Practical overview
Facts checked against the official sources listed below on 6 August 2026. Rules depend on facts, tax residence, management, business model and target markets.
Licensing and regulated activity
Ordinary incorporation does not authorise regulated activity. The following areas can require a licence, registration, local key persons, capital, policies, audit or prior approval:
- gaming operator, supplier and gambling permissions
- banking, payments, investment, insurance and financial-services permissions
- fund, manager, administrator and investment permissions
- CASP, VASP, MSB or other digital-asset permissions
A licence in the incorporation jurisdiction does not automatically permit customers in every country. Customer location, marketing, payments, custody, consumer law and restricted-market rules must be reviewed market by market.
A regulated launch normally proceeds through perimeter analysis, ownership and source-of-funds review, governance and key persons, policies and controls, capital and safeguarding, application, regulator questions, technical or financial audit and ongoing reporting.
When this jurisdiction can fit
The jurisdiction should be selected for the actual operating model, not for a headline tax rate. Typical use cases include:
- licensed online gaming and gaming suppliers
- fintech, payment and regulated financial projects
- holding, investment and group structures
- European operating companies and EU market access
Core corporate requirements
Before filing, the structure should account for the following recurring legal and operational requirements:
- a local registered office or registered address
- a company secretary within the statutory deadline
- proper accounting records and supporting documents
- an annual or periodic company return
- annual financial statements
- audit where legally required or requested by a bank/regulator
- accurate beneficial-owner filings and updates
- tax registration and returns based on activity
- economic substance appropriate to functions, assets and risks
Banking and payment accounts
Banking readiness from €1,500 covers pre-screening, ownership chart, business description, transaction map, forecast, KYC document review and coordinated applications to suitable banks or EMIs. It does not include a promise of approval.
A bank or EMI normally assesses the owner, sector, jurisdictions, website, contracts, transaction flow, expected volumes, currencies, source of funds and source of wealth. A shell with no credible commercial evidence is harder to onboard.
The application pack normally includes passports, proof of address and tax residence, ownership chart, CVs, contracts, invoices or pipeline evidence, website and policies, business plan, twelve-month forecast, transaction map and source-of-funds documents.
First-year and recurring cost
Our formation package from €5,000 includes formation coordination, standard corporate documents, a registered address or registered agent for the first year, tax-number coordination and the agreed standard first-year corporate and tax filings. Government fees, mandatory capital, audit, licences, local directors, notarisation, apostille, translations and enhanced substance are quoted separately where required.
The fixed website price is a professional-service starting point, not a universal all-inclusive government price. We issue a written budget separating government fees, professional work, third-party costs, capital, first-year compliance and recurring annual costs.
| Cost component | Typical scope |
|---|---|
| Government and registry fees | Usually separate |
| Professional formation work | Included or quoted |
| Registered address, agent or secretary | Included or quoted |
| Tax registrations and standard first-year filings | Included or quoted |
| Bookkeeping, annual accounts and returns | Usually separate |
| Optional banking-readiness package | Usually separate |
| Optional licensing, audit and enhanced substance | Usually separate |
Unless expressly included in the proposal, mandatory capital, government fees, audit, licence fees, local staff or directors, physical premises, notarisation, apostille, certified translation, merchant acquiring and third-party bank charges are separate.
Annual compliance
A company must remain compliant after incorporation. The normal calendar should consider:
- bookkeeping and retention of invoices, contracts and bank records
- annual financial statements
- corporate income-tax or information returns
- VAT, GST or sales-tax returns when registered
- an annual or periodic company return
- renewal of the registered office, agent or secretary
- beneficial-owner and officer updates
- audit where legally required or requested by a bank/regulator
- licence renewals and regulatory reporting
Missing a nil return, annual fee or information filing can cause penalties, loss of good standing, involuntary strike-off or banking problems even where no corporate tax is payable.
Key risks and limitations
The decision should be based on the complete risk picture, including:
- regulated activity requires a separate licensing perimeter review
- audit and local accounting can materially increase recurring cost
- bankability depends on substance, sector, owners and transaction evidence
- tax residence based on effective management and control
- CFC and owner-country anti-deferral rules
- target-country restrictions may prevent serving some markets
Official sources
Official links are provided for verification. Where a source changes after the review date, the newer official rule prevails.
Frequently asked questions
Can a non-resident own the company?
Foreign ownership is usually possible subject to the entity type, sector, sanctions screening and any local-director or approval rules described on this page.
Does incorporation guarantee a bank account?
No. Banks and EMIs perform independent KYC, risk and commercial reviews. We improve application readiness and coordinate responses.
Will the company automatically pay zero tax?
No. Corporate tax, owner-country tax, CFC rules, permanent establishment, withholding, VAT/GST and management-and-control rules must be analysed together.
Is an address included in the formation package?
The agreed first-year formation package includes a registered address or registered agent where legally available. A staffed office, desk, warehouse or additional substance is separate.
Do I need a local director or secretary?
It depends on the jurisdiction and entity. The local requirements section identifies the standard rule; regulated activity may impose more governance.
What annual filings are required?
Typically bookkeeping, annual returns, accounts, corporate tax filings, VAT/GST or payroll filings, UBO updates and renewals may apply.
Can beneficial ownership be hidden?
No. Registries, banks, tax authorities and regulated providers require accurate beneficial-owner and source-of-funds information.
Can one licence cover customers worldwide?
No. A licence is jurisdiction- and activity-specific. Customer countries, advertising, payments and consumer rules need a separate market-by-market review.