Omnibus account — what is it?

What is an omnibus account?

An omnibus account is a special securities account where assets of many clients are stored simultaneously — without revealing the identity of individual investors to the issuer or central depository.

It's managed by an intermediary (broker, custodian bank) who internally knows how many assets belong to whom — but externally it appears as one collective account.

How does it work in practice?

When you use a foreign broker (e.g., Interactive Brokers, DEGIRO), your Polish company shares on WSE may be stored in an omnibus account at KDPW (National Depository for Securities).

Schema:

1. You buy shares through a foreign broker
2. Broker stores them in an omnibus account at KDPW
3. In KDPW register, the broker appears — not you personally
4. Broker maintains internal records of your assets

Omnibus account vs nominee account

What to watch out for?

• Voting rights — exercising voting rights at shareholder meetings may be difficult with omnibus accounts
• Dividends — may be paid with delay or subject to additional withholding tax
• Intermediary risk — while assets are legally separated from broker's assets, recovery process in case of bankruptcy may be longer

Is it safe?

Yes, provided the broker is regulated (subject to supervision by KNF, BaFin, SEC, etc.). Client assets in omnibus accounts are legally separated from the broker's assets — even in case of bankruptcy.

How Freenance can help

Regardless of whether your assets are in nominee or omnibus accounts, Freenance aggregates them in one dashboard. You see the full portfolio value regardless of the custody structure.

👉 One view of all assets — freenance.io