature of the technology makes it accessible to all entities. They, in turn, transfer their assets or wealth anywhere across the world in no time.

## How does it work?

From the point of view of the interface familiar to users in the version of web 2.0, nothing changes. However, the filling lacks centralized databases and web servers. Instead, there is a blockchain technology maintained by anonymous nodes on the network and smart contracts which are deployed onto the decentralized state machine. Data centers are complemented by an array of advanced computing resources that produce and consume far more data. Meanwhile, artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms make Internet searches much faster, process complex search queries instantly, distinguish genuine data from fraudulent data, and even make life-saving predictions and actions.

Interested in advanced technology and financial services? [Finscanner marketplace](https://www.finscanner.io/) is the right place for you to get started! We provide a comprehensive overview of the best solutions on the market including those offered by neobanks, electronic money institutions, crypto platforms, and more.

Have some questions left? Feel free to [contact us](https://www.finscanner.io/contacts/) directly.

Web 3.0 is a concept of a new Internet generation development, which is built around the ideas of decentralization, machine learning...

What is Web 3.0?

As many of you already know, the interest rate is the cost of debt for the borrower and the rate of return for the lender. It applies to most lending or borrowing transactions. 

The difference between the total repayment amount and the original loan amount is the interest accrued. In the course of calculating such interest for investment and credit products, people come across terms like APR or APY and can easily misunderstand them. These are the indicators of how much you'll earn or must pay when they are applied to your account balances.

## What is APR?

Annual Percentage Rate (APR) is the simple interest rate applied to the amount of investments/loans per year. Most often, APR is calculated when considering loan terms, and how much you’ll have to pay to borrow. It may also comprise additional fees and other associated loan costs.

---

APR is calculated as follows: 

### APR = Periodic rate X Number of periods per year

<Color value="#7F7F7F">Let’s say you are charged with 2% interest each month. Therefore, the APR equals 24% (2% x 12 months = 24%).</Color>

---

## What is APY?

Annual Percentage Yield (APY) is the compound interest rate applied to the amount of investments per year. Unlike APR, APY takes into account compound interest and how often compounding happens in a year. Unlike APR, APY takes into account compound interest and how often compounding happens in a year. It means you earn interest not only on what you’ve invested but also an additional one on the interest you’ve already earned - the effects of intra-year compounding. 

---

APY is calculated as follows: 

### APY = (1 + Periodic Rate)Number of periods – 1

<Color value="#7F7F7F">The APY for a 2% rate of interest compounded monthly would be 26.82% [(1 + 0.2)^12 – 1] a year.</Color>

---

## Additional things to keep in mind

* **Compound frequency.** Interest rates can be compound daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly or annually. Frequent compounding could earn more for your investments and cost more for your credit accounts.

* **Fixed or flexible rates.** If you have found a good APR/APY, make sure you know how long it’s going to last and what your rate will be once the period ends. 

* **The fine print.** Make sure you understand all of the terms and fees. Companies and platforms that provide interest rates may have different structural fees. Some might include fees in their APYs/APRs terms, while others might not.

Looking for crypto or financial services to earn interest rates?

[Finscanner marketplace](https://www.finscanner.io/) is the right place for you to get started! We provide a comprehensive overview of global banks, electronic money institutions, payment service providers, crypto platforms, and more. 

Have some questions left? Feel free to [contact us](https://www.finscanner.io/contacts/) directly.

As many of you already know, the interest rate is the cost of debt for the borrower and the rate of return for the lender.

Interest Rates: APR & APY

To begin with, <OuterLink url="https://ethereum.org/en/" text="Ethereum" /> is the first cryptocurrency to introduce smart contracts, a technology that allows automatic execution, control, or document legally relevant conditions live on the blockchain. Ethereum has become so popular that it still hosts the lion's share of applications and projects. However, the downside is that the network is struggling with high congestion and consumes a large amount of energy. First of all, we are talking about proof-of-work (PoW), the environmentally unfriendly consensus mechanism that Ethereum uses today (known as mining). This mechanism is also not sustainable or scalable in the long term.

What’s with «The Merge»? It is a solution in the interest of present-day realities. Merge Ethereum will mark the end of the underpinning concept of blockchain technology proof-of-work (PoW) for Ethereum, in favor of the proof-of-stake (PoS) mechanism. Technically, it means the merging of an already running beacon chain with the existing Ethereum mainnet chain.

