In decades of banking, I have watched two types of financial institutions handle people's money. Some treat regulation as a burden, creating roadblocks and hurdles that are difficult to navigate. We all see conventional banks falling deeper and deeper into that trap. A healthier approach is to treat regulatory authorities as a backbone of the financial industry, and to embrace the regulations that are designed to maintain safety for clients and financial institutions alike.
That is the mindset with which I built Adesco. The regulatory authorities and the banking community recognize our approach and continue to express their faith in Adesco. This month, the Israel Securities Authority added their vote of confidence by granting Adesco a new license as a Payments Company under new Israeli regulations.
The new payments regulations have been introduced to strengthen the protection of client funds and tighten regulatory compliance, so that only properly qualified financial institutions are trusted to handle client money and to move those funds on behalf of clients around the world.
Adesco has been registered as an Israeli financial institution since 2013. So the news is not about what we do. It confirms that we do it right.
The Short Answer
Adesco has been granted a new license as a Payments Company by the Israel Securities Authority (ISA). This adds to the oversight Adesco has operated under since 2013 as a licensed financial institution under the Israel Capital Market, Insurance and Savings Authority (License 57103). Client funds continue to be held in full segregation, in a framework Adesco calls its Zero Risk Environment: never lent, never invested, never used for currency speculation, never used for Adesco's own operations, and released only on explicit client instruction.
This license is the newest milestone enabling Adesco to continue what we have been doing since 2013: providing clients with the most efficient method to move money into and out of Israel, saving time, saving money, and avoiding the headaches of slow, cumbersome processes at the banks.
What Is a Payments Company License From the Israel Securities Authority?
A Payments Company license is a new, distinct regulatory category that Israeli authorities apply to firms providing financial services where holding client money and executing payments are a core part of their business. It sets high standards for how client funds must be held, tracked, and reported.
Adesco has now been granted this license by the ISA, in addition to the license we have held since 2013 from the Israel Capital Market, Insurance and Savings Authority. You can verify our license and company registration yourself through official government registries.
What Does Adesco's Zero Risk Environment Actually Mean for Your Money?
Adesco holds all client funds in a special trust account, fully segregated from its own business operations. Those funds are never lent, never invested, and never speculated with. There is no credit risk, no market exposure, and no liquidity risk attached to money sitting with Adesco, because every transaction is executed only on the client's explicit instruction, not at Adesco's discretion.
That is what I mean when I say Adesco operates a Zero Risk Environment. It is not a slogan. It is a description of where the money is actually maintained and who is allowed to touch it. Read more about how Adesco protects client funds.
Why Regulation Is Part of How Adesco Brings Back Simplicity, Not Bureaucracy
I founded Adesco because I spent decades watching banks deprioritize personal service in the name of efficiency, until the client and their best interests became an afterthought. The banking system treats compliance as a burden for itself and for the client, creating more requirements, more forms, more branch visits, and more delays.
Adesco takes a healthier approach: focus on our clients' needs and simplify compliance. Regulatory compliance happens entirely behind the scenes, so what the client experiences stays simple. Now Israel's securities and payments regulator, the Israel Securities Authority, has confirmed that the process behind that simplicity is sound. The client-facing experience does not change at all.
That is also what clients tell us, in their own words. As Leonard Hammer, a frequent trader who has used Adesco for years, put it: "I have used many currency traders over the years given my work in Israel and overseas, and Adesco truly stands out. They are ridiculously fast, extremely fair, offer great exchange rates in real time, and maintain an incredible service team that is prompt and courteous."
What This Means the Next Time You Move Money Through Adesco
Nothing about your transfer experience changes. You still get a market-based rate with zero hidden fees, saving up to 4,000 NIS per $100,000 transferred compared to a bank, and same-day processing, compared to the 3-7 business days many banks take on an international wire. No extra forms. No extra branch visits. No new hoops for you to jump through.
Savings are based on typical bank margins of 2-4% above the live market rate. Actual savings vary with market conditions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Adesco a licensed and regulated company in Israel?
Yes. Adesco has operated as a licensed Israeli financial institution since 2013, under license number 57103 from the Israel Capital Market, Insurance and Savings Authority. Adesco has now also been granted a Payments Company license by the Israel Securities Authority.
What is a Payments Company license from the Israel Securities Authority?
It is a new, distinct Israeli regulatory category for financial institutions that hold, convert, and transfer client funds as a core part of their business. It sets strict standards for how those funds must be held, tracked, and reported.
Does this new license change how I use Adesco?
No. Your experience stays the same: same-day transfers, market-based rates with no hidden fees, and a personal advisor who is available to assist. The new license adds additional regulatory oversight behind the scenes. It does not change the process on your end.
Who actually oversees how Adesco handles my funds?
Several regulators oversee various aspects of our activity: the Israel Capital Market, Insurance and Savings Authority, the Israel Securities Authority, the Israel Anti Money Laundering Authority, the Israel Tax Authority, and the Israel Privacy Protection Authority.
Are my funds ever used for anything other than my own transfers?
No. Client funds are held in full segregation from Adesco's own funds. They are never lent, never invested, and never used for any speculative activity or for anything other than the transactions the client has explicitly instructed.
About the Author
Jeff Balsam is the CEO and Founder of Adesco, and a veteran of international banking with decades of experience in global financial systems. He launched Adesco as a financial institution in 2013 after seeing how slow and cumbersome banks had become in handling international transfers. Jeff's ownership of Adesco is approved by the regulators who monitor Adesco activities.
Moving money into or out of Israel? Start a transfer request or WhatsApp us at +972-52-220-7326.