International Bank License Industry Guide 2023

International Bank License Industry Guide 2023

In this 26 page post, I’ll review each of the top international bank license jurisdictions in 2023. There have been many changes to the industry since I last wrote on this topic in 2020. Here’s everything you need to know about the international bank license industry in 2023.

Note that this is an article about international bank licensing and building an offshore bank. That is different from a review of the offshore banking industry, which would be a summary of where you might open an offshore account.

For example, most would argue that Hong Kong and Switzerland are the top offshore banking jurisdictions… the best place for an individual to open an account with a big bank. I’d disagree, but that’s an article for another day.  

However, it would be nearly impossible for someone to set up a new bank in Hong Kong or Switzerland. In this post, I consider those jurisdictions where you can apply for a new international banking license or purchase an existing offshore bank license without a massive amount of red tape and hundreds of millions in capital. 

NOTE: I do write about Switzerland below, but that is for what is called a mini bank license and not a full banking charter. It’s more like a money transmitter license with a few extra service capabilities. 

Table of Contents

  • History of the International Banking Industry
  • International Bank License Defined 
  • Types of Offshore or International Bank Licenses
  • Benefits of Forming an International or Offshore Bank
  • Factors to Consider in Choosing an International Bank License Jurisdiction
  • International Bank License Jurisdictions in 2023
    • Puerto Rico
    • Bermuda
    • British Virgin Islands
    • Gibraltar
    • St. Lucia
    • Dominica
    • Cayman Islands
    • Belize
    • Panama
    • St. Kitts & Nevis
    • Dominican Republic
    • Switzerland
    • Luxembourg
    • Seychelles
    • Vanuatu, Comoros, and Gambia
  • The Future of International Banking
  • Conclusion

While you can scroll down to a particular jurisdiction of interest, I think you’ll benefit by having a read through the first few sections. The international bank license industry is very different from the domestic banking industry. Even the most seasoned banking professional coming from a big bank background will benefit from a review of the small international bank license world. 

History of the International Banking Industry

The offshore banking industry refers to a sector within the global financial services industry that focuses on providing financial services, primarily banking, in jurisdictions outside of where clients are primarily domiciled or conduct their business. This industry is often associated with jurisdictions known as tax havens, which offer favorable tax and secrecy benefits to foreign individuals and businesses.

Key characteristics of the offshore banking industry include:

  • Location: Offshore banks are located outside of the depositor’s home country. Common locations include the Cayman Islands, Switzerland, Luxembourg, and various small island nations in the Caribbean and the Pacific.
  • Privacy: Many offshore banking jurisdictions have laws in place that ensure the confidentiality of the identities of the account holders and the transactions made.
  • Tax Benefits: Offshore banking centers are often characterized by low or zero tax on deposits and income earned. This makes them attractive to individuals and corporations looking to reduce their overall tax liability.
  • Ease of Access to Funds: Offshore banks usually provide easy access to deposits, not only in the whole world but also in multiple currencies.
  • Asset Protection: Offshore banks are often used for asset protection, separating assets from the local economic and political situation.
  • Investment Opportunities: Offshore banks often offer access to politically and economically stable jurisdictions. This can be an advantage for those who reside in areas where there is a risk of political turmoil who might be at risk of having their assets seized or frozen.

However, the offshore banking industry has faced increasing scrutiny and regulation from international bodies over the last few decades, due to its association with tax evasion, money laundering, and illicit activities. Initiatives like the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) in the US, and the Automatic Exchange of Information (AEOI) at the international level, have aimed to increase transparency and cooperation between jurisdictions to combat these issues. 

And it’s FATCA and AEOI that have driven so many to set up banks in the US territory of Puerto Rico. Because the island of Puerto Rico is a US territory, FATCA does not apply. Because the United States has not signed on to the AEOI, and rather relies on its existing network of treaties, many international persons hold their money in international banks licensed in Puerto Rico. 

International Bank License Defined 

An international bank license is a legal permit granted by a regulatory authority or central bank of a jurisdiction, allowing a banking institution to engage in banking activities with non-residents and carry out business in foreign currencies. International bank licenses are typically granted to banks that operate in offshore banking centers, and these banks are sometimes referred to as offshore banks, although this term can have a broader meaning.

The main difference between an international bank license and a domestic/general banking license lies in the type of clientele they serve and the currencies they handle. Domestic banks primarily serve residents of their jurisdiction and deal mostly in the local currency. They can offer a broad range of services, such as taking deposits, offering loans, and other forms of credit.

In contrast, banks with an international license often operate in a different jurisdiction from their clients, deal with multiple currencies, and offer specialized services tailored towards an international clientele. These services can include cross border payments, wires, remittances, foreign payroll, credit and debit cards, wealth management, specialized corporate services, tax planning, and other forms of financial and investment advice. They typically do not conduct business with residents of the country where they are licensed, or they are limited in how they can do so.

Many countries issue international bank licenses. Some popular jurisdictions known for issuing such licenses include (this is just a summary, the detailed list is below):

  • Cayman Islands: Known as one of the world’s leading offshore financial centers, the Cayman Islands offers two types of offshore banking licenses: Category A and Category B, which have different permissions and restrictions.
  • Switzerland: Historically famous for its private banking services, Switzerland provides licenses for banks that wish to offer services to international clients.
  • Luxembourg: This European country is a hub for private banking, asset management, and investment fund activities.
  • Belize: Belize is known for its relatively easy and cost-effective process of obtaining an international banking license.
  • Isle of Man: This self-governing British Crown dependency offers offshore banking services to international clients.
  • Panama: Panama has a long history of providing offshore banking services, and it issues a General License allowing the bank to conduct both local and international business.
  • Vanuatu: This Pacific island nation offers offshore banking licenses with a quick and cheap setup process… and you get what you pay for.

Each of these jurisdictions has its own specific requirements for obtaining an international bank license, and the benefits vary. These can include low or zero taxation, legal advantages, confidentiality, and access to a stable political and economic environment. However, due to increased international efforts to combat money laundering and tax evasion, the regulations governing offshore banking are changing and becoming more stringent.

Types of Offshore or International Bank Licenses

The term “offshore bank” broadly refers to any bank located outside the country of residence of the depositor. These banks can be categorized based on the services they provide, their clientele, and the legal and regulatory frameworks they operate under. Here are some of the main types of offshore banks:

  • Private Banks: These cater to high net worth individuals, offering personalized financial and banking services. This can include wealth management, tax planning, and estate planning. Private banks are often associated with banking secrecy and privacy, although recent regulatory changes have increased transparency.
  • Retail Banks: These offer similar services to domestic retail banks, such as savings and current accounts, credit cards, and personal loans, but they operate in an offshore jurisdiction.
  • Commercial Banks: Commercial offshore banks provide services to businesses, such as business loans, commercial mortgages, and other credit products. They also offer other services like treasury management, trade finance, and foreign exchange transactions.
  • Investment Banks: Offshore investment banks help businesses and high net worth individuals to raise capital through securities offerings. They also provide advisory services for mergers and acquisitions and facilitate securities trading and asset management.
  • Captive Banks: These are wholly owned by a single corporation or entity and are set up to provide financial services to the parent company and its affiliates. These banks may open accounts and transact only with those listed in their license. They are not permitted to open accounts for the general public.
  • International Business Corporations (IBCs): These are private corporations that offer banking services. They are often used by individuals and businesses for financial planning and investment purposes. They typically apply for a money transmitter license, an EMI permit, or some other non-bank license. 
  • Shell Banks: These are banks without a physical presence in any country. They are often associated with money laundering and other illicit activities, and many jurisdictions have restrictions or prohibitions on dealing with shell banks.

Different jurisdictions have different licensing and regulatory requirements for these types of banks, and they offer different levels of protection, tax efficiency, and confidentiality. Also, the services an international bank can provide are typically limited by the regulatory authority, So, you must be approved for each and every service you wish to offer… and prove you have the appropriate compliance systems to provide that service in a compliant manner. 

Benefits of Forming an International or Offshore Bank

Forming and operating an international or offshore bank can provide several benefits to the operator, including:

  1. Tax Efficiency: Offshore jurisdictions often offer lower tax rates, which can reduce the overall tax burden on profits and capital gains. This is especially true for non-US investors, bank owners, and customers. This is because the US taxes its citizens on their worldwide income where most countries do not tax foreign source profits or gains. 
  2. Diversification: Offshore banking allows institutions to diversify their holdings geographically and by currency. This can provide a hedge against local economic downturns, currency depreciation, and political instability.
  3. Confidentiality: Many offshore jurisdictions offer privacy protections, which can help protect sensitive financial information. However, it’s important to note that these protections have been reduced in recent years due to international efforts to combat tax evasion and money laundering. Puerto Rico does offer privacy because the US has not signed on to most automatic exchange of information agreements. 
  4. Access to International Markets: International banks can provide access to emerging markets and other investment opportunities not available domestically.
  5. Asset Protection: Offshore banking can offer a degree of protection against potential threats such as lawsuits, economic crises, or political instability in the home country.
  6. Regulatory Flexibility: Some offshore jurisdictions may offer more relaxed regulations in certain areas compared to onshore banking centers. For example, a bank in Puerto Rico is not subject to FDIC oversight and thus has more regulatory flexibility than a traditional US bank.

