Cap-table de-identification is the removal of holder PII from an ownership grid. GDPR Art. 4(1) counts a person as identifiable through factors specific to their economic identity. A holding size is exactly such a factor. So clearing names is the start of the job, not the end of it.
When this applies
Bidders get the ownership split before they price the equity. They need the percentages, not the owners. Clear the holder data, then check whether a lone stake still points at one person.
How anonym.plus handles it
- Open the grid in anonym.plus on your device.
- It finds owner names, emails, and tax or ID numbers.
- Share counts, classes, and percentages stay in place.
- Swap each party for a steady label across joined rows.
- Save the clean grid on your device.
What you need to provide
- The grid (XLSX, CSV, PDF, or export).
- A column map for known owner fields.
- Replace with a steady label map to keep row links.
PII entity types detected
| Category | anonym.plus entity type | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Names | PERSON | holder_name → [HOLDER_n] |
| Contact | EMAIL_ADDRESS | owner email → [EMAIL] |
| Identifiers | NATIONAL_ID | tax id field → [ID] |
| Finance | IBAN_CODE | payout account → [ACCOUNT] |
| Location | LOCATION | owner address → [ADDRESS] |
| Org | ORGANIZATION | fund entity → [ENTITY] |
Compliance achieved
- Cuts the direct identifiers GDPR Art. 4(1) names.
- Art. 4(1) also counts economic factors, so a lone large stake stays a clue.
- Steady labels keep row links, so the ownership math still works.
- Local-only — the grid never reaches the cloud.
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Limitations & cautions
A small owner set can re-identify by share size alone, even after names go. A 40% block points to one fund. Weigh whether the split itself is a clue before you treat the grid as anonymous.
Frequently asked questions
Can a shareholding identify someone on its own?
Yes. Art. 4(1) treats economic factors as identifiers. A lone 40% block in a short register points at one holder. Band or group such stakes before you call the grid anonymous.
Can rows stay linkable after the swap?
Yes. A steady label map swaps each owner the same way, so rows for one party still join while no real name is left.
Does it handle XLSX as well as PDF?
Yes. Spreadsheet exports and PDF tables both work on your device.