## What will happen?

The Ethereum Foundation's decision to change the consensus mechanism to PoS avoids high levels of computational power and is therefore in line with current environmental concerns. However, this is a complex process requiring considerations and tests of various variables.

For stable operation, Ethereum launched a parallel PoS network beacon chain to test the PoS consensus process staking. It is separated from the mainnet and is for stakers only. The beacon chain is expected to be successfully tested and merged with the Ethereum mainnet this year. Eventually, it will:
* Alleviate participation in the network, making it more attainable for more users (not just miners);
* Provide equal distribution of network rewards, opening-up yield to more users;
* Dramatically reduce Ethereum's energy consumption by an estimated 99.5%.

However, contrary to the misconceptions of many users, **the merge won't dramatically reduce gas fees**. That won't happen until the final stage of Ethereum's massive technical upgrade, which is due at some point next year. Still, the merge itself is a long-awaited event that is crucial for the whole blockchain industry.

Interested in crypto and financial services? [Finscanner marketplace](https://www.finscanner.io/) is the right place for you to get started! We provide a comprehensive overview of global banks, electronic money institutions, payment service providers, crypto platforms, and more. 

Have some questions left? Feel free to [contact us](https://www.finscanner.io/contacts/) directly.

To begin with, Ethereum is the first cryptocurrency to introduce smart contracts, a technology that allows automatic execution...

What is «The Merge» or Ethereum Merge?

Technology Provider is a business that offers software solutions (sophisticated digital platforms, terminals, etc) to clients operating in specific domains (financial services, crypto, marketing, etc). In other words, the technology provider implements technology components, which are products (that you can buy, download, etc.) or configurations of other products with a specific technical architecture.

* Technology provider refers to third-party cloud-based infrastructure and management for companies building and operating mostly in high-tech and blockchain services.

* It allows companies to build/implement services upon their existing infrastructure, working in the same way as Software As A Service (SaaS) model. 

* Among the digital products and solutions, these providers offer to implement/develop smart contracts, decentralized applications, DeFi, AI/ML, Data Analytics, IoT, ERP, etc.

* Once created/implemented, the provider keeps on taking care of the complex back-end activities for the client.

## What good is it for your business?

Businesses are considering connecting technology providers for a variety of reasons. Mostly, this meets the relevance to modern technologies, circumstances, and concerns. Let's take a look at some of the most significant benefits the embedded solutions of technology providers can bring:

* Unifying source for all moving parts. A well-chosen technology provider will help a business create a roadmap, find solutions to complex business challenges, and provide resources to solve the problem and plan for the long term. With a package of services and technical expertise, a business gets a single end-to-end solution and eliminates the need to contact multiple providers.

* Cost management & operational efficiency. Large volumes of data, the technical complexity and operational costs associated with creating, configuring, and operating technologies, as well as maintaining its infrastructure, often act as a barrier. By turning to a technology provider, a business can benefit from economies of scale.

* Larger talent pool and expertise. The technology provider only focuses on the technology aspect, fluent in various technology niches to provide customers with the most up-to-date options. So it has technical experts at the disposal to consider all scenarios and fill the tech gaps of any business with knowledge and ready-made solutions.

## Find a partner on the Finscanner marketplace

Many providers in the tech/blockchain sector offer services for this need. However, in many cases, these services will be limited to a couple of options that may be just a part of your business's upcoming larger complex technology development. To solve this problem, businesses need to find a large-scale partner that offers an integrated approach. Finscanner is pleased to highlight its best available one:

[RWaltz Group Inc](https://www.finscanner.io/products/rwaltz-group-inc/) — a provider of Crypto, Blockchain, and Tech development services headquartered in Atlanta, GA-USA serving globally.  It provides complex solutions and deliveres successful services to Fortune 100 companies like AT&T, Honda, Disney, Bank of America, Amway, and more.

Looking for more crypto and financial services? [Finscanner marketplace](https://www.finscanner.io/products/rwaltz-group-inc/) is the right place for you to get started! We provide a comprehensive overview of global banks, electronic money institutions, payment service providers, crypto platforms, and more.

Apply to any desired financial product just in a few easy clicks! 

Have some questions left? Feel free to [contact us](https://www.finscanner.io/contacts/) directly.

Technology Provider is a business that offers software solutions (sophisticated digital platforms, terminals, etc)...

