ACAT
ACAT commonly refers to two distinct topics, depending on the context. In finance, Automated Customer Account Transfer (ACAT) is the electronic process used to move a brokerage account from one firm to another. Transfers may include cash and securities and are coordinated through industry utilities that administer the service, often called ACATS. Customers initiate the transfer with the receiving firm; the process follows the Uniform Transfer Guide. Typical completion time is three to six business days, though asset type and firm policies can affect timing. Partial transfers are possible, and open orders may need to be canceled or settled before or during the transfer.
ACAT also denotes Acyl-CoA cholesterol acyltransferase, a family of endoplasmic reticulum enzymes that esterify cholesterol to