Hi,
I’ve checked that the default implementation for transferring Holdings requires that custodians must be the same.
I was wondering how we could do a transfer in Daml finance given the graph below.
-- +----------------------------------+
-- | Custodian1 Custodian2 |
-- | / \ |
-- | Sender Receiver |
-- +----------------------------------+
Thanks!
That is right, the default transfer implementation changes the owner of a holding, but not its custodian.
For a transfer to happen across custodians, there usually is a Register at which both Custodian 1 and Custodian 2 have an account, like in the graph below.
-- +----------------------------------+
-- | Register |
-- | / \ |
-- | Custodian1 Custodian2 |
-- | / \ |
-- | Sender Receiver |
-- +----------------------------------+
In this case, a transfer from Sender to Receiver would be de-composed into three separate transfers:
Sender to Custodian 1 with Custodian 1 as custodianCustodian 1 to Custodian 2 with Register as custodianCustodian 2 to Receiver with Custodian 2 as custodianThis is example is show-cased here.
Finally, if you want to execute a direct transfer across custodians (like in your graph), you can, in a choice where you have sufficient authorization
Debit the holding of the Sender at Custodian 1
Credit the holding of the Receiver at Custodian 2
using the choices in the respective Account contracts.
I hope this helps!
Hi @Matteo_Limberto , thanks for your response.
As an alternative to the approach you mention, I’ve tried the following setup:
-- +---------------------------|
-- | Custodian1 |
-- | / \ |
-- | Sender Custodian2 |
-- | \ |
-- | Receiver |
-- +---------------------------|
using IntermediatedStatic as RouteProvider with 1 step
steps = [ Step with sender; receiver; quantity = qty 200_000.0 cashInstrument ]
I get 2 instructions
With this, after settling, I get 2 Holdings: receiver@custodian2 + custodian2@custodian1) which is good. However I would like to get just one Holding sitting at receiver@custodian2. Is this possible with the account diagram above?
(I’ve tried it using PassThroughTo/PassThroughFrom mechanism but the scenario does not match)
Thanks!
In your example, the settlement steps involve a single transfer from Settlement to Receiver. Custodian 2 acts purely as an intermediary, which is why there is no net transfer of holdings into their “pockets”.
Specifically, after settlement, Custodian 2
Receiver
Custodian 1
What you are trying to achieve involves a net transfer of holdings out of Custodian 2. You can achieve that by using for instance the following steps:
steps = [
Step with sender = sender; receiver = custodian 1; quantity = qty 200_000.0 cashInstrument,
Step with sender = custodian 2; receiver = receiver; quantity = qty 200_000.0 cashInstrument
]
With these steps, Custodian 1 and Custodian 2 no longer act as pure intermediaries.
I hope this helps,
Matteo
just to give some more color on this. A Holding could be used to represent various things, e.g.:
A Cash IOU, i.e., a bilateral agreement/promise between the Custodian and the Owner to pay a certain amount on demand.
An intermediated security, i.e., a form of security which comes into existence when a pre-existing (certificated or un-certificated) security is first deposited at a Depository, and where the ownership is then reflected by book-entries forming chains from the Depository/Root Custodian to Owners, e.g., Depository/Root Custodian → Custodian1 → Custodian2 → Owner. A Holding instance could be used to represent such a book entry. To be clear, it is the task of the involved regulated intermediaries to make sure that the deposited quantities always corresponds to the quantities reflected by the book-entries.
Independent whether the the Sender wants to transfer a Holding representing a Cash IOU (like in 1) or a book-entry (like in 2) to the Receiver (via Custodian1 and Custodian2), such a transfer would need to be reflected accordingly in the books of Custodian 1 and Custodian 2 (hence the resulting Holding instance between Custodian1 and Custodian2, and the Holding instance between Custodian2 and the Receiver). Custodian2 would typically not take over a liability without getting something in return.
Holding could also represent the claim to a bearer instrument (say a bitcoin) held by Custodian1 in custody on behalf of an Owner. A transfer to the Receiver at Custodian2 would then involve 2 steps (similar to the steps @Matteo_Limberto mentions above) being carried out on the Daml ledger, and a subsequent transfer of the bearer instrument from Custodian1 to Custodian2 by other means.Hope that gives some more clarity what a Holding can be used for,
Johan
Hi @Johan_Sjodin ,
I’m not very familiar with these financial procedures. Could you please recommend books/resources covering these topics?
Thanks!
certainly, I hope the following can serve as a starting point to learn more:
how intermediated securities are created from pre-existing securities, and how they may be held on segregated security accounts at intermediary custodians (from a root-custodian → sub-custodian(s) → ultimate beneficial owner (UBO)). It is a Swiss law text, but I think it describes the process pretty well.
Note that some securities (if in intermediated security form or not) require additional registers to be maintained. For example a share requires the issuer (or a delegated registrar) to maintain a share register of all legal owners. Worth noting is that the legal owner and the ultimate beneficial owner (UBO) could be different entities, in this case the security is said to be held in “street name” on behalf of the UBO (which might somewhat limit the rights the UBO has over its shares, and potentially introduce some counterparty risk depending on jurisdiction).
Obviously all of this depends on the involved jurisdiction(s), and actual market setup and practices. In some markets the root-custodian (say a central security depository (CSD)) might offer to be a share registrar, which might simplify keeping the share register in sync with legal ownership transfers of corresponding intermediated securities.
There is plenty of material on the internet (ChatGPT probably knows a ton a bit this as well 
). You might also want to have a look at the following books if you want to learn about this in more detail: