Atlas · 125 jurisdictions
Each jurisdiction,
built for different goals.
An atlas of 125 jurisdictions commonly used by Chinese businesses going global. 30 key jurisdictions have full guides and can be compared side by side; the remaining entries list entity type, tax, shareholder and director requirements, share capital and annual compliance.
Showing 125 / 125
Map shows key jurisdictions
Key jurisdictions
30
Code
Jurisdiction · Entity type
Tax overview
Incorporation timeline
Details
- HK Hong KongPrivate company limited by shares Two-tiered profits tax: 8.25% on the first HK$2 million of assessable profits and 16.5% thereafter; profits are generally taxed by source, but specified foreign-sourced passive income received in Hong Kong by an MNE entity may be taxable under the FSIE regime. Approx. 3–5 business days
- SG SingaporePrivate limited company (Pte. Ltd.) Corporate income tax 17%; start-up and partial exemptions can lower the effective rate Approx. 1–3 business days
- VG British Virgin IslandsBVI Business Company No corporate income tax, capital gains tax, or withholding tax on dividends. Approx. 3–5 business days
- KY Cayman IslandsExempted company No direct taxes; a government tax exemption undertaking certificate may be available. Approx. 5–8 business days
- US Delaware, USAC corporation / limited liability company (LLC) C corporation: 21% federal corporate income tax; a corporation doing business in Delaware pays 8.7% on federal taxable income allocated and apportioned to Delaware; annual franchise tax also applies. Approx. 1–3 business days (EIN processing is separate).
- GB United KingdomPrivate limited company (Ltd) Corporation tax 19% (profits ≤ £50k) to 25% (> £250k); marginal relief in between, with thresholds reduced for short periods and associated companies Approx. 1–3 business days
- DE GermanyLimited liability company (GmbH) Corporate income tax 15% + solidarity surcharge + trade tax; effective rate about 30%. Approx. 2–6 weeks
- AE Dubai, UAEFree zone company (FZ-LLC / FZE) Corporate tax: 9% on taxable profits above AED 375,000; a Qualifying Free Zone Person may apply the 0% rate to Qualifying Income. Approx. 1–4 weeks
- SC SeychellesInternational business company (IBC) Seychelles-source income is subject to business tax (15% on the first SCR 1m of a company’s taxable income and 25% above); foreign passive income of covered companies is subject to an economic substance test. Approx. 2–3 business days
- MH Marshall IslandsNon-resident domestic corporation Statutorily exempt from Marshall Islands taxes Approx. 1–3 business days
- WS SamoaInternational company Non-Samoa income is currently exempt; the exemption ends on 1 January 2028 Approx. 2–3 business days
- MY-15 Labuan, MalaysiaLabuan company Labuan trading activity: 3% of audited net profits if substance requirements are met, otherwise 24% of chargeable profits; pure equity holding is exempt if substance requirements are met Approx. 1–2 weeks
- AU AustraliaProprietary company limited by shares (Pty Ltd) 30% standard rate; 25% for base-rate entities; 15% Pillar Two top-up rules apply to in-scope large MNEs Approx. 1–3 business days; director ID, FIRB and bank due diligence take additional time
- ID IndonesiaForeign investment limited liability company Perseroan Terbatas Penanaman Modal Asing (PT PMA) CIT generally 22%; qualifying listed companies 19%; Pillar Two can impose a 15% minimum on in-scope groups. Approx. 4–6 weeks, subject to KBLI, OSS and sector licences.
- JP JapanJoint-stock company Kabushiki Kaisha (K.K.) National corporate tax 23.2%; qualifying SMEs pay 15% on the first JPY 8m, plus local taxes Approx. 2–3 months; notarisation, capital payment and registration affect timing
- MO Macao SARPrivate company by quotas Sociedade por Quotas (Lda.) Complementary tax up to 12%; MOP 600,000 of 2025 assessable profit is exempt; from 2026 only Macao-source income is generally taxed, except specified foreign income of MNE group entities. Approx. 10 working days via IPIM's One-Stop Service once documents are complete; licences are additional.
