# Manage counterparties and addresses

The address book stores information about external counterparties and their blockchain addresses. Wallet-as-a-Service (Palisade) requires you to register every external destination in the address book before you can send funds to it. As an owner or administrator, you ensure the address book is accurate, governed, and compliant.

## Create a counterparty

1. Go to **Address book** > **Counterparties**.
2. Select **Create counterparty**.
3. Enter the counterparty **name** and optional **description**.
4. Select the **type**:
  - **Individual** — a person. Enter their first name, last name, and address details.
  - **Organization** — a company or institution. Enter the legal name.
  - **Dapp** — a decentralized application (smart contract).
5. Select **Create**.


Compliance checks
Palisade runs compliance checks on counterparty details, so new entries may not be available for immediate use. The platform validates entries before activating them.

## Add an address to a counterparty

Each address belongs to a counterparty, so you must create the counterparty first.

1. Go to **Address book** > **Addresses**.
2. Select **Add address**.
3. Select the **counterparty** the address belongs to.
4. Enter the **destination wallet address**.
5. Select one or more **blockchains** supported by the address.
6. Enter a **name** for the address (description is optional).
7. If the destination is **custodial** (controlled by a custodian such as Coinbase), select **Add custodian details** and search for the custodian.
8. Check the submission checkbox to confirm the custodial information is correct.
9. Select **Save**.


## Delete a counterparty or address

1. Find the counterparty or address in its respective table.
2. Open the **Actions** menu and select **Delete**.


Deleting a counterparty removes all its associated addresses. Review any [transaction policies](/products/wallet/admin-guide/configure-policies) that reference the deleted entries — removing an address may unintentionally narrow what a policy permits.

## How the address book fits into the security model

Address book entries are **global** — a counterparty and its addresses are available to all wallets in your organization. But the address book alone doesn't grant permission to send. Two conditions must be true:

1. You registered the address in the address book under a counterparty.
2. A [transaction policy](/products/wallet/admin-guide/configure-policies) on the sending wallet permits that address (or its counterparty) as a destination.


This separation means an admin can register counterparties in the address book, while a different admin controls which wallets can actually send to them through policies.

Internal transfers
Transfers between wallets within your own organization don't require address book entries. The address book is only for external destinations.

## Governance for address book changes

Uncontrolled address book modifications are a significant risk — a malicious or compromised user could register a fraudulent address and then send funds to it. Mitigate this with layered controls:

### Require approval for new entries

Set up an approval group for address book entries so that new counterparties and addresses require review before they become active.

1. Go to **Controls** > **Approval groups**.
2. Create an approval group with the type **Addresses**.
3. Select approvers and set a threshold.


See [Configure approval flows](/products/wallet/admin-guide/configure-approval-flows) for the full setup.

### Restrict who can create entries

Only users with the Owner or Administrator role can create address book entries. Assign the Proposer, Approver, Viewer, or Auditor role to users who must not modify the address book.

### Audit address book changes

Palisade logs all address book modifications (creates, updates, deletes). Use [audit logging](/products/wallet/admin-guide/configure-audit-logging) to track who changed what and when, and to detect unauthorized modifications.

## Compliance considerations

The address book helps you meet regulatory requirements for counterparty due diligence:

- **EU Transfer of Funds regulation** — requires custodians and wallet providers to collect and verify counterparty information (travel rule data) for inbound and outbound transactions. The address book provides a structured way to record this information. When adding an address, mark custodial destinations and identify the custodian.
- **Counterparty due diligence** — record legal names, physical addresses, and custodian information to support your organization's know-your-customer (KYC) and anti-money laundering (AML) processes.
- **Sanctions screening** — Palisade runs compliance checks on counterparty and address details, so new entries may not be available for immediate use. The platform validates entries before activating them.


## Operational best practices

- **Verify addresses through an independent channel** — before registering a new external address, confirm it with the counterparty through a separate communication channel (phone, in-person). Do not rely solely on email.
- **Review the address book regularly** — remove stale counterparties and addresses that are no longer needed. Each active entry is a potential transaction destination.
- **Coordinate with policies** — when you delete an address, review any transaction policies that reference it. Deleting an address may unintentionally narrow what a policy permits.
- **Document counterparty relationships** — use the description field to record the business context for each counterparty (who they are, why they are in the address book, who requested the addition).
- **Use counterparty types accurately** — classify each entry correctly (Individual, Organization, or Dapp) to support compliance reporting and filtering.


## Related guides

- [Address book overview](/products/wallet/user-interface/address-book/address-book-overview) — Conceptual overview
- [Manage address book](/products/wallet/user-interface/address-book/address-book-manage) — Step-by-step procedures
- [Configure transaction policies](/products/wallet/admin-guide/configure-policies) — Reference addresses in policies
- [Configure approval flows](/products/wallet/admin-guide/configure-approval-flows) — Require approval for new addresses
- [Configure audit logging](/products/wallet/admin-guide/configure-audit-logging) — Track address book changes