What is Technology Provider?

Electronic Money Directive (EMD) or Payment Services Directive (PSD) Agent is a party that acts on behalf of an authorized [electronic money institution (EMI)](https://www.finscanner.io/blog/post/banking-with-electronic-money-institutions-pros-cons/) or regulated [payment service provider (PSP)](https://www.finscanner.io/blog/post/guide-to-payment-service-providers-psps/) to conduct related payment services and e-money activities. It has a sublicence riding on the authorization of the licensed company that takes full responsibility for the actions of such an agent. The registration of the EMD agent takes place when the principal company applies for it with the FCA.

## Difference between an agent and a directly authorized firm

The Agent is appointed directly by each PSP and e-money institution according to their risk appetite. The institution assumes all precautions and responsibilities when applying to the FCA for agent registration. Accordingly, when choosing an agent, one should rely primarily on the reputation of the principal of the institution. There is such a concept as vicarious liability when the principal remains responsible for all the actions of his agent since, in case of serious violations, he can also be held liable.

As part of its activities, an EMD/PSD agent cannot provide or claim to provide payment service rules or issue electronic money on its own. In addition, the agent does not have the right to mislead the client but rather is obliged to inform that he is acting as an agent of his principal. Since the principal firm is a legal entity authorized to carry out regulated activities, clients accept its terms and conditions. Thus, it should be clear to clients that the agent is acting on behalf of the institution and that the payment service agreement must be entered into by the principal and the client.

## What is the benefit of/of being an EMD/PSD Agent?

* Customers benefit from a broader service offering and its timely delivery, full information transparency,  improved customer support, and shorten execution time of payments.

* Markets benefit from the creation of a uniform legal framework across the EU/EEA area and a level playing field, development of new products and services, expansion into new markets without having to establish a physical presence.

* Agents benefit from having a sublicense to make a quick start and faster route to market, offering their product as soon as possible in FCA evaluations; from a chance to demonstrate the viability and effectiveness of its business model thereby attracting higher levels of business investment and facilitating partnerships with key third parties.


Looking for financial services? [Finscanner marketplace](https://www.finscanner.io/) is the right place for you to get started! We provide a comprehensive overview of global banks, electronic money institutions, payment service providers, crypto platforms, and more.

Apply to any desired financial product just in a few easy clicks! 

Feel free to [contact us](https://www.finscanner.io/contacts/) directly for more information.

Electronic Money Directive (EMD) or Payment Services Directive (PSD) Agent is a party that acts on behalf of an authorized...

What is an EMD/PSD Agent?

NFT project is a development line focused on creating cryptographic assets on a blockchain. The assets are called non-fungible tokens or NFTs and have unique identification codes and metadata. In combination with smart contracts, art created in this manner has a unique value assigned to the highest bidder. This approach allows maintaining the uniqueness in the digital space and protecting the original work of art. 

## NFT vs Crypto

NFTs are generally built using the same way as well-known cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin or Ethereum, but that’s where the similarity ends.

Crypto is “fungible,” meaning it can be traded or exchanged for one another, for example, 1 BTC coin is always equal to another BTC coin. That is why crypto’s fungibility makes it a trusted means of payment conducted as a transaction on the blockchain.

Considering NFTs, each one has a digital signature that makes it impossible for NFTs to be exchanged for or equal to one another (hence, non-fungible). 
How it works
The habitat for NFTs is blockchain technology, mostly Ethereum, but other blockchains support them as well. Non-fungible tokens are “minted” from digital objects that represent both tangible and intangible items. They can represent all kinds of art like paintings, videos, music, texts, etc.

Instead of a physical item, the buyer gets a digital file with exclusive ownership rights. The blockchain nature makes it easy to verify the ownership. This kind of ownership makes it easy any arbitration process in the future.

Generally, NFTs simplify the process of monetization, for example, artists no longer have to rely on any auction houses to sell their art. Instead, they can automize the process of selling and even receive a percentage of sales whenever their art is sold to a new owner.

---

Learn more about NFTs in our related article «[Crypto NFT: Reshaping the Art World](https://www.finscanner.io/blog/post/crypto-nft-reshaping-the-art-world/)».

---

## Explore at Finscanner Marketplace

There are lots of NFT marketplaces that include collectibles, gaming items, and other virtual goods backed by a blockchain. As an example, probably the most popular one is the [OpenSea](https://www.finscanner.io/products/opensea/), which has grown to over one million users since its launch, making NFT trading the mainstream.