The typical revenue sources for an international or offshore bank can include:

  1. Interest Income: This is the interest earned on loans made to clients and is typically the primary revenue source for any bank.
  2. Fees and Commissions: These can come from a wide variety of services, such as fund management, wealth management, transaction fees, and account maintenance fees.
  3. Foreign Exchange Transactions: Banks can earn revenue from foreign exchange transactions, both from trading currencies on their own account and from facilitating transactions for clients.
  4. Investment Income: This can include revenue from investments in securities, derivatives, and other financial instruments.
  5. Advisory Services: Many international banks offer financial and investment advisory services to their clients, which can provide a significant source of revenue.

It’s important to note that while offshore banking can provide benefits, it also comes with risks, including regulatory, reputational, and operational risks. Furthermore, international efforts to combat tax evasion and money laundering have increased transparency requirements and scrutiny of offshore financial centers, which can impact their attractiveness and operations.

Factors to Consider in Choosing an International Bank License Jurisdiction

Choosing the right jurisdiction for an offshore or international bank involves several important considerations. Here are some of the main factors:

  1. Regulatory Environment: Different jurisdictions have different banking regulations, and it’s important to find one that aligns with your needs and provides a secure, stable environment. This includes considerations of how well regulated the banking sector is, the efficiency of the regulatory bodies, and the jurisdiction’s cooperation with international financial authorities.
  2. US Compliance: If you set up a bank in the US territory of Puerto Rico, or you utilize a correspondent bank in the United States, you must follow all US regulations. Do you want to do business in US dollars and can your clientele pass US scrutiny?
  3. Taxation: One of the key attractions of offshore banking is the potential for tax efficiency. Some jurisdictions offer low or zero tax rates on income, capital gains, and inheritance. However, you must consider the tax implications in your home country and any tax treaties in place.
  4. Privacy Laws: Different jurisdictions offer different levels of privacy protection. Privacy laws will affect the confidentiality of your information and the degree to which it might be shared with international organizations or foreign governments.
  5. Political and Economic Stability: The stability of the jurisdiction is a crucial consideration. A stable political and economic environment ensures the safety of your funds and smooth banking operations.
  6. Reputation: The reputation of the jurisdiction can impact the perception of your bank and its operations. Some offshore jurisdictions are associated with illicit activities, which can lead to reputational risk.
  7. Legal System: The legal system and its efficiency can impact your bank’s operations. This includes how easy it is to enforce contracts, the protection of property rights, and the independence of the judiciary.
  8. Banking Infrastructure: The jurisdiction should have a well-established banking infrastructure. This includes modern banking systems, professional services support (legal, accounting, etc.), and good communication networks.
  9. Ease of Doing Business: Consider how easy or difficult it is to set up and operate a business in the jurisdiction. This includes the process for obtaining a banking license, bureaucratic efficiency, and any restrictions on foreign businesses.
  10. International Agreements: The jurisdiction’s participation in international agreements can affect information sharing and tax obligations. These can include agreements for the exchange of tax information, anti-money laundering (AML) measures, and agreements to implement the Common Reporting Standard (CRS).
  11. Costs: Consider the costs associated with setting up and maintaining the offshore bank. These can include licensing fees, capital requirements, and operational costs.

Before establishing an offshore or international bank, it’s important to understand your target market and your business objectives. I suggest you start with deciding how close you want to be to US regulators. Just remember that avoiding US oversight means that you can’t have a US correspondent bank and can’t do business in US dollars…and of course, you can’t set up your international bank in Puerto Rico.

International Bank License Jurisdictions in 2023

Here is my list of the top international bank license jurisdictions for 2023. The purpose of this section is to convey my thoughts on each of these options and to give you ideas when selecting the best offshore banking country. 

It is not meant as an exhaustive summary of the process to set up a bank in each of these countries. If it were, this article would never end. You can reach me at info@banklicense.pro for specifics and the costs to set up a new bank or purchase an existing bank license in any of these jurisdictions.

Also, this list is not in any particular order. Each bank license jurisdiction has its positives and negatives. So, I am just trying to cover each in turn as they came to me while writing this post. 

Puerto Rico

The US territory of Puerto Rico has dominated the international bank license industry since 2015. While other countries have one to five operating international banks, Puerto Rico has about 60, with many applications pending. 

The reasons for this are simple: 

  1. The relative ease of securing correspondent banking relationships compared to non-US international jurisdictions (like St. Lucia, for example). 
  2. Prior to 2024 (yes, this is a forward looking statement, see below), the lowest capital and filing fees of any quality jurisdiction. 
  3. Because Puerto Rico is a US territory, banks on the island can join the US banking system, hold dollars, and apply for Fedwire through the Federal Reserve. 
  4. US tax laws generally do not apply in a territory. Thus, Puerto Rico can set its own tax rate. The bottom line is that an international bank in Puerto Rico will pay only 4% in tax, with no withholding tax or tax on dividends when distributions are paid out to an offshore holding company. 
  5. Because the United States has not signed on to the European Union’s automatic exchange of information treaties, they do not apply in Puerto Rico. This provides a level of privacy and protection to non-US depositors and shareholders. 
  6. Because FATCA does not apply to international banks in a US territory, the cost of compliance and reporting is reduced. 

For these and other reasons, the international banking industry in Puerto Rico has grown quickly… some would say too quickly. It has forced regulators to crack down on non-compliant banks and push to increase capital requirements. 

This has also caused regulators to limit the number of licenses they issue each year. There are far more applicants than available licenses and only the best applicants will be approved. 

And, as a result, the cost of buying an operating bank or an existing license has increased dramatically. In most cases, a basic operating bank (that’s not in trouble with regulators) will sell for $5 million. Likewise, a license (Permit to Operate) will be valued at $5 million. If the bank is profitable, the value of the book of business will be added to these prices. And, if the bank had Fedwire, the asking price would be $30 million for a bank operating at break-even. 

The $5 million value comes from two components: 

  1. Time to market of 24 months, and 
  2. The guarantee of success. 

A new license application will require at least 12 months before it is reviewed and then 6 months to be approved, assuming all goes well. You will then receive your Permit to Organize and you’ll need 6 to 12 months to build out the business and convert that Permit to Organize into a Permit to Operate. Therefore, the best case scenario for a new license is 24 months time to market.

The above assumes you’re the best of the applicants. When you buy a bank, if you can pass due diligence, and you qualify to own a bank in Puerto Rico, then you will be approved to purchase. When you apply for a new license, you’re competing with other applicants, all of whom are presumably well qualified. When you purchase a bank, you eliminate the competition. 

Therefore, a buyer of a small bank in Puerto Rico will need $5 million for the purchase price plus $5.3 million paid in capital and the CD.  This must be in cash and a Proof of Funds is required. See below how I got to $5.3m in capital below.

Capital Requirements

At the time of this writing, the capital required for an international bank in Puerto Rico is $5 million with a path to reach $10 million in a few years. This is expected to change to a starting requirement of $10 million in January 2023. 

Existing banks will have 5 years to transition to this new capital requirement. If you purchase a bank, you will have this time to increase capital. If you apply for a new license, you must have $10 million of paid-in capital on day one. 

In addition, banks currently require a CD of $300,000. This will likely increase to $2.5m.

Next, the application fee might increase from $5,000 to $1 million (quite a bump). 

Most experts in the field expect some of these increases to pass, but not all. I will update this post when we have certainty in these fees. But, the bottom line is that existing banks will have an advantage over new applicants. 

Another change for international banks in Puerto Rico for 2023 is the requirement of an annual compliance audit and risk assessment. These were previously required every 4 years and are now mandatory every year… a great profit boon for audit firms, no doubt.

I see these changes as major improvements to the international banking laws of Puerto Rico. There have been way too many undercapitalized banks on the island incapable of executing their business model. Higher capital requirements will eliminate the poor performers and improve the overall reputation of the jurisdiction. 

