> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.conduit.financial/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Clients

> This guide explains what a client is and how they work in Conduit.

## **What is a Client?**

A **client** (also referred to as a **subsidiary**) is a business entity that you operate and onboard to the Conduit platform for money movement capabilities. Clients represent your own business entities or subsidiaries, as opposed to customers who are your end users. A client can have a named Virtual Account with Conduit for true banking-like functionality. If you operate multiple business entities or regional subsidiaries, each can be onboarded as a separate client under your main account.

**Example:** If your company operates "Acme Corp US" and "Acme Corp EU" as separate legal entities, each would be onboarded as a Client.

**Why are clients important?**

* **Multi-Entity Support**: Manage multiple subsidiaries with separate Virtual Accounts and balances
* **Independent Operations**: Each client entity operates with its own Virtual Account and balances
* **Separate Accounting**: Track balances and transactions per business entity
* **Regulatory Compliance**: Each entity maintains proper compliance and verification

## **Client capabilities**

Once onboarded, clients can:

* **Hold USD balances**: Maintain USD in named Virtual Accounts
* **Send and receive payments**: Execute transfers and currency conversions
* **Manage multiple entities**: Each subsidiary operates independently with its own Virtual Account
* **Access deposit instructions**: Share bank details for receiving funds
* **View aggregated balances**: See total balances across all subsidiaries

**Key terms:**

| Term                | Definition                                                                 |
| ------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Client**          | Your business entity or subsidiary - uses Conduit to send/receive payments |
| **Subsidiary**      | Alternative term for client - both refer to your business entities         |
| **Virtual Account** | Named account for holding USD balances and receiving payments              |

***

## **Onboarding a Client**

Client onboarding is handled directly by our team to ensure proper setup and compliance.

<Note>
  **To onboard a new client entity or subsidiary:**

  Contact our [support team](https://support.conduitpay.com/) to begin the onboarding process. Our team will guide you through the requirements and setup.
</Note>

**Timeline:** 1-3 business days for compliance review

## **Managing Clients via API**

Once your client entities are onboarded, you can manage them programmatically:

### **View Client Balances**

```http theme={null}
GET /clients/accounts
```

Get aggregated balances across all your client entities.

### **View Specific Client Balance**

```http theme={null}
GET /clients/{client_id}/account
```

Get the balance for a specific client entity.

### **Get Deposit Instructions**

```http theme={null}
GET /clients/{client_id}/account/deposit-instructions
```

Retrieve bank details to share with senders for a specific client entity.

### **Client ID Format**

Client IDs follow this format: `client_2fb9ADpfgEEaM4SysFUBlg290HY`

***

## **Clients vs Customers**

<Note>
  **Key Differences:**

  | Aspect            | Client                                | Customer                         |
  | ----------------- | ------------------------------------- | -------------------------------- |
  | **Represents**    | Your business entity or subsidiary    | Your end-user business           |
  | **ID Format**     | `client_...`                          | `cus_...`                        |
  | **Typical Use**   | Multi-entity operations, subsidiaries | Marketplace merchants, end users |
  | **Onboarding**    | Contact support team                  | API or hosted KYB link           |
  | **API Endpoints** | `/clients/*`                          | `/customers/*`                   |

  Both have identical capabilities: Virtual Accounts, USD balances, payment processing, and compliance requirements.
</Note>

***

## **What's next?**

* Learn about Virtual Accounts: [Virtual USD Accounts](/core-concepts/virtual-accounts)
* Understand USD balance management: [USD Balances in Virtual Accounts](/guides/virtual-accounts/usd-balance)
* View API documentation: [API Reference](/api-reference)

## Support

Reach out to our [support team](https://support.conduitpay.com/) to onboard a new client entity or get help with your account.