Looking for more NFT platforms? Check out the [Finscanner marketplace](https://www.finscanner.io/) — a reputable place to discover thousands of financial services for individual and business needs. If you have any questions, feel free to [contact us](https://www.finscanner.io/contacts/).

NFT project is a development line focused on creating cryptographic assets on a blockchain.

What is NFT Project?

### Advanced definition

DAO is a decentralized autonomous organization and an open-source blockchain protocol regulated by a set of rules, designed by its elected members, that automatically execute certain actions without the need for middlemen. The infrastructure is based on smart contracts, and participants use governance tokens to vote on any decisions within the development of the ecosystem.

### Simple definition

DAO is like a corporation or a kind of state in which there is no single authority, hierarchical structure, and multi-level bureaucracy. The open and transparent nature of this organization is aimed at the development of the ecosystem, without having to know or trust each other. Decisions are governed by proposals and voting so that everyone in the organization has his own equal word (vote).

## Working principle & advantages 

In a decentralized autonomous organization, the role of the manager is performed by the rules encoded as a computer program, but it cannot make decisions on its own. The decision-making is based on the community, and the program only executes orders. Any member can propose improvements to the decentralized protocol, and if the rest of the community votes for them, they will be accepted. DAO developers cannot delegate power to any person, thus they only implement changes after community approval by adding a new computer code. 

Information about all transactions is stored in the blockchain, and any user can always look through what is happening on the network. In this matter, DAO is not only decentralized but also transparent.

All the advantages are on the surface:

* **Decentralization and transparency** 
No need to trust intermediaries or protocol due to its open-source nature. The interests of the community participants can not be ignored by a single or a group of entities.

* **Autonomous** 
The protocol works on its own without intervention from the governing bodies. Users perform transactions, and the smart contract controls the fulfillment of the obligations of the parties.

* **Low entry barrier** 
People all over the world have an equal opportunity to participate and make decisions. DAO investors can participate in the project from the very beginning — no need to overcome complex regulatory hurdles or fill out complex paperwork.

* **Automaticity** 
Once the rules of a DAO are in place, smart contracts fulfill decisions automatically, eliminating human error and cost. 

* **Decision-making speed** 
The imperfection of the bureaucratic mechanism is mainly conditioned by the need for time expenditures to reach a consensus. In DAO, there is a set period for making a decision, determined by the protocol, and that can also be changed by voting.

## Remaining challenges

**Regulation** 
It is obvious that the situation in the legal and regulatory field of the DAO is completely uncertain since this activity is beyond the control of state jurisdictions. Thus, this can be a major barrier to the adoption of decentralized organizations.

**Vulnerability risks** 
Despite the high potential of the distributed ledger in systems management, it hides many risks associated with the developed security of the protocol. The presence of errors in contracts was a frequent vulnerability in hacker attacks. The notorious case with The DAO platform in 2016 is a clear example of this.

**Partial centralization** 
The initial rules are pre-set in the code of the protocol by its creators and will always be the central point of the project. But this problem can be solved by initially providing the possibility of modifying the pre-set rules. Another pitfall may be the weight of the participant's vote, which is determined by the number of governance tokens. This provides an additional advantage for the participants with a concentration of funds to manipulate the platform and actually take control of it in their own hands

## Explore at Finscanner Marketplace

DAOs enable organizations and investors to break free from the shackles of traditional central government institutions. As an example, one can explore the [Bitcoin](https://www.finscanner.io/blog/post/why-do-bitcoins-have-value/) network, which is rightfully considered one of the first simplified versions of the DAO.

Looking for more decentralized services? Check out the [Finscanner marketplace](https://www.finscanner.io/) — a reputable place to discover thousands of financial services for individual and business needs. If you have any questions, feel free to [contact us](https://www.finscanner.io/contacts/).

DAO is a decentralized autonomous organization and an open-source blockchain protocol regulated by a set of rules...

What Are DAOs?

Whitelabel issuer is a card issuer that offers branded/co-branded virtual and plastic cards for businesses. Such card programs are fully configurable and allow to efficiently attract customers without the need to invest in a standalone solution. Essentially, businesses use these cards to set markups and profit from every transaction and subscription made using their cards online or in-store.