Process to Start  a Bank in Puerto Rico

Here’s a brief on how to start a bank in Puerto Rico in 10 steps:

  1. Apply for a Permit to Organize as an IFE in Puerto Rico. This is the first step in the process and it allows you to establish a legal entity that can operate as a bank in Puerto Rico. Timeframe 12 to 18 months.
  2. Build out your office space in a building approved by regulators. Your office space must be secure and meet the requirements of the Puerto Rico Office of the Commissioner of Financial Institutions.
  3. Hire a minimum of 4 employees, including a qualified compliance officer. You will need to hire a team of experienced professionals in Puerto Rico to help you run your bank. This includes a compliance officer who will be responsible for ensuring that your bank complies with all applicable regulations.
  4. Purchase, implement and test your core banking system. This is the software that will be used to process transactions and manage your bank’s accounts. Timeline 1 to 6 months.
  5. Negotiate a correspondent account. You might apply for a Fedwire account in year 2 or 3 depending on many factors.
  6. Prepare your compliance manuals and training materials. You will need to develop a comprehensive set of compliance manuals and training materials for your employees.
  7. Finalize your website and marketing collateral. You will need to create a website and marketing materials to promote your bank, which regulators must approve of.
  8. Apply for and receive your Swift code. A Swift code is a unique identifier that is used to identify financial institutions in international payments.
  9. Go through an audit and receive your Permit to Operate. Once you have completed all of the necessary steps, you will need to go through an audit by the Puerto Rico Office of the Commissioner of Financial Institutions. If the audit is successful, you will be issued a Permit to Operate.
  10. Take the business live and begin onboarding clients. Once you have your Permit to Operate, you can begin onboarding clients and offering banking services.

The US standard to cover startup expenses from Permit to Organize through to the Permit to Operate is $1 million. Depending on your core system, you might cut this down to $500,000. Systems can run $25,000 to $1.5 million, with many many values in between. So, the core system is also the core of your startup budget. 

This $1 million value is used throughout the United States and written in the laws of various States as a percentage of initial paid in capital. For example, North Carolina requires a startup budget of 10% of initial capital. In the case of a new applicant, minimum paid-in capital is $10 million, which gives us a startup budget of $1 million. See § 53C-3-4(a)(4) which is commonly 10% as of 2023. 

Other Sources

For information on the process to start a bank in Puerto Rico, see Start a Bank in Puerto Rico in 10 Steps (written in 2020).

For more information on the planned capital requirements for international banks in Puerto Rico, see New International Banking Regulations for Puerto Rico in 2024.

For information on the larger international banks in Puerto Rico, see International Banks in Puerto Rico with Fedwire.

For an article on banks in Puerto Rico that have run into trouble, see Puerto Rico Cracks Down on International Banks: A Look at the Recent Closures.

If you are familiar with US domestic bank licenses, this post might help clarify the differences between Puerto Rico and the United States: US Banking License vs. Puerto Rico International Banking License.

Bermuda

I believe that the up and coming offshore bank licensing jurisdiction is Bermuda. If you don’t want to be in the United States, then consider Bermuda. This is the best option for very well capitalized and professional applicants. 

Once Coinbase set up in Bermuda, the island gained quite a bit of cache in the crypto and fintech space. And, with the opening of Jewel, a crypto-friendly bank run from Silicon Valley, the island’s reputation is only going to grow. 

Yes, it’s a bit early to proclaim Bermuda as the next Puerto Rico. There is only one international bank on the island compared to 60 on Puerto Rico. But, the offshore banking industry is changing quickly and looking forward is necessary. 

Forward looking guesses aside, here are the requirements to set up a bank in Bermuda. 

You must obtain a license from the Bermuda Monetary Authority (BMA). The BMA is the financial regulatory authority in Bermuda and is responsible for ensuring that all banks operating in the country are sound and solvent.

The requirements for obtaining an international banking license in Bermuda are as follows:

  • The bank must be incorporated in Bermuda.
  • The bank must have a paid-up capital of at least USD $10 million.
  • The bank must have $1 million to cover startup expenses (so as to not deplete its paid-up capital during the startup phase).
  • The bank must have a sound business plan.
  • The bank must appoint a qualified management team.
  • The bank must comply with all applicable laws and regulations.

For more on this topic, see Bermuda to Become the Top International Bank License in 2024

For information on setting up a crypto exchange in Bermuda, see Bermuda is the Best Jurisdiction for a Crypto Exchange or Digital Asset Business.

And for general country information, see Country Information – Bermuda and BVI.

British Virgin Islands 

Another jurisdiction with great potential is the British Virgin Islands. This country has maintained a stellar reputation for decades and has a solid banking regulator with large players incorporated there, all be it as booking centers and not necessarily as operating international banks. Like Bermuda, BVI is an interesting option for a very well capitalized and high quality applicant. 

Here’s what you need to know about about the British Virgin Islands: 

The international banking industry in the British Virgin Islands (BVI) is limited but distinctive. With the territory’s stable political climate, favorable tax laws, and robust legal framework, the BVI offers an attractive environment for banking operations.

There is currently one bank, VP Bank, that specifically focuses on international business. As a globally active private bank, VP Bank primarily offers services in wealth management. This focus aligns with the territory’s reputation as a hub for global finance and a preferred jurisdiction for international business companies.

Beyond this, the territory also hosts large general banks that mainly function as transaction booking centers. They cater to a broad range of financial services, including retail, corporate, and investment banking. Notably, two of Puerto Rico’s largest banks, Banco Popular and First Bank, hold licenses in the BVI, signifying the jurisdiction’s strategic importance in the Caribbean banking landscape.

While the presence of international banks may be relatively limited in number, the BVI’s sophisticated legal system, pro-business environment, and strategic location continue to draw attention from financial institutions worldwide. Its growing reputation as a center for financial innovation further underscores the potential of BVI’s international banking industry.

Capital Requirements: 

The following is a recitation of the law issued in 1990 and not accurate for a new applicant in 2023. But, because there has not been a new license issued in many years, this is the best place to start. 

The capital requirements for an international bank license in the British Virgin Islands (BVI) vary depending on the type of license. For a Restricted Class I or Restricted Class II Banking Licence, the minimum paid up capital is US$1 million. For a General Banking Licence, the minimum paid up capital is US$2 million.

In addition to the minimum paid up capital, applicants for an international bank license in BVI must also meet the following requirements:

  • Proven banking experience
  • Physical presence in the BVI
  • Meet the “fit and proper” criteria of the BVI Financial Services Commission (FSC)

The FSC will also require applicants to make a deposit or investment of an additional US$500,000. This is similar to the CD required in Puerto Rico. 

Here are some additional resources that you may find helpful:

My expectation is that the capital requirement in the British Virgin Islands will be between $5m and $10 million based on the quality of the applicant and on what Puerto Rico does in 2024. BVI tends to follow Puerto Rico and Bermuda, but might be more aggressive.

Gibraltar

Another jurisdiction making inroads into the offshore banking industry is Gibraltar. With 9 total banks, and the recent addition of Xapo Bank, a very well funded international bank, Gibraltar is poised to become the Puerto Rico of Europe. 

Gibraltar’s banking industry is a dynamic sector that caters to both domestic and international clients. It enjoys a robust regulatory environment under the Gibraltar Financial Services Commission (GFSC), which is committed to meeting international standards of financial regulation and supervision.

The banking sector in Gibraltar includes a mix of domestic banks serving local individuals and businesses, and international banks providing a range of services to global clients. Many of these banks are subsidiaries or branches of reputable banks from Europe, particularly the UK, reflecting Gibraltar’s historical and regulatory ties to the UK.

Gibraltar has adopted European Union banking directives and maintains a high standard of banking regulation. In addition, it has also adopted strict anti-money laundering measures and requires banks to maintain robust risk management systems, making it a respected banking jurisdiction.

Despite being a small jurisdiction, Gibraltar has positioned itself as an international finance center, offering services in banking, insurance, investment fund management, and fintech. The jurisdiction’s strong regulatory framework, strategic location at the gateway of the Mediterranean, and growing focus on financial innovation, particularly in the area of blockchain and cryptocurrency, continue to attract international banks and financial institutions.

Like Bermuda, Gibraltar is only open to the best capitalized, best run, and most compliant banking operators. Unlike Puerto Rico, this jurisdiction never went through a phase of allowing low budget banks to open… which is why Puerto Rico is busy cleaning up previous messes and why several Puerto Rico banks have closed or been sold in recent years. 

The starting capital of a new bank is €5,000,000. However, you must also account for the European Regulations, which can push this amount up quickly. More specifically, a bank’s Minimum initial and ongoing capital requirement is the higher of €5,000,000 or the capital calculations set out in the Financial Services (Capital Requirements Directive IV) Regulations (CRD IV). If you want to get into the minutia, you can find links here: CRD IV AND CRR.