- MY MalaysiaPrivate company limited by shares Sendirian Berhad (Sdn. Bhd.) CIT 24%; SME bands of 15%/17% are unavailable above 20% foreign ownership; large groups may top up to 15% Approx. 1–2 weeks; faster when name, KYC and local-appointee documents are ready
- KR South KoreaStock company (Chusik Hoesa; Co., Ltd.) From 2026, CIT is charged in four brackets of 10%/20%/22%/25%, plus local income tax of generally 10% of CIT; large MNE groups may face a 15% minimum tax Approx. 2–4 weeks; document authentication, banking and sector permits can extend this
- TH ThailandPrivate Limited Company (Co., Ltd.) Corporate income tax 20%; qualifying SMEs get graduated rates; large MNEs face a 15% minimum tax Approx. 1–3 weeks; document legalisation, business scope, and licence review can extend this
- VN VietnamForeign-invested limited liability company (LLC; Công ty TNHH) CIT is 20%; qualifying cases may access 10%, 15%, or 17%; in-scope multinational groups must assess the 15% minimum tax. Approx. 2–4 months, depending on the IRC, sector licences, document legalisation, and approvals.
- MU MauritiusGlobal Business Company (GBC) Corporate tax 15%; eligible specified foreign income may receive an 80% exemption; in-scope large groups face a 15% minimum tax Approx. 2–4 weeks, subject to complete documents, management-company CDD and FSC review
- CY CyprusPrivate company limited by shares (Ltd) Corporate income tax 15%; securities-disposal gains are generally exempt; Pillar Two may apply to €750m groups Approx. 2–4 weeks, subject to name clearance, document certification, due diligence and filing review
- IE IrelandPrivate Company Limited by Shares (LTD) 12.5% on trading income; 25% on non-trading income; large groups face the 15% minimum-tax rules Approx. 5–10 business days online; corrections or a bond can extend this
- LU LuxembourgPrivate limited liability company (Sàrl) Top-band CIT 16%; 23.87% combined in Luxembourg City; 15% minimum-tax rules for in-scope large groups Approx. 2–4 weeks; notary, bank onboarding, permits or due diligence may extend it
- NL NetherlandsPrivate limited company besloten vennootschap (B.V.) CIT: 19% to €200k and 25.8% above; qualifying innovation-box profit 9% Approx. 2–4 weeks, subject to notarial checks, foreign documents, and bank review
- CH SwitzerlandLimited liability company Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung (GmbH) Combined CIT is generally 11.66%–20.54%; in-scope large groups are topped up to 15% Approx. 2–4 weeks, subject to bank capital deposit, notarisation, and cantonal registry review
- CA CanadaBritish Columbia private company (B.C. Ltd.) B.C. general corporate tax totals 27%; non-resident control generally cannot use the 9% CCPC rate Approx. 1–2 weeks, once the name and filings are ready
- MX MexicoLimited Liability Company with Variable Capital (S. de R.L. de C.V.) Corporate income tax 30%; dividends from CUFIN to foreign owners generally face 10% WHT, subject to treaty relief Approx. 3–6 weeks, depending on notary, registrations, RFC, and foreign-document legalisation or translation
- PA PanamaCorporation Sociedad Anónima (S.A.) Panama-source income 25%; foreign passive income of MNEs without substance may face 15% Approx. 1–2 weeks, subject to due diligence and registry processing
- SA Saudi ArabiaLimited liability company (LLC) 20% CIT on profits attributable to non-Saudi ownership; dividends to non-residents generally carry 5% WHT Approx. 2–4 weeks, subject to registration, document authentication and sector approvals
More jurisdictions
95- BD Bangladesh Private Limited Company (Ltd.) General corporate tax 27.5%; 25% where all transactions use bank transfer; 1% turnover minimum tax; dividends generally face 20% WHT
- BN Brunei Private company Sendirian Berhad (Sdn. Bhd.) Corporate income tax 18.5%; first BND 100,000 exempt for new companies for 3 years
- KH Cambodia Private Limited Company (Co., Ltd.) Corporate income tax is generally 20%; QIPs may receive incentives, and minimum-tax treatment should be checked
