Category: Company Formation
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Opening a bank account in HK & when this is difficult
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Opening a bank account is usually one of the first items on a new company’s to do list, however, the process of establishing a corporate bank account in Hong Kong can present significant challenges, and is often more complicated than a company incorporation due to strict regulatory requirements and high compliance standards imposed on banks.…
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Amendments to the BVI Business Companies Act: Changes to the Register of Members and Register of Directors Filing Requirements
Recent legislative amendments to the Business Companies Act, effective 2 January 2025, have introduced several changes to the filing requirements and deadlines for companies within the BVI. Key updates include amendments to the Register of Members and the Register of Directors, alongside changes to the notification and filing of beneficial ownership information.
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Amendments to the BVI Business Companies Act: Changes to Beneficial Ownership Regulations
Recent amendments to the Business Companies Act have introduced several new requirements to align with international compliance standards. The Business Companies and Limited Partnerships (Beneficial Ownership) Regulations (the BO Regulations) aim to enhance transparency by mandating certain obligations for companies. The first of these changes is set to commence from 2 January 2025, necessitating the…
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Cayman fee increases in 2025
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The purpose of this update is to provide summary information around adjustments to the annual maintenance fees for Cayman entities, effective in 2025. A) Cayman Islands Monetary Authority (CIMA) – Licence fees adjustment for 2025 The Cayman Islands Monetary Authority (CIMA) confirmed on 11 December 2024 that they will impose the proposed increases to its 2025 licence fees. These…
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Bermuda Companies Act Amendments and Regulatory Updates
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Recent amendments to the Companies Act and regulatory framework that may impact your business operations in Bermuda Bermuda has undergone significant enhancements in its commercial (re)insurance supervision and regulatory regime, driven by industry consultations and market testing led by the Bermuda Monetary Authority (BMA). These enhancements particularly impact commercial (re)insurers in the long-term space, resulting…
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BVI Business Companies Annual Financial Return (AFR) – a guide (Updated)
As noted in our previous updater, amendments to the BVI Business Companies Act (Revised) came into force on 1 January 2023 introducing the requirement for BVI companies to file an annual financial return (AFR) with their registered agent. The BVI Business Companies (Financial Return) Order, 2023 (the Order) enacted in March, details (1) the form of…
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Winding up BVI companies following the reform of the BCA
The British Virgin Islands (BVI) is a popular jurisdiction for establishing companies due to its favourable tax and regulatory environment. However, there are instances when a BVI company is no longer needed, and the decision must be made to either strike it off or initiate a voluntary liquidation. This article aims to shed light on…
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Striking off in the British Virgin Islands
Recent amendments to the BVI Companies Act (Revised) have introduced significant changes to the strike off regime and restoration process. We outline the process and implications around strike off and dissolution of BVI companies under the new regime and the temporary transitional period which is currently in force.
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Economic Substance relating to Seychelles International Business Companies
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The Seychelles BTAA has updated the Business Tax Act to comply with the European Union’s Economic Substance requirements. Previously, Seychelles operated under a territorial tax regime, meaning only income sourced within the country was subject to taxation. Foreign-sourced income was exempt from Seychelles taxation. However, pursuant to the BTAA updates, exemptions for foreign sourced income…
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Further amendments to the Seychelles Beneficial Ownership Regime: Seychelles Beneficial Ownership (Amendment) Regulations
The Seychelles BO regime has since been further enhanced through the related Seychelles Beneficial Ownership (Amendment) Regulations enacted on 28 April 2023. We summarise the key amendments to the BO Regulations in our updater here.