信托牌照指的是信托公司经营信托业务的资格证书，也被称为信托经营许可证。在中国，信托公司属于非银行金融机构，其业务范围涵盖了多个领域，如资金信托、投资基金信托、房地产信托等。

信托牌照的作用在于规范信托公司的经营行为，保障投资者的合法权益。在信托牌照的申请和审批过程中，监管部门会对申请公司的资本实力、业务模式、风险控制等多个方面进行严格审核，以确保其具备从事信托业务的基本条件和能力。同时，监管部门还会对持牌信托公司的日常经营进行持续监管，确保其业务合规、风险可控。

在信托行业中，信托牌照的重要性不言而喻。只有持有信托牌照的信托公司才能合法地开展信托业务，否则将被视为非法经营。这不仅可能导致公司受到法律制裁，还可能对投资者造成重大损失。因此，对于有意开展信托业务的机构来说，申请信托牌照是必须的步骤。

英文对比阅读：

Trust license refers to the qualification certificate for trust companies to engage in trust business, also known as the trust operation license. In China, trust companies belong to non-bank financial institutions, and their business scope covers multiple areas, such as fund trusts, investment fund trusts, real estate trusts, and more.

The role of the trust license lies in regulating the business behavior of trust companies and protecting the legitimate rights and interests of investors. During the application and approval process of the trust license, the regulatory authorities will strictly review the capital strength, business model, risk control and other aspects of the applicant company to ensure that it has the basic conditions and capabilities to engage in trust business. At the same time, the regulatory authorities will also conduct continuous supervision of the daily operations of the licensed trust companies to ensure that their business is compliant and their risks are controllable.

In the trust industry, the importance of the trust license cannot be overstated. Only trust companies holding a trust license can legally engage in trust business. Otherwise, it will be considered illegal operation. This not only may lead to legal sanctions for the company, but also may cause significant losses to investors. Therefore, for institutions that intend to engage in trust business, applying for a trust license is a necessary step.