St. Lucia 

For a pure offshore license on a budget, the only option is St. Lucia. This offshore bank license jurisdiction has a quality reputation and a bank licensed here will be able to get a lower level correspondent partner. 

Below are the capital requirements. My recommendation for an application in St. Lucia is $2.5 million of paid-in capital and a $500,000 startup budget. This is based on experience while the information below is based on the minimum requirements of the law. See the government website.  

To set up a bank in St. Lucia, you must first obtain a license from the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA). The FSRA is the financial regulatory authority in St. Lucia and is responsible for ensuring that all banks operating in the country are sound and solvent.

The requirements for obtaining a banking license in St. Lucia are as follows:

  • The bank must be incorporated in St. Lucia.
  • The bank must have a paid-up capital of at least USD $1 million for a Class A license or USD $250,000 for a Class B license.
  • The bank must have a sound business plan.
  • The bank must appoint a qualified management team.
  • The bank must comply with all applicable laws and regulations.

Capital requirements

In addition to the license requirements, banks in St. Lucia are also subject to capital requirements. The capital requirements are designed to ensure that banks have sufficient funds to withstand financial shocks and to continue operating in the event of a crisis.

The capital requirements for banks in St. Lucia are as follows:

  • Tier 1 capital must be at least 4% of risk-weighted assets.
  • Total capital must be at least 6% of risk-weighted assets.

The FSRA may impose additional capital requirements on banks that are considered to be at a higher risk of financial distress.

NOTE: St. Lucia has not issued a new license in a few years. The most likely path is to apply for a new license and pass due diligence. Then you will be allowed to purchase an existing bank if the government won’t issue a new license. 

You can download my PDF on International Bank Licenses from St. Lucia here.

Dominica 

For years, Dominica was near the top of any list of offshore bank license jurisdictions. This island has always been the low cost leader with a capital requirement of only $1 million. I’ve written many articles over the years extolling the virtues of Dominica and comparing it to its neighbor, St. Lucia. 

However, as of 2023, Dominica is useless as an international bank license jurisdiction. It has become a joke in the industry and the island to avoid at all costs. 

Why? What’s happened to the offshore bank license industry in Dominica? Corruption, corruption and more corruption. As of 2023, Dominica is a scam banking jurisdiction. Here’s what you can expect if you apply for a bank license in Dominica: 

You’ll spend a great deal of time and money to prepare a license package for Dominica. Then you’ll file it and wait for a response. Eventually, you will meet with regulators and other agencies. 

They will ask for money to move your application along, promising you a license. Then you will go to the next agency and get the same treatment. Time and time again, you’ll be blocked until money is paid with no end in sight. 

Needing to make a political donation, or even pay a bribe, might be the cost of doing business. But, in Dominica, they will keep this up until you simply go away. The government doesn’t want to issue any new licenses, but they do want money. So, they keep leading you on until the cash runs out. 

Those of us in the industry know that Dominica has become a scam. And this is a great way for you, the individual or company seeking an international bank license, to figure out who to hire to set up your bank. If they are actively promoting Dominica, or recommending Dominica, then they are likely useless. 

If they’re paying Google PPC to promote offshore bank licenses from Dominica, run far away from that company. If they tell you Dominica is great and all you need is $1 million in capital, know that they are a waste of time. 

One last note: Even if you could get to the end of the pay line, which you can’t, a bank licensed with $1 million in capital you won’t be able to get a correspondent partner. I suggest you need $1 million in startup costs plus $5 to $10 million minimum paid-in capital to get anywhere in the industry.  

For more information on an international bank license from Dominica, see Dominica Banking License (I wrote this in 2019 and it’s outdated. I have linked to it here for historical reference only).

Cayman Islands

The Cayman Islands invented the international bank licensing industry. They were the first and the best for many years. Then, in 2010, they lost their edge as the United States and others began to push back on privacy and protection. 

The Cayman Islands has been in steady decline since FATCA (2010) and the rising costs of doing business on the islands. The costs of operating on Cayman have always been very high. But, as more and more regulations come in, these costs spiraled out of control. 

Plus, regulators were so busy keeping the United States happy that they were not supporting their local businesses. Just when costs and risks were at their height, regulators demanded more and more audits. 

These increased costs and uncertainty put many of the international banks on the Cayman Islands out of business. And, those that are hanging on, are having a hard time making a profit. 

If you have a need for a license from Cayman, it is possible to apply. There’s been one license granted in the last few years. Also, comments on the amount of capital required is speculative because the most recent international banking law was issued in 2008 (see CMA website).

Just be ready for the fees payable in Cayman. Your license application filing fee will be $250,000 to $600,000 depending on various factors. Then your annual fee can be as high as $1 million. For more, see CMA Fees

Considering the above, it’s easy to see why so many are moving to Puerto Rico. It is very rare for a new applicant, or a buyer, to want to set up in the Cayman Islands in 2023. For more on this topic, see The Decline of the Cayman Islands Offshore Banking Empire.

Belize

The international banking industry in Belize is a significant part of the country’s financial services sector. Belize is known for its attractive legislative framework for international banking, which offers financial privacy, tax benefits, and relatively low entry and operating costs. Belize’s international banking sector mainly serves non-residents, with activities including personal and corporate banking, asset management, and other financial services.

Belize operates a two-tier banking system, consisting of domestic banks, which primarily serve residents, and international banks, which cater mainly to non-residents. The Central Bank of Belize regulates both types of banks, with international banks governed by the International Banking Act.

In terms of regulatory requirements, international banks in Belize are subject to capital adequacy requirements, stringent anti-money laundering (AML) and combating the financing of terrorism (CFT) regulations, and periodic audits to ensure compliance with these and other standards. The minimum required capital under the law for an Unrestricted “A” Class international banking license is USD 3 million, while a Restricted “B” Class license requires USD 1 million. As with most countries, these numbers are outdated and have been modified by regulators in practice. 

It’s worth stating once again that the international banking landscape globally, including in Belize, has been changing in response to increasing international pressure for greater transparency and stricter regulation. As a result, the banking industry in Belize has seen a shift towards stronger regulatory oversight and higher compliance standards. It appears that a new applicant will need $5 to $10 million in capital as many move to follow the lead from Bermuda. 

There are currently three international banks licensed in Belize, down from six a few years ago. These are Caye International Bank, Belize Bank International, and Heritage International. For more information, see the Central Bank’s website

NOTE: Caye International Bank is consistently ranked among the best offshore banks and international banks of the world. For more, see: Caye International Bank, which has been in business since 1996. Here’s an article with their thoughts on the future

While it’s been many years since a new license was issued in Belize, it’s rumored that the current government is open to an application from a quality and well capitalized group. Belize would be an interesting option for a new international bank license applicant.

Panama

Panama was a leading jurisdiction for international banks in the early 2000s but has lost most of its luster since the Panama papers and since bending to US pressure. It is still a solid option for a banking group looking for an international banking license to operate a transaction booking center or for other reasons. 

That is to say, only a bank licensed in a quality or top tier jurisdiction may apply for an international license from Panama. If you don’t already have a banking license, then you can’t open an international bank in Panama. 

The requirements to apply for an international banking license in Panama, given the condition that only banks from reputable jurisdictions may apply, are summarized below:

  1. Application and Business Plan: The applicant must submit an application to the Superintendency of Banks in Panama (Superintendencia de Bancos de Panamá) with detailed information about the bank and its operations. The application must include a comprehensive business plan outlining the nature and scale of the planned banking activities.
  2. Existing Banking License: The applicant must hold an active banking license from a reputable (top tier) jurisdiction. This license should be in good standing and valid in its country of issuance.
  3. Financial Statements: The applicant must provide audited financial statements for the last three years from the existing bank. These should include a record of the bank’s performance and demonstrate its financial strength.
  4. Capital Requirements: The bank must demonstrate a minimum capital adequacy based on Panama’s banking laws. At the time of the last update, this amount was $10 million for an International Banking License.
  5. Good Standing Certificates: Certificates of Good Standing or their equivalent must be provided from the regulatory bodies in the jurisdiction where the bank is currently licensed.
  6. Management and Directors: Information about the management and directors, including their qualifications, experiences, and reputation, must be provided.
  7. Anti-Money Laundering Measures: The bank must demonstrate that it has robust anti-money laundering (AML) and combating the financing of terrorism (CFT) measures in place.
  8. Legal Documentation: Various legal documents must be provided, including the bank’s articles of incorporation and bylaws.
  9. Physical Presence: The bank should establish a physical presence in Panama, including local staff and offices.
  10. Approval: Finally, the Superintendency of Banks in Panama will review the application and, if it meets all the requirements and standards, the banking license will be approved.