Whitelabel issuer as a financial institution offers the same level of security and transparency as a standard-issue credit or debit card. It assists businesses in several areas including issuing a card, funding credit and collecting payments from customers.

## Understanding white-label cards

White label cards are branded cards that are intended to be used exclusively within the activities of a particular business. Operated by banks or financial companies, they do not have standard credit card logos like Visa or Mastercard and in most cases cannot be used in any other store than the brand under which they were issued.

When white label cards are issued as "co-branded", they can be used anywhere, just like a regular credit or debit card. In this case, the issuing bank/payment processor will be marked on the face of the card. There are usually three parties involved in issuing co-branded cards: the business, the card issuer, and the payment network or bank.


### Key benefits for businesses:
* Customer loyalty;
* Additional legitimacy and business image;
* Access to customer spending history to tailor further marketing strategy.

### Key benefits for customers:
* Softer terms (like deferred payment);
* Opportunity to earn loyalty points;
* VIP features and more.

## Choose Your Whitelabel Issuer

![This is an image](https://api-products.mig.finance/storage/2022/02/22/34f99e09d7a614a93117b88000de1e924bca7715.png)

If all these benefits might suit your business well, it is time to find the right partner. Since the [Finscanner marketplace](https://www.finscanner.io/) gives an ideal opportunity for this purpose by providing every necessary tool, let's pick a couple of Whitelabel issuers as an example. 

[Digital Capital Ltd](https://www.finscanner.io/products/digital-capital-ltd/) — an electronic money institution incorporated in the United Kingdom. It offers white-label payment solutions, prepaid cards, debit cards, e-wallets, SWIFT, and SEPA transfers to businesses. Digital Capital can issue different types of branding physical or virtual cards, offering several card programs for both consumers and businesses. 

[Optimus Cards UK Limited](https://www.finscanner.io/products/optimus-cards-uk-limited/) — an electronic money institution focused on white-label debit card programs. Headquartered in the United Kingdom, it builds first-class end-to-end card solutions for financial institutions across Europe. Optimus Cards is one of the few organizations in Europe that has been given the status of Principal Member of Mastercard.

Feel free to find any other financial or crypto services at our [marketplace](https://www.finscanner.io/) within your needs! [Contact us](https://www.finscanner.io/contacts/) today to get more information.

Whitelabel issuer is a card issuer that offers branded/co-branded virtual and plastic cards for businesses.

What is Whitelabel Issuer?

Custodian is a third-party provider of storage and security services for cryptocurrencies. The solutions generally consist of a combination of hot storage, or crypto custody with connection to the Internet, and cold storage, or crypto custody that is disconnected from the Internet. Custodians harness their market expertise to minimize the risk of fraud, theft, or loss to those assets.

![This is an image](https://api-products.mig.finance/storage/2022/02/18/d8f302c147fca94a2d21ad2ee330f0649dbfa091.svg)

## Further Details

The cryptocurrency custody environment continues to evolve as there is growing demand from all market participants worldwide, from individual investors to some of the largest institutional investors, for asset security and ease of transactions. When it comes to crypto adoption among businesses, it is up to a qualified custodian to help them secure their digital assets. 

Here are some key benefits of third-party custody:

* **Expertise.** Investors rely on the crypto expertise that the custodian organization represents.
* **Reducing risk and complexity.** Potential investors in digital assets may be distracted by the seemingly complex nature of the market. From an investor's point of view, the concept of holding assets with a custodian is familiar to them and is similar to the traditional financial system.
* **Increased security.** The online nature of digital assets presents many security risks, not least a vulnerability to hackers. However, licensed custodians provide the necessary resources, regulated solutions, including insurance options to mitigate risks.
* **Compliance.** In the light of regulation uncertainty, compliance with standards such as the CryptoCurrency Security Standard (CCSS), KYC/AML, and others is a must for investing in crypto.

However, there are a few considerations to keep in mind about digital asset custody solutions:

* Custodians offer a limited set of digital currencies that they are willing to hold.
* The general list of services and their quality may differ from one custodian to another.
* There is often a delay of up to several days when trading assets held by the custodian.

