ACATS Overview

The Automated Customer Account Transfer Service (ACATS) system automates and standardizes procedures for the transfer of assets in a customer account from one broker-dealer and/or bank to another. Participants can use the ACATS system to efficiently and automatically enter, review, and generate instructions to settle customer account transfers. ACATS facilitates the transfer of many different types of assets, including equities, corporate and municipal bonds, unit investment trusts (UITs), mutual funds, options, annuities, and cash.

ACATS transactions are not guaranteed, and they are subject to reversal in the event of the default of a participant that is party to a transfer. All qualified NSCC full service Members and DTC bank participants are eligible to use ACATS.

Note:

• Become more familiar with ACATS by viewing the user guides, best practices, and technical resources. 
• Check out the resources available to you to learn about upcoming projects, including the new ACATS client interface enhancements and ACATS 529 Plan in ACATS Projects.
• Access the service that is available through the interface between ACATS and Fund/SERV to Mutual Fund Service Members of NSCC at ACATS-Fund/SERV. 

ACATS Overview Series

To help gain an understanding of the Automated Customer Account Transfer Service (ACATS) system and processes, log in to view the five-part ACATS Overview series. 

Welcome to ACATS Overview: Understanding the Automated Customer Account Transfer Service, part 1 of a five-part series. Obtain an understanding of ACATS processing, including:

• History of Automated Customer Account Transfer Service (ACATS)
• Benefits of ACATS
• ACATS processing capabilities

Video length: 10 minutes

View Part 2 of the ACATS Overview series to learn about:

• Record Input types
• Standard and nonstandard transfers
• ACATS process flow of a standard transfer
• Roles of deliverers and receivers
• Define important ACATS nonstandard transfer types

Video length: 20 minutes

View Part 3 of the ACATS Overview series to learn about:

• ACATS process
• ACATS standard transfer cycle
• Statuses of the ACATS standard transfer cycle
• Standard and nonstandard reject codes

Video length: 17 minutes

View Part 4 of the ACATS Overview series to learn about:

• ACATS-Fund/SERV interface.
• Position Transfer Fund (PTF) function.
• Mutual Fund Asset Delete process.
• Fund Registration (FR) record.
• Default Mutual Fund Registration.
• Outcome if a Mutual Fund Company does not acknowledge a transfer.
• Insurance asset transfer process.

Video length: 15 minutes

View Part 5, the final part, of the ACATS Overview series to learn about:

• NSCC money settlement and incentive charges
• Identifying exceptions to the ACATS settlement process
• Automated DTC Deliver Order (DO) process
• How eligible assets are priced or valued
• Relationship between input and output cycle times
• Output reports and the times they are available
• ACATS Statistical reports

Video length: 15 minutes

ACATS Fund/SERV

ACATS interfaces with NSCC’s Fund/SERV system, which processes and settles mutual fund transactions. The link between the ACATS and Fund/SERV system facilitates the transfer of mutual fund assets between two broker-dealers or a broker-dealer and a fund company. Mutual Fund Service Members of NSCC are eligible to use the service on a limited basis, expediting the re-registration of fund positions when a customer account moves from one firm to another or when a customer mutual fund asset moves between a broker-dealer or bank and a fund. ACATS standardizes the mutual fund re-registration procedures, reducing operating costs, and decreases the processing time of transaction settlements and re-registration of transferred fund positions. Learn more about the ACATS-Fund/SERV process that links ACATS with the Fund/SERV mutual fund service, see ACATS-Fund/SERV.