Dow Jones is not blind to either the burgeoning interest in South Dakota as a trust-friendly jurisdiction or state regulators’ desire to make sure trust companies that set up shop are well capitalized and high quality.

Here’s an excerpt from DJ reporter Arden Dale’s recent article:

South Dakota began making a push to attract trust business with a key statute it put on the books in 1995. It now ranks with Delaware, Nevada and Alaska as one of the most popular places to set up a trust company.

South Dakota historically has attracted an especially large number of private trust companies, which are run by family members. About five years ago, though, more public companies began coming in, according to Bret Afdahl, division counsel at the South Dakota Division of Banking.

The state updates its trust law annually, through a governor’s task force on trust administration …