Legal
Privacy Policy
World Trade Solutions Inc. · Effective Date: October 30, 2026 · Last Updated: October 30, 2026
1. Introduction
World Trade Solutions Inc. (“WTS”) is committed to protecting the privacy, confidentiality and security of personal information entrusted to us.
WTS is a Canada-based provider of cross-border payment, settlement and related services to businesses and institutions. We operate exclusively on a business-to-business (“B2B”) and institutional basis. We do not offer our services to individuals for personal, family or household purposes.
WTS is registered with the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (“FINTRAC”) as a Money Services Business (No. N300000838) and with the Bank of Canada as a Payment Service Provider under the Retail Payment Activities Act.
This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, store and protect personal information in connection with our website, our online platform and applications (the “Platform”), services, counterparty onboarding, compliance activities and business operations.
Although our customers and counterparties are businesses and institutions, we may process personal information relating to individuals associated with those organizations, including directors, officers, shareholders, ultimate beneficial owners (“UBOs”) and authorized representatives.
This Privacy Policy applies to personal information collected through wts.co and the Platform, our onboarding and compliance processes, our business relationships and third-party service providers acting on our behalf.
WTS handles personal information in accordance with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (“PIPEDA”), Alberta’s Personal Information Protection Act (“PIPA”) and other applicable Canadian laws, including the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act (“PCMLTFA”).
2. Information We Collect and How We Use It
The information we collect depends on the nature of our relationship with a customer, counterparty or business partner and the applicable legal and compliance requirements.
We may collect:
- Identity and contact information, such as name, date of birth, nationality, address, email, telephone number, government-issued identification documents and, where required for identity verification, biometric information (facial images and liveness checks);
- Business and corporate information, including company registration details, corporate documents, ownership and control information, information about directors, officers, shareholders, UBOs and authorized representatives, and tax information;
- Financial and transaction information, including bank account, payment and settlement information, transaction history, source of funds, source of wealth, counterparty information, payment originator and beneficiary information and, where applicable, wallet or digital asset-related information;
- Compliance information, including information required for Know Your Customer (“KYC”), Know Your Business (“KYB”), Anti-Money Laundering (“AML”), sanctions and Politically Exposed Person (“PEP”) screening, fraud prevention, risk assessment and transaction monitoring;
- Account and Platform information, such as login credentials, user roles and activity on the Platform; and
- Technical information, such as IP address, browser, device and log information and cookies or similar technologies when our website or digital services are accessed.
We collect only the personal information that is necessary for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy.
We may obtain this information directly from individuals or the organizations they represent, as well as from service providers, corporate registries, public databases, financial institutions and other lawful sources.
Where an organization provides us with personal information about its directors, officers, shareholders, UBOs, representatives or other individuals, it is responsible for providing any required notice to, and obtaining any required consent from, those individuals.
We use personal information to establish and manage business relationships; provide and secure the Platform; process payment instructions; conduct onboarding, identity and business verification; identify ownership structures and UBOs; perform KYC, KYB, AML, sanctions and risk procedures; monitor transactions; prevent fraud and financial crime; coordinate global trade, settlement and liquidity workflows; maintain security and business records; communicate with customers and counterparties; and comply with applicable legal, regulatory, accounting, audit and compliance obligations.
Where required by applicable law, we obtain appropriate consent. Personal information may also be collected, used or disclosed where otherwise permitted or required by law.
Biometric information is collected only with the individual’s express consent, is used solely for identity verification, and is retained only for as long as necessary for that purpose and to meet applicable record-keeping requirements.
WTS may send business communications about its services to contacts at client and prospective client organizations, in accordance with Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation (“CASL”). Every such message includes a simple way to unsubscribe.
3. Identity Verification and Compliance
WTS maintains compliance and risk-management procedures appropriate to its operations.
We use Sumsub as a compliance technology provider to support activities that may include identity and business verification, KYC, KYB, AML and sanctions screening, fraud and risk assessment and transaction monitoring.
Sumsub processes information in accordance with its own terms and privacy notice, as updated from time to time. WTS may use other or additional compliance providers for these purposes.
Automated or semi-automated technology may be used to perform verification, screening and risk assessments and to provide WTS with verification results, alerts or risk indicators. WTS remains responsible for final decisions concerning its business relationships and does not rely solely on automated outputs when making such decisions.
Where required by applicable law, appropriate privacy notices and/or consent will be provided or obtained as part of the verification process.
4. Sharing of Personal Information and Service Providers
We may share personal information where reasonably necessary to operate our business, provide our services or meet legal and regulatory requirements.