This is a high-level summary, and the specific requirements may vary and evolve. If you are currently operating a domestic bank, we can assist you to set up an international bank licensed in Panama. 

St. Kitts & Nevis

Saint Kitts and Nevis, located in the Caribbean, is known for its robust offshore financial services sector. The twin-island nation has established itself as an attractive destination for international banking, mainly due to its strong regulatory environment, political stability, and attractive fiscal conditions.

The international banking industry in St. Kitts and Nevis is regulated by the Financial Services Regulatory Commission (FSRC). The FSRC ensures that international banks adhere to a set of standards and regulations in line with global best practices, including compliance with anti-money laundering (AML) and combating the financing of terrorism (CFT) requirements.

There are only two international banks operating in the jurisdiction:

  • St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla National Bank Limited (operated from St. Kitts)
  • Bank of Nevis International Limited (BONI operated from Nevis)

It has been many years since a new license was granted on St. Kitts and Nevis. BONI was created when Bank of Nevis sold its license to do international business. So, now there is BONI and BON as unrelated banks.

Like Belize, it would be interesting to apply for an international license, especially from Nevis. I’ve met with regulators and government officials who have expressed interest in seeing a filing from a quality applicant. 

Dominican Republic

The opportunity in the Dominican Republic is to purchase a general bank license and get permission from regulators to offer international business. You must focus on domestic business, but you may also be allowed to have a sizable international banking component.

It is likely that a domestic license in the Dominican Republic will cost $20 to $30 million. With this in mind, here is a summary of the banking industry in the Dominican Republic. 

The banking industry in the Dominican Republic is an essential part of the nation’s economy, facilitating economic growth, promoting financial stability, and providing vital financial services to individuals and businesses.

The banking sector in the Dominican Republic is regulated by the Superintendency of Banks (Superintendencia de Bancos) under the Monetary and Financial Law. The regulatory framework aligns with international best practices and standards, ensuring the safety and soundness of the banking system.

The banking system in the Dominican Republic is composed of multiple domestic and international banks, offering a broad range of services, including retail banking, corporate banking, investment banking, asset management, and other financial services. The sector is characterized by a few large banks having a significant market share, followed by several medium and small-sized institutions.

One of the most prominent banks in the country is the Banco Popular Dominicano, which, along with Banco de Reservas and Banco BHD León, controls a substantial part of the banking market.

The Central Bank of the Dominican Republic (Banco Central de la República Dominicana) also plays a critical role in maintaining financial stability, controlling inflation, and implementing monetary policy.

The Dominican Republic has made significant strides in recent years to strengthen its banking industry’s regulatory framework, enhance transparency, and bolster anti-money laundering (AML) and combating the financing of terrorism (CFT) measures.

The Dominican Republic’s banking industry offers a few key types of banking licenses. These are regulated by the Monetary and Financial Law and supervised by the Superintendency of Banks (Superintendencia de Bancos). Here are some of the main types:

  1. Commercial Banks: These banks can engage in a broad range of activities, including taking deposits, providing loans, and offering other services such as wire transfers, payment processing, and foreign exchange. This license is generally referred to as the “multiple” license as it allows all manner of banking business. 
  2. Savings and Loans Associations: These institutions primarily focus on accepting deposits and providing loans to their members, often offering favorable rates and terms compared to commercial banks.
  3. Mortgage Banks: These banks specialize in providing mortgage loans for the purchase, renovation, or construction of real estate.
  4. Development Banks: These are often government-backed institutions that provide financing for specific sectors or projects aimed at economic development, such as agriculture, manufacturing, or infrastructure.
  5. Credit Unions or Cooperatives: These member-owned institutions offer a range of banking services to their members, often in rural or underserved areas.

The specific requirements, regulations, and restrictions for each type of banking license vary and are stipulated in the Dominican Republic’s financial laws and regulations. It’s worth noting that all these institutions are required to comply with capital adequacy requirements, anti-money laundering (AML) and combating the financing of terrorism (CFT) regulations, and other regulatory standards.

Banco Multiple License

A “Banco Múltiple” or Multiple Bank in the Dominican Republic is a type of commercial bank that can offer a wide range of banking services in the Dominican Republic and abroad. The term “multiple” refers to the bank’s ability to provide various financial services, including but not limited to taking deposits, providing loans, offering credit cards, facilitating wire transfers, foreign exchange, and other related services.

This type of license is regulated by the Monetary and Financial Law and supervised by the Superintendency of Banks (Superintendencia de Bancos).

Here are the general and capital requirements for a banco multiple in the Dominican Republic:

  • Requirements:
    • The bank must be incorporated in the Dominican Republic.
    • The bank must have a paid-up capital of at least USD $10 million.
    • The bank must have a sound business plan.
    • The bank must appoint a qualified management team.
    • The bank must comply with all applicable laws and regulations.
  • Capital requirements:
    • Tier 1 capital must be at least 10% of risk-weighted assets.
    • Total capital must be at least 12% of risk-weighted assets.

The capital requirements for banks in the Dominican Republic are set by the Superintendencia de Bancos de la República Dominicana (SBP), the financial regulatory authority in the Dominican Republic. The SBP has the power to adjust the capital requirements as needed to ensure that banks in the Dominican Republic are adequately capitalized.

In addition to the capital requirements, banks in the Dominican Republic are also subject to other regulatory requirements, such as liquidity requirements and risk management requirements.

As stated above, I estimate the purchase price of a banco multiple license in the Dominican Republic to be between $20 and $30 million. For more on the Dominican Republic, see: A Review of the Political History of the Dominican Republic.

Switzerland

Note that the following refers to the mini banking license or Fintech financial license available from Switzerland. While this is far from a full banking license, it does have its unique place in the industry. 

It’s also possible to use an aged Swiss Trust to operate a financial services business from Switzerland. For more on this, see: Aged Swiss Trust for Global Financial Services Company. Again, this is not a banking license, but a good start in a top tier jurisdiction. 

The Fintech or mini bank license allows institutions to accept public deposits up to a total value of CHF 100 million, provided these are not invested and no interest is paid on them. This opens up a regulated space for innovative financial companies, such as those operating in the digital and blockchain spaces, to operate without the full requirements of a traditional banking license.

The main features of the license are as follows:

Requirements:

  • The applicant must have its registered office and conduct its business activities in Switzerland.
  • The persons responsible for managing the fintech business must provide assurance of good reputation and guarantee proper business conduct.
  • Business activities are governed by appropriate risk management and a solid internal control system (including compliance).

Capital Requirements:

  • The required minimum capital is either 3% of the accepted public funds, but at least CHF 300,000.

Restrictions:

  • The institution may accept public funds up to CHF 100 million.
  • The accepted public funds may not be invested, and no interest may be paid on them. That is to say, you can’t pay interest to your depositors.

Please note that this is a simplified summary of the regulations and further requirements apply. I have included this here to give you an idea of what’s possible in Switzerland if you wanted to have a fintech in a top jurisdiction to support a bank license from a lesser country. 

For more on this, see Switzerland is quickly becoming a Powerhouse in the Fintech Industry (written in 2019).

Luxembourg

Luxembourg, as one of the top financial centers in the European Union and indeed the world, has a highly developed banking industry that includes a significant number of international banks. It’s home to many global banks, private banks, and specialized financial institutions from all over the world.

The country’s strategic location at the heart of Europe, its multilingual and international workforce, and its strong regulatory environment have made it an attractive destination for international banking activities. In particular, Luxembourg is known for its expertise in areas such as wealth management, fund administration, and other cross-border financial services.

The banking sector in Luxembourg is regulated by the Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier (CSSF), which ensures compliance with local and European regulations. The requirements to obtain a banking license in Luxembourg are quite rigorous and include providing detailed information about the bank’s structure, activities, governance, and capital. As per EU requirements, the minimum initial capital requirement for a credit institution (including banks) is EUR 5 million plus the add-ons required by the specific jurisdiction you are operating from (see below).

In addition to these general requirements, banks must also comply with ongoing regulatory requirements, including capital adequacy, liquidity, risk management, anti-money laundering (AML) and combating the financing of terrorism (CFT) regulations, as well as other prudential and conduct of business rules.

It’s worth noting that Luxembourg is fully aligned with international efforts to increase transparency in financial services, and it has taken significant steps in recent years to improve its compliance with international standards.

The capital requirements to start a bank in Luxembourg are as follows:

  • Subscribed and fully paid-up share capital: The minimum subscribed and fully paid-up share capital for a credit institution in Luxembourg is €8.7 million.
  • Additional capital buffers: Credit institutions in Luxembourg may also be required to maintain additional capital buffers, such as the Global Systemically Important Institutions (G-SII) buffer and the Other Systemically Important Institutions (O-SII) buffer.