- IN India Private Limited Company (Pvt. Ltd.) CIT is generally 22% or 25%–30%, plus surcharge and 4% health and education cess; large groups face global minimum tax rules
- KZ Kazakhstan Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) Corporate income tax 20%; dividends generally face 15% WHT, and large groups assess the 15% global minimum tax
- KG Kyrgyzstan Limited Liability Company Obshchestvo s Ogranichennoi Otvetstvennostyu (ОсОО / LLC) Corporate tax 10%; VAT 12%, plus 1–3% sales tax; dividends generally face 10% withholding
- LA Laos Limited Company (LLC) Standard profit tax 20%; 10% dividend withholding, with a 15% minimum tax for qualifying MNE group members
- MN Mongolia Foreign-Invested Limited Liability Company（ХХК / LLC） CIT 1%–25%; dividends generally face 10% WHT, non-resident payments generally 20%
- MM Myanmar Private Company Limited by Shares Corporate income tax generally 22%; listed companies 17%, oil and gas 25%; MIC/SEZ incentives may apply
- NP Nepal Private Limited Company (Pvt. Ltd.) Normal corporate income tax 25%; dividends generally face 5% withholding
- NZ New Zealand Limited company (Ltd) Corporate income tax 28%; large multinational groups may face the 15% global minimum tax
- PK Pakistan Private Limited Company (Pvt. Ltd.) Corporate income tax is generally 29%; small companies 20%, plus minimum turnover tax and high-income super tax
- PH Philippines Domestic Stock Corporation Corporate income tax is generally 25%; 20% may apply to small companies, plus 2% MCIT and dividend withholding tax
- LK Sri Lanka Private Limited Company (Pvt. Ltd.) Standard corporate income tax 30%; service-export and foreign-source exemptions removed from 2025
- UZ Uzbekistan Limited Liability Company（LLC; MChJ） Standard corporate income tax is 15%; non-resident dividends face 10% withholding, subject to the China treaty
- AI Anguilla Anguilla Business Company (ABC) Corporate income tax 0%; no dividend withholding tax. Large MNE groups should assess Pillar Two.
- AG Antigua & Barbuda International Business Corporation (IBC) Corporate income tax is 25%; the former IBC tax exemption was repealed.
- BS Bahamas International Business Company (IBC) No corporate income tax; a 15% domestic minimum top-up tax can apply to in-scope large MNE groups
- BB Barbados Private company (company with shares) CIT is generally 9%; qualifying companies may use 5.5%, while a 15% top-up tax can apply to qualifying MNE groups
- BZ Belize Company limited by shares (Ltd.) No general profit-based CIT; ordinary trade pays 1.75% business tax on gross receipts, and dividends face 15% withholding.
- BM Bermuda Exempted Company Limited by Shares Generally no corporate income tax; 15% applies to members of MNE groups with revenue of at least EUR 750m
- CK Cook Islands Limited Liability Company (LLC) Offshore activity is generally not subject to local income tax; resident companies are 20%, non-resident companies 28%, subject to the facts
- CW Curaçao Private limited liability company (Besloten Vennootschap, B.V.) 15% on first XCG 500,000 of taxable profit; 22% above; territorial rules and incentives are conditional.
- DM Dominica Private limited liability company (Private Ltd.) Corporate income tax 25%; approved fiscal incentives may provide relief, but are not automatic.
- GI Gibraltar Private company limited by shares (Ltd.) CIT 15%; certain utilities and telecoms 20%; 15% global minimum tax may apply to large groups
- GD Grenada Private company limited by shares (Ltd.) CIT generally 28% of chargeable income; large groups should assess 15% global minimum-tax exposure
- GG Guernsey Company limited by shares Standard rate 0%; specified financial income 10%, Guernsey property and certain income 20%; 15% top-up tax for in-scope large groups
- IM Isle of Man Company limited by shares (Companies Act 2006) 0% standard rate; 10% for banking and large retail, 20% for Manx property and petroleum; 15% for in-scope groups
- JE Jersey Private company limited by shares (Ltd.) General corporate income tax is 0%; specified financial services are taxed at 10%; in-scope large groups face 15% MCIT.
