About CACEIS
CACEIS is a major European asset servicing banking group with €5.9 trillion in assets under custody and €3.7 trillion in assets under administration1. Serving institutional investors, asset managers, banks and other financial institutions worldwide, CACEIS identified digital connectivity as an important way to streamline account opening at scale.
The challenge
Opening investor accounts has traditionally involved manual forms, document collection and back-and-forth communication among distributors, banks, platforms, custodians and transfer agents. These steps slow onboarding, increase operational risk and delay investors’ ability to enter the market.
Recognizing an opportunity to streamline account opening, BBH worked with CACEIS to simplify how account opening requests were submitted and how confirmations were returned. The objective was clear: create a faster, more transparent process that could support account opening at scale while reducing manual intervention.
Key priorities included:
- Streamlining account opening timelines.
- Reducing manual document collection and form filling.
- Supporting faster time to market for investors.
- Improving transparency across the onboarding process.
- Creating a more scalable model for future account opening activity.
The solution
BBH implemented its account opening API connectivity with CACEIS in April 2026 to support CACEIS’ digital account opening objectives, enabling account opening information and status confirmations to move electronically between the two organizations. The API-enabled process works as follows:
End-to-end straight-through account-opening process: CACEIS submits an account-opening request to BBH; investor information is transmitted directly through the API; BBH processes the request; and the account number and confirmation are returned to CACEIS. The process flows from CACEIS to BBH and back to CACEIS.
By transmitting investor information directly through the API, the process supports a more connected, automated experience between CACEIS and BBH. For a major asset servicing provider operating at scale, this helps create a more consistent and scalable account opening model. The account opening process is smooth and highly automated, giving CACEIS more time to focus on strategic initiatives and continue to scale their business.
Investors now expect a digital, fast and seamless onboarding experience.”
“Our API connectivity demonstrates how account opening can become a more standardized, scalable process, giving firms like CACEIS greater transparency and control while supporting a faster experience for investors. This connection is also an important step in our broader strategy to expand transfer agent API connectivity across the funds ecosystem, complementing the integrations we have already established with other market platforms.”
The impact
The implementation supports the move from fragmented manual workflows toward a more standardized, API-enabled account opening model. It helps create a faster, more transparent onboarding experience for investors, while reducing operational friction across a high-volume servicing environment. Full implementation for CACEIS was completed in 3 months.
Straight-through processing increased from 0% to 86%, with a goal of 99%. CACEIS targets approximately 300 new investor accounts opened through API in the next year, with highly efficient end-to-end turnaround.
Collectively, these results demonstrate measurable operational improvements against CACEIS’ account opening priorities and a stronger foundation for future growth.
Digital connectivity is central to how we continue to enhance our asset servicing model. Our API connection with BBH supports a faster and more scalable approach to account opening, helping us respond to client needs while building a strong foundation for future growth.”
Looking ahead
By implementing BBH's account opening through the API with CACEIS, we are helping transform account opening from a manual, document-led process into a faster, more connected digital workflow. For a client operating at this scale, the API supports a more efficient onboarding experience today, while creating a stronger foundation for future growth across the funds ecosystem.
1CACEIS data 31/12/2025
This case study may not be representative of the experience of other clients and is no guarantee of future performance or success.
Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. (“BBH”) may be used to reference the company as a whole and/or its various subsidiaries generally. This material and any products or services may be issued or provided in multiple jurisdictions by duly authorized and regulated subsidiaries. This material is for general information and reference purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax or investment advice and is not intended as an offer to sell, or a solicitation to buy securities, services or investment products. Any reference to tax matters is not intended to be used, and may not be used, for purposes of avoiding penalties under the U.S. Internal Revenue Code, or other applicable tax regimes, or for promotion, marketing or recommendation to third parties. All information has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but accuracy is not guaranteed, and reliance should not be placed on the information presented. This material may not be reproduced, copied or transmitted, or any of the content disclosed to third parties, without the permission of BBH. All trademarks and service marks included are the property of BBH or their respective owners.© Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. 2026. All rights reserved. IS-11841-2026-10-14
