CASS
Client Assets Sourcebook
Definition
The FCA rules governing how firms safeguard client money and custody assets. CASS requires firms to segregate client assets from their own, maintain adequate records and reconciliations, and ensure that client assets can be promptly returned in the event of firm failure.
Regulatory Context
CASS rules are critical for investment firms, custodians, and other entities holding client assets. Failures in client asset protection have led to significant enforcement action, notably following the collapse of Lehman Brothers and MF Global.