The capital requirements for banks in Luxembourg are set by the Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier (CSSF), the financial regulatory authority in Luxembourg. The CSSF has the power to adjust the capital requirements as needed to ensure that banks in Luxembourg are adequately capitalized.

In addition to the capital requirements, banks in Luxembourg are also subject to other regulatory requirements, such as liquidity requirements and risk management requirements.

Here are some of the factors that the CSSF will consider when determining the capital requirements for a new bank:

  • The size and complexity of the proposed bank’s operations.
  • The risks associated with the proposed bank’s activities.
  • The bank’s management team and its experience in the banking industry.
  • The bank’s financial strength and its ability to withstand financial shocks.

Seychelles

Seychelles is an archipelago nation located in the Indian Ocean off the eastern coast of Africa. Known for its stunning beaches, rich biodiversity, and vibrant culture, Seychelles has a relatively small, but increasingly diverse economy. Traditionally, the Seychellois economy has been dependent on tourism and fisheries, but over the last few decades, it has been expanding into the sectors of offshore business, banking, and financial services.

The banking industry in Seychelles, while not as large or as well-known as those in some other offshore centers, plays a significant role in the country’s economy. It comprises a mix of domestic banks serving the local economy and international banks catering to global clients. However, it’s worth noting that Seychelles is often regarded as a “banking jurisdiction of last resort.”

This is mainly because, in comparison to top-tier jurisdictions, Seychelles has less stringent regulatory requirements for obtaining an international bank license. Hence, entities that may struggle to secure a license elsewhere might find Seychelles a more feasible option. Similarly, if a bank aims to cater to clients who might struggle to access banking services elsewhere, such as those from countries with high levels of economic or political risk (like Russia), Seychelles could be an option.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Whenever you hear “less stringent regulatory requirements,” you can translate that to, good luck getting a correspondent banking partner.

There are currently 7 banks licensed in Seychelles. They are Absa Bank (Seychelles) Ltd, Mauritius Commercial Bank (Seychelles) Ltd., Bank of Baroda, Seychelles International Mercantile Banking Corporation (SIMBC) trading under the name “Nouvobanq,” Seychelles Commercial Bank (formerly Seychelles Savings Bank), Al Salam Bank Seychelles Limited, and Bank of Ceylon. Of these, two are operating as international banks and one is a booking center for a bank from India. 

Note that the following is speculative because the last update to Seychelles banking license law was in 2004. Click here for the banking statute. The last update to fees was in 2010. Of these, one is operating  an international bank and one as a booking center for a bank in India. 

The requirements to obtain a bank license in Seychelles are relatively straightforward. Applicants should have a minimum paid-up capital of US$5 million (the law requires $2 million)), and they must meet certain corporate governance and risk management standards.

The capital requirements for banks in Seychelles are also relatively low. Commercial banks are required to maintain a minimum capital adequacy ratio of 10%, and investment banks are required to maintain a minimum capital adequacy ratio of 12%.

Here are some additional details about the Seychelles banking industry:

  • The Central Bank of Seychelles (CBS) is the country’s banking regulator.
  • The CBS has been working to strengthen the Seychelles’ anti-money laundering and terrorist financing controls in recent years to get off various black and gray lists.
  • The Seychelles is a member of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), an international body that sets standards for combating money laundering and terrorist financing.
  • The Seychelles has been ranked as a “high-risk jurisdiction” by the FATF in the past, but it has made significant progress in improving its AML/CFT controls.

For an excellent article on the Seychelles banking industry, check out the Nomad Capitalist website. 

Vanuatu, Comoros, and Gambia – a Warning

I include Vanuatu, Comeros, and Gambia on this list because I am asked about them frequently. But, they are here as a warning… definitely not as a recommendation for an international bank license jurisdiction. 

Vanuatu is an island nation located in the South Pacific Ocean. Known for its stunning natural beauty, the country consists of an archipelago of around 83 small islands, some of which have active volcanoes. Vanuatu’s economy is largely based on small-scale agriculture, which provides a living for most of the rural population. The country also has a growing tourism industry thanks to its tropical climate, beautiful landscapes, and rich cultural heritage. Offshore banking and financial services have become important sectors, with Vanuatu providing favorable tax conditions and banking privacy. However, it is worth noting that recent international efforts towards financial transparency have affected the functioning of this sector. Today, it is an option to incorporate an offshore company, but not to operate an international bank. 

Gambia, on the other hand, is the smallest country on mainland Africa, enveloped by Senegal except for its western coastline along the Atlantic Ocean. The Gambia River runs through the center of the country, which is characterized by diverse ecosystems around the central river and abundant wildlife in its numerous nature reserves and parks. The Gambian economy is dominated by farming, fishing, and tourism. In recent years, the government has invested in improving infrastructure and the legislative framework to promote investment and commercial activities. Though smaller compared to global offshore financial centers, The Gambia does have a growing banking sector that caters to local clients.

Then there is Comoros. Comoros is a small island nation located in the Indian Ocean, off the eastern coast of Africa. It is situated between northern Madagascar and northern Mozambique and consists of three main islands, namely Grande Comore, Mohéli, and Anjouan. There’s also a fourth island, Mayotte, which is claimed by Comoros but is still administered by France.

Comoros is one of the smallest and poorest countries in the world, with a population of around 850,000. The economy is largely based on subsistence agriculture, fishing, and remittances from overseas. Despite its economic challenges, the country is known for its biodiversity, including many endemic species.

These three countries, along with a few others, are the scourge of the international bank license industry. Yes, you’ll pay some money to a promoter and will receive a banking license. But, because there is no regulatory body of substance in these jurisdictions, and their reputations are poor, that license is useless. 

  • This is one of the reasons Puerto Rico is the market leader. They have the local regulator, OCIF, and then the US Federal Reserve of New York. Plus, banks in Puerto Rico follow US Federal Standards. Jurisdictions without a strong regulator, or no regulator as in the case of these three jurisdictions, put out a license that won’t be respected by potential correspondent partners. 

If you want a colorful piece of paper for $50,000 then buy a bank license from Vanuatu, Comoros, or Gambia. But, if you want to be able to build a bank capable of operating on the international stage, look elsewhere. 

The issue with Gambia, Comoros, and Vanuatu is that you won’t be able to get a correspondent banking partner with this license. No one will accept a bank license in these jurisdictions, so the license is useless. 

These countries take advantage of those who have dreams of owning a bank but have nowhere near the required capital. They sell you a license that they know you won’t be able to use, which is why these are the worst scammers of the offshore bank license industry.

The bottom line is that setting up an international bank in 2023 is an expensive, complex, and capital intensive endeavor. Only very well funded groups will succeed. If you don’t have the capital to get into a quality jurisdiction, start somewhere else… such as an EMI license in the UK, an Aged Swiss Trust, a Mexican SOFOM, etc. There are many options of legitimate non-bank setups that will allow you to build the business and eventually convert to a full banking charter. 

Here are a few other clear signs that the provider is a scam or a waste of time: 

  1. If the website says, “ready-made licenses for sale,” run the other way. There are almost never ready made licenses in the banking industry (unlike in the offshore company formation business). 
  2. Promises a quick turn around, that’s impossible in 2023. All transfers of ownership require regulatory approval.
  3. Tells you that no due diligence is required or you don’t need to prove the source of funds. This is never true and is a sure sign of a scam.
  4. If they’re promoting Dominica, they either don’t know what they are doing, they are out of date, or they’re taking a cut of the forthcoming bribes. 
  5. Anyone promoting Vanuatu, Comeros or Gambia is most likely a scammer. You’ll never be able to make use of these licenses. 
  6. Basically, if it’s easy to buy a bank, that means that the license is useless because there is no substantive regulator in that jurisdiction.
  7. If the provider offers many different services on their website, it means that they’re a marketing firm and (hopefully) will refer you to someone that knows what they’re doing… at twice the price had you found the subject matter expert on your own. Offshore bank licensing is very specialized and only someone that works in the field full time can keep up. 
  8. If someone promises to get you a bank license for the minimum capital promised in the law, such as $550,000 in Puerto Rico, know that this is probably not true and they don’t know what they are doing. Most laws are outdated and regulators have significantly increased the capital requirement. 
  9. If anyone tells you they have the “right connections” to get a banking license in a jurisdiction that typically doesn’t issue licenses, expect a scam and a never ending list of people asking for bribes until you go away (Dominica). They keep you on the hook with hope until you stop paying. 

