The International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) has issued a circular mandating specialised AML/CFT certification for Designated Directors and Principal Officers of all regulated entities operating in the IFSC. A customized course—“NISM-IFSCA-01: Certification Course on Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism”—has been jointly developed by NISM and the IFSCA Academy, aligned with the IFSCA AML/CFT/KYC Guidelines, 2022. Launching on November 18, 2025, the course must be completed within four months from launch or from the date of appointment. Certified individuals are required to maintain the certification continuously while performing their compliance duties. The circular also encourages other employees to undertake the course and mandates ongoing capacity-building programs for relevant staff, in accordance with clause 8.4 of the Guidelines. Issued under statutory powers, the circular is effective immediately, with course registration details available through the designated NISM platform and the IFSCA website.
International Financial Services Centres Authority
Circular No. e.F. No.IFSCA-DAC/8/2024-AMLCFT Dated: 17th November 2025
To,
All Regulated Entities in the International Financial Services Centre (IFSC)
Sub: Requirement of Certification on AML/CFT for Designated Director and Principal Officer under the IFSCA (AML/CTF/KYC) Guidelines, 2022
Sir/Madam,
Reference is drawn to the Clause 8.2 and Clause 8.4 of Chapter VIII of the International Financial Services Centres Authority (Anti Money Laundering, Counter-Terrorist Financing and Know Your Customer) Guidelines, 2022 [hereinafter referred as IFSCA (AML,CFT and KYC) Guidelines,/ Guidelines’] dealing with the Compliance and training requirements of the Principal Officer and other relevant employees of a Regulated Entity.
2. Accordingly, a customized certification course, namely “NISM-IFSCA-01: Certification Course on Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) in the IFSC” has been developed by the National Institute of Securities Markets (NISM) in collaboration with the IFSCA Academy. The course is aligned with the IFSCA (AML, CTF and KYC) Guidelines and is being launched on November 18, 2025.
3. To ensure effective implementation of Guidelines and related compliances by the Regulated Entities, it is hereby directed that all the Designated Directors and Principal Officers under the Guidelines shall mandatorily undergo the said certification course and they shall continue to hold the said certification at all times while discharging their responsibilities under the Guidelines.
4. All Designated Directors and Principal Officers of all REs shall complete the course within four (4) months from the date of launch of the course, or from their date of their appointment as such, as the case may be.
5. Apart from the Designated Director and Principal Officer, other employees of the Regulated Entity may also be encouraged to undergo the said certification course.
6. The Regulated Entities shall ensure that in compliance with the clause 8.4 of the Guidelines, all front-line staff, Principal Officer and other relevant employees undergo continuous capacity building programme including any other program as may be advised by the Authority from time to time.
7. This Circular is issued in exercise of the powers conferred under section 12 of the International Financial Services Centres Authority Act, 2019 read with rule 9 (14) of the Prevention of Money- Laundering (Maintenance of Records) Rules, 2005, and shall come into force with immediate effect.
8. The link for registration for the course and other details may be found at https://cert.nism.ac.in/.
9. A Copy of this circular is available on the IFSCA website “https://ifsca.gov.in/” under “Circulars” tab and “What’s New” window.
(Arun Kumar Singh)
General Manager/ Addl. Dir.(IFSCA Academy)
Copy to:
1. O/o Chairperson
2. All EDs/HoDs
3. All employees of IFSCA
4. Office Order Folder