- LC Saint Lucia International Business Company (IBC) IBC corporate income tax is 30%; Saint Lucia-source profits are taxable, with territorial treatment for certain foreign-source income
- KN St Kitts & Nevis Nevis Business Corporation (NBC, commonly called an IBC) Corporate income tax 33%; foreign income of non-residents without a local taxable presence is generally outside the tax net
- VC St Vincent & the Grenadines Business Company (BC) CIT 28%; generally on SVG-source profits; large groups should assess 15% minimum-tax exposure
- TC Turks & Caicos Islands International company limited by shares (Ltd.) Corporate income tax 0%; large MNE groups should assess potential 15% top-up tax in other jurisdictions.
- VU Vanuatu International Company (IC) Corporate income tax 0%; no withholding tax. Large groups should assess 15% minimum-tax rules in applicable jurisdictions.
- AM Armenia Limited Liability Company (LLC) Corporate income tax 18%; qualifying SMEs may use turnover tax; non-resident dividends generally face 5% WHT
- AT Austria Limited liability company (Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung, GmbH) CIT 23%; GmbH minimum CIT EUR 500 yearly; 15% Pillar Two for groups meeting the EUR 750m test
- AZ Azerbaijan Limited Liability Company (LLC; Azerbaijani: Məhdud Məsuliyyətli Cəmiyyət, MMC) Corporate income tax 20%; some qualifying low-turnover businesses may use the 2% simplified regime
- BE Belgium Private limited company Société à responsabilité limitée / Besloten vennootschap (SRL/BV) CIT 25%; qualifying SMEs pay 20% on first EUR 100,000; 15% minimum tax for large groups
- BG Bulgaria Limited liability company Druzhestvo s ogranichena otgovornost (OOD; single-member EOOD) 10% CIT; groups above the EUR 750m threshold face a 15% minimum tax
- HR Croatia Limited liability company društvo s ograničenom odgovornošću (d.o.o.) 10% below EUR 1m revenue; 18% otherwise; 15% global minimum tax for in-scope large groups
- CZ Czech Republic Limited liability company (společnost s ručením omezeným; s.r.o.) CIT 21%; Pillar Two 15% applies to in-scope MNE groups over EUR 750m
- DK Denmark Private limited company (Anpartsselskab, ApS) Corporate income tax 22%; a 15% minimum tax applies to groups with EUR 750m consolidated revenue
- EE Estonia Private limited company Osaühing (OÜ) Undistributed profits are generally untaxed; dividends are taxed at 22/78 of the net amount; large groups face the 15% minimum tax rules.
- FI Finland Private limited liability company (Osakeyhtiö; Oy) Corporate income tax 20%; no local income tax; large groups are subject to 15% global minimum-tax rules
- FR France Simplified joint-stock company Société par Actions Simplifiée (SAS; SASU for a sole shareholder) CIT 25%; qualifying small companies pay 15% on the first €42,500; 15% minimum-tax rules cover large groups
- GE Georgia Limited liability company (LLC) Corporate income tax 15%, generally on profit distributions and certain deemed distributions; retained profits are untaxed until distribution
- GR Greece Private Capital Company (IKE) Standard CIT 22%; dividends generally carry 5% WHT; Pillar Two applies to in-scope large groups
- HU Hungary Limited liability company Korlátolt felelősségű társaság (Kft.) Corporate income tax 9%; local business tax up to 2%; large groups face the 15% global minimum tax
- IS Iceland Private limited company (Einkahlutafélag, ehf.) Corporate income tax 20%; Pillar Two exposure for large multinational groups requires case-specific review.