For more on this topic, see Scams in the Offshore Bank License Market

I’ld also like to mention that much of the information on the internet is out of date. It’s very important to keep up with changes and work with someone who is regularly in contact with regulators. For a post on this topic, see The Internet and ChatGBT are Wrong About International Bank Licenses in Puerto Rico.

The Future of International Banking

Looking forward, it’s reasonable to assume that the international bank license industry in 2024 and beyond will continue to evolve along the following lines:

  • Regulation: Banks and financial institutions worldwide would likely be facing even stricter regulation and oversight. Regulatory bodies have been increasing their scrutiny on money laundering, terrorist financing, and other illicit financial activities. Transparency, regulatory compliance, and robust risk management would likely continue to be major focus areas.
  • Technology and Digital Banking: The ongoing digital revolution in banking services would likely continue to evolve. More and more banks are expected to offer digital banking services, such as mobile apps, online banking platforms, and digital payment solutions. This trend could impact the licensing process as regulators adapt to oversee these new technologies and services.
  • Competition and Consolidation: Due to increased competition, especially from fintech and big tech companies, traditional banks might look for strategies to stay competitive, including consolidating resources, merging with other institutions, or acquiring fintech companies.
  • Customer-Centric Services: Banks are expected to continue enhancing their focus on customer-centric services. This includes personalized banking products and services, improved customer service channels, and leveraging data analytics to understand customer behavior and preferences.
  • Sustainable and Socially Responsible Banking: With growing awareness of social and environmental issues, banks are expected to pay more attention to sustainability and social responsibility. This includes ethical investment, financing green initiatives, and supporting community development.
  • Cybersecurity: With an increased digital footprint, banks would likely have to invest more in cybersecurity measures to protect customer data and prevent cyber attacks. Regulatory bodies around the world are also paying more attention to cybersecurity, which may affect the requirements for obtaining and maintaining a banking license.
  • Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Automation: AI and automation technologies have the potential to dramatically transform banking operations, from customer service (e.g., chatbots) to risk management and fraud detection. Banks that can effectively leverage these technologies might gain a significant competitive advantage.
  • Open Banking: Open banking, facilitated by APIs (Application Programming Interfaces), allows third-party developers to build applications and services around a financial institution. This trend, already strong in regions like Europe with PSD2 regulation, could increase competition and drive innovation in the banking industry.
  • Blockchain and Cryptocurrencies: The rise of blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies could continue to have significant implications for the banking industry, potentially affecting everything from payment transactions to contract enforcement. This is a popular theme in Puerto Rico.
  • Remote Workforce Management: The COVID-19 pandemic forced many businesses, including banks, to adopt remote working practices. Post pandemic, managing a remote workforce has become a standard part of operations for many banks, with implications for recruitment, management, and IT infrastructure.
    • This is especially relevant to international banking, where you might have a few employees in your country of license and a much larger group in your home country/target market. 
  • Financial Inclusion: Banks may continue to seek ways to provide services to underbanked or unbanked populations. This includes not only providing access to basic financial services but also extending credit and providing tools for wealth management to these populations.

I also expect Puerto Rico to continue to dominate the industry. However, I also expect many of the early license holders to be forced out because they can’t keep up with the capital requirements. As they sell or close, larger players will enter the market which the early adopters proved to have potential. Look for Puerto Rico to mature quickly in the next 2 or 3 years.  

Conclusion

I hope you’ve found this article on international bank licenses to be helpful. For more information, please contact me at info@banklicense.com. I will be happy to review your options and assist you to apply for a new license or acquire an existing bank in the appropriate jurisdiction. 

In most cases, this process will start by preparing your business plan and financial model. For information on drafting a business plan for an international bank, see Business Plan for an Offshore Bank License. I wrote this with Puerto Rico in mind, but the contents and concepts are the same throughout the industry.

Bermuda

Setting Up an International Bank in Bermuda

In this post, I’ll explain why I believe Bermuda is the best jurisdiction for an international bank in 2024 and what’s required to build an international bank in Bermuda. This is a relatively new jurisdiction, with only one completed case as of this writing. But, I expect big things from Bermuda and for them to compete with Puerto Rico for the top spot in international bank licenses. 

Bermuda Poised to Become Significant Financial Center with Coinbase and Jewel Bank

Bermuda is poised to become a significant financial center in the wake of the announcement that Coinbase, the largest cryptocurrency exchange in the world, is setting up a new office in the island nation. Coinbase’s decision to establish a presence in Bermuda is a major vote of confidence in the jurisdiction’s regulatory framework and its commitment to innovation.

In addition to Coinbase, Bermuda is also home to Jewel Bank, an international crypto bank that is licensed by the Bermuda Monetary Authority (BMA). Jewel Bank’s presence in Bermuda provides a safe and secure platform for institutional investors to access the cryptocurrency market.

The combination of Coinbase and Jewel Bank in Bermuda is a major development for the island nation and its financial services sector. These two companies represent the cutting edge of the cryptocurrency industry, and their presence in Bermuda will help to position the jurisdiction as a leading global hub for crypto finance.

Coinbase

Coinbase is a cryptocurrency exchange that was founded in 2012. The company is headquartered in San Francisco, California, and it has over 56 million users worldwide. Coinbase offers a variety of services, including the purchase, sale, and storage of cryptocurrencies.

In January 2023, Coinbase announced that it would be opening a new office in Bermuda and received the license in April of 2023. The office will be staffed by a team of engineers, compliance professionals, and customer support staff. Coinbase’s decision to establish a presence in Bermuda is a major vote of confidence in the jurisdiction’s regulatory framework and its commitment to innovation.

Jewel Bank

Jewel Bank is an international crypto bank that was founded in 2018. The company is headquartered in Bermuda, and it is licensed by the BMA. Jewel Bank offers a variety of services, including the custody of cryptocurrencies, the issuance of crypto-backed loans, and the provision of crypto-related investment products.

Jewel Bank’s presence in Bermuda provides a safe and secure platform for institutional investors to access the cryptocurrency market. The company’s custody services are regulated by the BMA, and its crypto-backed loans are backed by physical gold. Jewel Bank’s investment products are designed to provide exposure to the cryptocurrency market without the need to hold cryptocurrencies directly.

The Future of Finance in Bermuda

The combination of Coinbase and Jewel Bank in Bermuda is a major development for the island nation and its financial services sector. These two companies represent the cutting edge of the cryptocurrency industry, and their presence in Bermuda will help to position the jurisdiction as a leading global hub for crypto finance.

Bermuda has a number of advantages that make it an attractive destination for crypto businesses. The jurisdiction has a stable political environment, a strong legal system, and a well-developed financial infrastructure. Bermuda is also a member of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), which is an international organization that sets standards for combating money laundering and terrorist financing.

The arrival of Coinbase and Jewel Bank in Bermuda is a major step forward for the jurisdiction’s financial services sector. These two companies will help to attract other crypto businesses to Bermuda, and they will help to position the jurisdiction as a leading global hub for crypto finance.

Bermuda: An Excellent Jurisdiction to Set Up an International Bank

Bermuda is a British Overseas Territory located in the Atlantic Ocean. It is a popular destination for international businesses, including banks. The Bermuda Monetary Authority (BMA) is the regulatory body for banks in Bermuda.

There are several reasons why Bermuda is an excellent jurisdiction to set up an international bank. These include:

  • Stable and politically independent jurisdiction

Bermuda is a stable and politically independent jurisdiction. It has a long history of democracy and rule of law. This makes it a safe and secure place to do business.

  • Strong legal system

Bermuda has a strong legal system based on English common law. This provides businesses with a high level of legal certainty.

  • Well-developed financial infrastructure

Bermuda has a well-developed financial infrastructure. This includes a sophisticated payments system, a deep pool of capital, and a highly skilled workforce.

  • Member of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF)

Bermuda is a member of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), which is an international organization that sets standards for combating money laundering and terrorist financing. This demonstrates Bermuda’s commitment to fighting financial crime.

  • Low tax rate

Bermuda has a low tax rate. This can save businesses money on their tax expenses.

  • Professional and experienced regulator

The BMA is a professional and experienced regulator. It is committed to ensuring that banks in Bermuda are safe and sound.

Overall, Bermuda is an excellent jurisdiction to set up an international bank. It offers a number of advantages, including a stable political environment, a strong legal system, a well-developed financial infrastructure, and a low tax rate.

Requirements to Set Up a Bank in Bermuda

Bermuda is a British Overseas Territory located in the Atlantic Ocean. It is a popular destination for international businesses, including banks. The Bermuda Monetary Authority (BMA) is the regulatory body for banks in Bermuda.

