In the world of Singapore business consultancy, people often use acronyms like RFA and CSP interchangeably<\/span>, but in 2026, you must understand this distinction to protect your company legally.<\/span><\/p>\n While they both operate within the corporate services sector, one defines the firm\u2019s legal authorization, while the other defines the individual\u2019s professional qualification. Under the Corporate Service Providers Act<\/a>, if you hire a firm without these credentials, ACRA may reject your filings.<\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Blog” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” min_height=”107.2px” custom_margin=”-7px|||||” custom_padding=”||0px|||” locked=”off” collapsed=”on” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”-26px|auto||auto||” custom_padding=”||8px|||” border_width_top=”1px” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.6″ _module_preset=”default” background_enable_color=”off” custom_margin=”||2px|||” custom_padding=”||0px|||” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”] To put it simply: An <\/span>RFA (Registered Filing Agent)<\/b> is the “entity” or the business itself, while a <\/span>CSP (Corporate Service Provider)<\/b> is the broader category of the professional service being offered, often led by a <\/span>Qualified Individual (QI).<\/span><\/p>\n An RFA is a firm or business entity that ACRA (Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority) has officially registered \u00a0to provide corporate secretarial services<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n The industry uses the term CSP for firms that provide these services. However, as of 2026, the law now requires every CSP to register as an RFA if they are performing filing tasks.<\/span><\/p>\nDefining the Difference: RFA vs. CSP<\/h2>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”4px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.6″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”16px” custom_margin=”-1px|||||” custom_padding=”0px||0px|||” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”]
1. Registered Filing Agent (RFA)<\/h3>\n
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2. Corporate Service Provider (CSP)<\/h3>\n
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At a Glance: Comparison Table<\/h2>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.6″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.6″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_code _builder_version=”4.27.6″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”]