- IT Italy Limited liability company (Società a responsabilità limitata, S.r.l.) IRES 24% plus standard IRAP 3.9% (regionally variable); 15% minimum tax for qualifying large groups.
- LV Latvia Limited liability company, Sabiedrība ar ierobežotu atbildību (SIA) 0% on retained profits; 20% on distributed or deemed profits; large groups face a 15% minimum tax.
- LI Liechtenstein Public limited company (AG) Corporate tax 12.5%; generally CHF 1,800 minimum tax; 15% minimum tax for in-scope large groups
- LT Lithuania Private limited liability company (Uždaroji akcinė bendrovė, UAB) CIT 17%; qualifying small entities: 0% for the first two periods, then 7%; large groups assess the 15% minimum tax.
- MT Malta Private Limited Liability Company (Ltd.) Corporate tax 35%; qualifying refunds can reduce some trading profits to about 5%; large groups must assess 15% minimum-tax rules
- MC Monaco Société à Responsabilité Limitée (SARL) 25% where outside-Monaco turnover is 25%+; 15% minimum-tax rules remain draft for large groups
- ME Montenegro Limited liability company (d.o.o.) CIT is 9%–15% by profit band, with no local income tax; a 15% minimum-tax regime applies to large groups
- NO Norway Private limited company (Aksjeselskap, AS) CIT 22%; 25% for financial-sector companies; 15% minimum-tax rules apply to groups above EUR 750m consolidated revenue.
- PL Poland Limited liability company Spółka z ograniczoną odpowiedzialnością (sp. z o.o.) Corporate income tax 19%; 9% on qualifying small/new businesses’ non-capital income; 15% minimum tax for large groups.
- PT Portugal Private limited liability company Sociedade por Quotas (Lda.; Unipessoal Lda. when sole-owned) Corporate income tax 19%; municipal surtax up to 1.5%; large groups are subject to the 15% global minimum-tax regime
- RO Romania Limited liability company (Societate cu Răspundere Limitată, SRL) Standard CIT 16%; qualifying micro-companies pay 1% of revenue; large in-scope groups face a 15% minimum tax.
- RU Russia Limited liability company Obshchestvo s ogranichennoy otvetstvennostyu (OOO) Corporate profit tax is generally 25% (8% federal; 17% regional); qualifying investments may receive relief
- RS Serbia Limited liability company (d.o.o.) CIT 15%, with no local income tax; dividends to non-residents generally face 20% WHT, reduced to 5% for Chinese-resident beneficial owners under the China–Serbia treaty
- SK Slovakia Limited liability company (spoločnosť s ručením obmedzeným; s.r.o.) CIT: 10% on revenue to EUR 100k, 21% to EUR 5m, and 24% above; annual minimum CIT also applies
- SI Slovenia Limited liability company družba z omejeno odgovornostjo (d.o.o.) Corporate income tax 22% for 2024–28; 15% global minimum tax for in-scope large groups; dividend WHT 15%
- ES Spain Limited Liability Company Sociedad de Responsabilidad Limitada (S.L.) CIT 25%; micro-enterprises 19%/21%; in-scope groups face a 15% minimum
- SE Sweden Private limited company (Aktiebolag, AB) Corporate income tax 20.6%; 15% top-up tax rules apply to groups with EUR 750 million consolidated revenue
- TR Türkiye Limited liability company (Limited Şirket / Ltd. Şti.) Corporate income tax 25%; non-resident dividend WHT generally 15%; large groups face 15% global minimum tax
- AR Argentina Corporation (Sociedad Anónima, S.A.) Progressive corporate income tax of 25%–35%; dividends generally face 7% withholding, plus provincial turnover tax.
- BR Brazil Limited liability company Sociedade Limitada (Ltda.) Typically 34% (IRPJ 25%, including surcharge, plus CSLL 9%); a 15% top-up tax may apply to large MNE groups.
- CL Chile Simplified joint-stock company (Sociedad por Acciones, SpA) 27% standard FCT; qualifying ProPyME: 12.5% in 2026; non-resident dividends: 35% additional tax
- CO Colombia Simplified Stock Company (S.A.S.) CIT 35%, plus municipal industry-and-commerce tax; resident companies face a 15% minimum effective-tax rule.