## Choose Your Crypto Custodian

![This is an image](https://api-products.mig.finance/storage/2022/02/18/a00de3aade015c8d0cd576fb040e346370dee6a5.png)

If you have found a crypto custodian useful for your business or personal needs, now is the time to find the right partner. The Finscanner team has prepared a set of excellent major custodians for you to start with. At the same time, we will not follow any particular hierarchical order but only mention the most popular ones at the Finscanner marketplace. As an investor or project owner, you should choose the one that best suits your specific requirements.

* [Gemini](https://www.finscanner.io/products/gemini-europe-ltd/) — is the US-licensed cryptocurrency exchange launched in 2015 and regulated by the New York State Department of Financial Services. It provides services for individual investors and investments funds. Gemini has SOC-I and SOC-II compliance and uses military-grade storage facilities for funds held in its custody.

* [SEBA Bank](https://www.finscanner.io/products/seba-bank/) — is an innovation bank founded in 2017 and headquartered in Zug, Switzerland. In 2021 it received a license for digital asset funds from the Swiss Financial Market Authority (FINMA) to act as a custodian bank for Swiss collective investment schemes. Its services include transaction banking in fiat and crypto, military-grade secure storage of crypto assets, trading and liquidity management, asset and investment management.

* [Coinbase Custody](https://www.finscanner.io/products/coinbase/) — is a reputable New York-based cryptocurrency exchange that launched its business in 2012. Coinbase Custody offers clients access to the secure, institutional-grade offline storage solution. 

Find more crypto-related services at the [Finscanner marketplace](https://www.finscanner.io/) to explore all industry opportunities! If you have any questions, feel free to [contact us](https://www.finscanner.io/contacts/).

Custodian is a third-party provider of storage and security services for cryptocurrencies.

What Is a Crypto Custodian?

An accounting firm is a certified company recognized as an expert in providing accounting and auditing services to other business entities. It makes sure that financial transactions are accurate and legal and helps individuals and companies use financial reports to understand the state of their finances. What services are there?

* Bookkeeping
* Payroll services
* Tax preparation
* Business valuation
* Tax strategy
* Audit
* Consulting
* Special advisory services

## In-depth study 

The structuring and development of world trade led to the formation of financial accounting, the emergence of calculating, and the beginning of management accounting, which contributed to the industrial revolution. Today it is difficult to imagine a growing business without professional accounting support. Accounting firms are always up to date with new tax laws, and many of them offer financial advice and help individuals and small businesses develop budgets and set financial goals. The types of accounting firms can be divided into the following:

### Full-Service (Public) Accounting Firms

This type of accounting firm is international in nature and provides a full range of services and has sufficient resources to cover all types of accounting services. An excellent example of full-service accounting firms is the so-called Big Four accounting firms: Deloitte, PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PwC), Ernst & Young (EY), and Klynveld Peat Marwick Goerdeler (KPMG). They generate most of their revenue in the region of the Americas – KPMG’s largest region was its network of firms in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (including India). The United States remains a major market for all four firms.

### Tax Accounting Firms

The main activity is the preparation and planning of taxes for companies of all sizes, as well as for individuals. Tax accounting firms usually hire CPAs. Most tax accounting firms have high standards of keeping abreast of changes in tax laws, accounting software, and tax planning strategies.

### Audit & Forensic Firms

These firms audit companies, organizations, small businesses, government agencies, and individuals. They combine accounting skills and legal policies to detect fraudulent and illegal activities. This type is in high demand as forensic accountants are often called upon to testify as expert witnesses in cases of embezzlement, identity theft, money laundering, and stock price manipulation.

### Bookkeeping Firms

These types of firms are usually small companies with only a few employees. Small businesses often choose bookkeeping firms as they cover the main range of services such as accounts receivable, accounts payable, bank reconciliation, credit sales reconciliation, payroll, financial statement preparation, and preparation of accounting write-ups. Bookkeeping firms may handle clients’ basic accounting tasks before submitting the information to CPA firms for more complex tasks.

## The Average Cost for Small Business

The services of accounting firms can lower operating costs and increase your business's revenue, but choosing requires a careful understanding of the owner's specific financial needs and budget. The average basic plan (without additional features) for small businesses can start from $150 per month, which includes day-to-day bookkeeping, detailed monthly reports, creating and sending invoices, and preparing financial reports. The firm spares a dedicated bookkeeper to set up your account and connect your bank and credit accounts for synchronized transaction reporting. 

## Explore at Finscanner Marketplace

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An accounting firm is a certified company recognized as an expert in providing accounting and auditing services to other business entities.

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