Recipients may include identity verification and compliance providers; payment and digital asset infrastructure providers, including Bridge (a Stripe company) and Fireblocks; technology and platform development providers; banks, financial institutions and licensed payment or foreign exchange partners; other banks and payment networks involved in executing transactions; settlement and liquidity partners; cloud and cybersecurity providers; professional advisers; and regulatory, governmental, judicial or law enforcement authorities where required or permitted by law.
Certain services, such as account provision, custody and settlement, are performed together with licensed banking, payment and liquidity partners. These partners may process personal information under their own legal obligations and privacy notices.
When we execute a transfer of funds or virtual currency, information about the originator and beneficiary is shared with the financial institutions and virtual currency service providers involved in the transfer, as required by law.
As required under the PCMLTFA, WTS reports certain transactions to FINTRAC, including suspicious transactions, large virtual currency transactions and international electronic funds transfers of CAD 10,000 or more.
Where transactions are settled using stablecoins or other digital assets, transaction details, including wallet addresses, are recorded on public blockchains. Blockchain records are permanent, publicly visible and cannot be altered or deleted by WTS. Wallet addresses may be screened using blockchain analytics providers for AML and sanctions purposes.
We require service providers processing personal information on our behalf, through contractual or other means, to maintain appropriate confidentiality and security safeguards and to use such information only for authorized purposes.
WTS does not sell personal information.
5. International Processing, Retention and Security
Because WTS operates in an international environment, personal information may be transferred to, stored in or processed outside Canada by technology, compliance, financial and other service providers supporting our operations.
Information processed outside Canada may be subject to the laws of the relevant jurisdiction and, where legally permitted, may be accessible to regulatory, governmental or law enforcement authorities. We use contractual safeguards, such as data processing agreements, with service providers that process personal information outside Canada, together with appropriate organizational and technical measures. Questions about our use of service providers outside Canada may be directed to our Privacy Officer.
We retain personal information for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes for which it was collected and to meet applicable legal, regulatory, AML, compliance, accounting, audit and record-keeping requirements. As required under the PCMLTFA, KYC, KYB, transaction and other compliance records are retained for at least five years, including after a business relationship has ended. When information is no longer required, we take reasonable steps to securely delete, destroy or anonymize it, subject to applicable requirements.
We maintain reasonable administrative, organizational, technical and physical safeguards designed to protect personal information against unauthorized access, use, disclosure, alteration, loss or destruction. If a privacy breach creates a real risk of significant harm to individuals, we will notify the affected individuals and report the breach to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada and other authorities as required by law. WTS also maintains an operational risk management and incident response framework in line with its obligations under the Retail Payment Activities Act. However, no electronic transmission or information storage system can be guaranteed to be completely secure.
6. Your Privacy Rights
Subject to applicable law, individuals may have the right to request access to or correction of their personal information, obtain information regarding how their information has been used or disclosed, withdraw consent where processing is based on consent, and raise questions or complaints regarding our privacy practices. Individuals may have additional rights under the data protection laws of the jurisdiction in which they are located, where those laws apply.
These rights may be subject to legal or regulatory limitations, including where WTS is required to retain or process information for AML, fraud prevention, transaction monitoring or other compliance purposes. In particular, WTS is prohibited by law from disclosing whether a report concerning an individual or organization has been made to FINTRAC.
We may take reasonable steps to verify an individual’s identity before responding to a request.
Privacy requests and questions may be submitted to our Privacy Officer at privacy@wts.co.
7. Website, Cookies and Third-Party Services
Our website uses only essential cookies and similar technologies required for the website to function securely. We do not use advertising or tracking cookies.
Our website or services may also contain links to or interact with third-party websites, platforms or services. Those third parties are responsible for their own privacy practices, and users should review their applicable privacy notices.
WTS operates exclusively on a B2B and institutional basis. Our services are not directed to children, and we do not knowingly establish business relationships with minors.
8. Contact Us and Changes to this Policy
Questions, requests or complaints concerning this Privacy Policy or our handling of personal information may be directed to:
World Trade Solutions Inc.
5240 – 1A Street S.E., Unit 201
Calgary, Alberta, T2H 1J1
Canada
Privacy Officer
We will review and respond to privacy inquiries in accordance with applicable legal requirements. Individuals may also contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (www.priv.gc.ca) or the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Alberta (www.oipc.ab.ca) regarding concerns about the handling of their personal information.
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our business, services, technology, regulatory requirements or privacy practices. The current version will be published on our website with the applicable “Last Updated” date.