- CR Costa Rica Limited liability company Sociedad de Responsabilidad Limitada (S.R.L.) Corporate income tax 30%; territorial system; small-company bands 5%–20%
- DO Dominican Republic Limited Liability Company (Sociedad de Responsabilidad Limitada, S.R.L.) Corporate income tax 27%; income of DOP 1 billion or more is taxed at 30% for 2026–2028
- EC Ecuador Simplified stock company (Sociedad por Acciones Simplificada, S.A.S.) CIT 25%; qualifying new investment may receive 22%; non-disclosure can add 3 points
- PE Peru Closed stock corporation (Sociedad Anónima Cerrada, S.A.C.) Corporate income tax 29.5%; dividends to non-residents are generally subject to 5% withholding, with no local income tax.
- UY Uruguay Simplified Joint Stock Company Sociedad por Acciones Simplificada (SAS) IRAE 25% on Uruguay-source income; taxable-profit dividends generally 7% WHT; 15% DMTT for in-scope groups
- DZ Algeria Limited liability company (Société à Responsabilité Limitée, SARL) CIT is generally 26%; 19% for manufacturing and 23% for construction and tourism; qualifying investment may receive relief.
- AO Angola Private limited company Sociedade por Quotas (Lda.) Corporate income tax 25%; dividends generally attract 10% Investment Income Tax; qualifying investments may obtain incentives.
- BH Bahrain With Limited Liability Company (W.L.L.) 0% general CIT; 46% on oil and gas net profits; 15% DMTT for in-scope MNE groups with a €750m threshold.
- EG Egypt Limited Liability Company (LLC) CIT is 22.5% (with exceptions such as oil exploration); licensed free-zone activities may be exempt
- ET Ethiopia Private Limited Company (PLC) CIT 30%; eligible new investments may receive a 1–6 year holiday; dividend WHT generally 15%
- GH Ghana Private company limited by shares (Ltd.) Corporate income tax 25%; most companies also pay a 2.5% levy on profit before tax through 2028
- IL Israel Private Limited Company (Ltd.) Corporate income tax 23%; qualifying technology income may be 7.5%–12%; 15% minimum tax may apply to in-scope MNE groups
- JO Jordan Limited liability company (LLC) CIT is generally 20%, plus 1% national contribution tax; specified sectors face higher rates.
- KE Kenya Private limited company (Ltd) CIT 30%; an MNE group above EUR 750m revenue tops up to 15% where its Kenya rate is lower
- KW Kuwait Limited Liability Company (W.L.L.) Foreign corporate bodies pay 15% CIT; qualifying KDIPA projects may receive incentives; large MNEs face a 15% DMTT.
- LR Liberia Non-resident Liberian Corporation Liberian taxable income is generally taxed at 25%; quarterly 2% gross-income prepayments are creditable
- MA Morocco Limited liability company (Société à Responsabilité Limitée, SARL) CIT is 20%; MAD 100 million or more is 35%, and financial institutions are 40%; the minimum contribution is generally 0.25%
- NG Nigeria Private Company Limited by Shares (Ltd) CIT 30%; 0% for small companies; 4% development levy; 15% minimum ETR for certain large or multinational businesses
- OM Oman Limited Liability Company (LLC) CIT generally 15%; qualifying LLCs 3%; 15% top-up tax for in-scope MNE groups
- QA Qatar Limited Liability Company (LLC) CIT generally 10%; petroleum at least 35%; in-scope MNEs face 15% minimum tax
- RW Rwanda Private Company Limited by Shares (Ltd.) Corporate income tax 28%; qualifying HQ, export, and priority projects may receive preferential rates
- ZA South Africa Private Company (Pty) Ltd. Corporate income tax 27%; qualifying SEZ companies 15%; 15% global minimum tax for in-scope MNE groups.
- TZ Tanzania Private Company Limited by Shares (Ltd.) CIT 30%; a 1% AMT on turnover may apply after three consecutive loss years; no local income tax
- UG Uganda Private company limited by shares (Ltd.) CIT 30%; resident companies with turnover up to UGX 150m generally use presumptive tax; no local CIT
BD
BN
KH
IN
KZ
KG
LA
MN
MM
NP
NZ
PK
PH
LK
UZ
AI
AG
BS
BB
BZ
BM
CK
CW
DM
GI
GD
GG
IM
JE
LC
KN
VC
TC
VU
AM
AT
AZ
BE
BG
HR
CZ
DK
EE
FI
FR
GE
GR
HU
IS
IT
LV
LI
LT
MT
MC
ME
NO
PL
PT
RO
RU
RS
SK
SI
ES
SE
TR
AR
BR
CL
CO
CR
DO
EC
PE
UY
DZ
AO
BH
EG
ET
GH
IL
JO
KE
KW
LR
MA
NG
OM
QA
RW
ZA
TZ
UGThis page summarises publicly available regulations for general reference only and does not constitute legal or tax advice. Rules in each jurisdiction may change at any time; please confirm the latest position with an Offshore Isle advisor.
⇄Compare · 并排对比
Pick two or three and view side by side.
Select up to 3 jurisdictions and compare tax, shareholders/directors, share capital, local requirements, annual compliance and disclosure.
Compare up to 3 jurisdictions. Click again to remove.
| Criteria | HKHong KongPrivate company limited by shares | SGSingaporePrivate limited company (Pte. Ltd.) | VGBritish Virgin IslandsBVI Business Company |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tax | Two-tiered profits tax: 8.25% on the first HK$2 million of assessable profits and 16.5% thereafter; profits are generally taxed by source, but specified foreign-sourced passive income received in Hong Kong by an MNE entity may be taxable under the FSIE regime. | Corporate income tax 17%; start-up and partial exemptions can lower the effective rate | No corporate income tax, capital gains tax, or withholding tax on dividends. |
| Shareholders and directors | Min. 1 shareholder and 1 director (at least one natural person); can be the same person | Min. 1 shareholder; at least 1 Singapore resident director | Min. 1 shareholder and 1 director; corporates allowed; can be the same person |
| Share capital | No minimum share capital; no capital verification or paid-in capital requirement. | Min. S$1; no paid-in verification | No statutory minimum share capital; a common limit is 50,000 authorised shares, which may be issued fully paid, partly paid or unpaid. |
| Local requirements | A Hong Kong registered office and a company secretary who is an individual ordinarily resident in Hong Kong or a body corporate with its registered or principal office in Hong Kong are required. | Singapore registered address; appoint company secretary within 6 months | Appoint a licensed BVI registered agent and maintain a registered office in the BVI (usually provided by the registered agent) |
| Annual compliance | Annual return, business registration renewal; annual audit and profits tax filing | Annual return with ACRA; ECI (unless waived) and corporate income tax returns with IRAS. | Annual government fee and registered-agent renewal; annual financial return to the registered agent within 9 months of year end for most companies (some exemptions), plus applicable economic substance reporting. |
| Formation timeline | Approx. 3–5 business days | Approx. 1–3 business days | Approx. 3–5 business days |
| Public disclosure | Director and shareholder data searchable at the Companies Registry | Director and shareholder data are available for purchase from ACRA; controller information must be filed by non-exempt companies but is not public. | Shareholder and director registers are filed; shareholder-register details are normally confidential, while a director-name list is obtainable by company search; beneficial ownership data are disclosed only within the statutory regime. |
| Best for | Cross-border trade and FX settlementMainland China FIE vehicleRed-chip mid-tierCross-border ecommerce vehicle Full brief | Southeast Asia regional HQTechnology and SaaSFamily officeTrading companies needing stable banking Full brief | Personal and family holdingMid-tier in listing structuresInvestment holdingIP holding Full brief |
These are summaries; local rules prevail. Your advisor confirms the current position in writing before you proceed.