To set up a bank in Bermuda, you must meet the following requirements:

  • You must be a company incorporated in Bermuda.
  • You must have a minimum paid-up capital of $10 million.
  • You must have a board of directors that is composed of at least three Bermudian citizens or residents.
  • You must have a management team that has experience in the banking industry.
  • You must submit an application to the BMA and meet all of the BMA’s requirements.

The application process for a bank license in Bermuda can take several months. The BMA will review your application and conduct an on-site inspection of your proposed bank. If the BMA approves your application, you will be granted a bank license.

Once you have a bank license, you can begin operating your bank in Bermuda. You will be subject to the BMA’s regulations and supervision. The BMA is responsible for ensuring that banks in Bermuda are safe and sound.

If you are considering setting up a bank, Bermuda is a good option to consider. The BMA is a professional and experienced regulator, and Bermuda offers a number of benefits for businesses. You’ll find it an excellent alternative to Puerto Rico.

Contact Information

For more information about setting up a bank in Bermuda, you can review the Bermuda Monetary Authority website at: https://www.bma.bm/. We will be happy to assist you to form an international bank in Bermuda. For more information, please contact me at info@premieroffshore.com.

In this post, I’ll explain why I believe Bermuda is the best jurisdiction for an international bank in 2024 and what’s required to build an international bank in Bermuda. This is a relatively new jurisdiction, with only one completed case as of this writing. But, I expect big things from Bermuda and for them to compete with Puerto Rico for the top spot in international bank licenses. 

Bermuda Poised to Become Significant Financial Center with Coinbase and Jewel Bank

Bermuda is poised to become a significant financial center in the wake of the announcement that Coinbase, the largest cryptocurrency exchange in the world, is setting up a new office in the island nation. Coinbase’s decision to establish a presence in Bermuda is a major vote of confidence in the jurisdiction’s regulatory framework and its commitment to innovation.

In addition to Coinbase, Bermuda is also home to Jewel Bank, an international crypto bank that is licensed by the Bermuda Monetary Authority (BMA). Jewel Bank’s presence in Bermuda provides a safe and secure platform for institutional investors to access the cryptocurrency market.

The combination of Coinbase and Jewel Bank in Bermuda is a major development for the island nation and its financial services sector. These two companies represent the cutting edge of the cryptocurrency industry, and their presence in Bermuda will help to position the jurisdiction as a leading global hub for crypto finance.

Coinbase

Coinbase is a cryptocurrency exchange that was founded in 2012. The company is headquartered in San Francisco, California, and it has over 56 million users worldwide. Coinbase offers a variety of services, including the purchase, sale, and storage of cryptocurrencies.

In January 2023, Coinbase announced that it would be opening a new office in Bermuda and received the license in April of 2023. The office will be staffed by a team of engineers, compliance professionals, and customer support staff. Coinbase’s decision to establish a presence in Bermuda is a major vote of confidence in the jurisdiction’s regulatory framework and its commitment to innovation.

Jewel Bank

Jewel Bank is an international crypto bank that was founded in 2018. The company is headquartered in Bermuda, and it is licensed by the BMA. Jewel Bank offers a variety of services, including the custody of cryptocurrencies, the issuance of crypto-backed loans, and the provision of crypto-related investment products.

Jewel Bank’s presence in Bermuda provides a safe and secure platform for institutional investors to access the cryptocurrency market. The company’s custody services are regulated by the BMA, and its crypto-backed loans are backed by physical gold. Jewel Bank’s investment products are designed to provide exposure to the cryptocurrency market without the need to hold cryptocurrencies directly.

The Future of Finance in Bermuda

The combination of Coinbase and Jewel Bank in Bermuda is a major development for the island nation and its financial services sector. These two companies represent the cutting edge of the cryptocurrency industry, and their presence in Bermuda will help to position the jurisdiction as a leading global hub for crypto finance.

Bermuda has a number of advantages that make it an attractive destination for crypto businesses. The jurisdiction has a stable political environment, a strong legal system, and a well-developed financial infrastructure. Bermuda is also a member of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), which is an international organization that sets standards for combating money laundering and terrorist financing.

The arrival of Coinbase and Jewel Bank in Bermuda is a major step forward for the jurisdiction’s financial services sector. These two companies will help to attract other crypto businesses to Bermuda, and they will help to position the jurisdiction as a leading global hub for crypto finance.

Bermuda: An Excellent Jurisdiction to Set Up an International Bank

Bermuda is a British Overseas Territory located in the Atlantic Ocean. It is a popular destination for international businesses, including banks. The Bermuda Monetary Authority (BMA) is the regulatory body for banks in Bermuda.

There are several reasons why Bermuda is an excellent jurisdiction to set up an international bank. These include:

  • Stable and politically independent jurisdiction

Bermuda is a stable and politically independent jurisdiction. It has a long history of democracy and rule of law. This makes it a safe and secure place to do business.

  • Strong legal system

Bermuda has a strong legal system based on English common law. This provides businesses with a high level of legal certainty.

  • Well-developed financial infrastructure

Bermuda has a well-developed financial infrastructure. This includes a sophisticated payments system, a deep pool of capital, and a highly skilled workforce.

  • Member of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF)

Bermuda is a member of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), which is an international organization that sets standards for combating money laundering and terrorist financing. This demonstrates Bermuda’s commitment to fighting financial crime.

  • Low tax rate

Bermuda has a low tax rate. This can save businesses money on their tax expenses.

  • Professional and experienced regulator

The BMA is a professional and experienced regulator. It is committed to ensuring that banks in Bermuda are safe and sound.

Overall, Bermuda is an excellent jurisdiction to set up an international bank. It offers a number of advantages, including a stable political environment, a strong legal system, a well-developed financial infrastructure, and a low tax rate.

Requirements to Set Up a Bank in Bermuda

Bermuda is a British Overseas Territory located in the Atlantic Ocean. It is a popular destination for international businesses, including banks. The Bermuda Monetary Authority (BMA) is the regulatory body for banks in Bermuda.

To set up a bank in Bermuda, you must meet the following requirements:

  • You must be a company incorporated in Bermuda.
  • You must have a minimum paid-up capital of $10 million.
  • You must have a board of directors that is composed of at least three Bermudian citizens or residents.
  • You must have a management team that has experience in the banking industry.
  • You must submit an application to the BMA and meet all of the BMA’s requirements.

The application process for a bank license in Bermuda can take several months. The BMA will review your application and conduct an on-site inspection of your proposed bank. If the BMA approves your application, you will be granted a bank license.

Once you have a bank license, you can begin operating your bank in Bermuda. You will be subject to the BMA’s regulations and supervision. The BMA is responsible for ensuring that banks in Bermuda are safe and sound.

If you are considering setting up a bank, Bermuda is a good option to consider. The BMA is a professional and experienced regulator, and Bermuda offers a number of benefits for businesses. You’ll find it an excellent alternative to Puerto Rico.

Contact Information

For more information about setting up a bank in Bermuda, you can review the Bermuda Monetary Authority website at: https://www.bma.bm/. We will be happy to assist you to form an international bank in Bermuda. For more information, please contact me at info@premieroffshore.com.

bank risks

The Risks of Buying a Bank

Buying a bank can be a lucrative investment, but it is important to be aware of the risks involved. Some of the most common risks associated with buying a bank include:

  • Loan book risks. The loan book is the collection of all of the loans that a bank has made. If the loan book is full of bad loans, the bank could face significant losses. It is important to carefully review the loan book before buying a bank to make sure that it is not too risky.
  • Regulatory risks. Banks are subject to a wide range of regulations. If a bank is not in compliance with these regulations, it could face fines or other penalties. It is important to carefully review the bank’s compliance history before buying it to make sure that it is not at risk of being fined.
  • Prior transaction risks. Banks often engage in a variety of transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, securities underwriting, and investment banking. If a bank has engaged in any risky transactions in the past, these transactions could pose a risk to the bank’s future. It is important to carefully review the bank’s prior transaction history before buying it to make sure that it is not at risk of being sued or facing other legal problems.

In addition to these risks, there are a number of other risks that could be associated with buying a bank. These risks can vary depending on the specific bank that is being bought. It is important to carefully consider all of the risks involved before buying a bank.

Here are some additional risks that buyers of banks should be aware of:

  • Financial market risk. Banks are exposed to a variety of financial market risks, such as interest rate risk, currency risk, and commodity price risk. These risks can cause the value of the bank’s assets and liabilities to fluctuate, which could lead to losses.
  • Operational risk. Banks are also exposed to operational risk, which is the risk of losses arising from human error, system failures, or natural disasters. Operational risk can be difficult to manage and can lead to significant losses.
  • Strategic risk. Banks can also face strategic risk, which is the risk of losses arising from poor strategic decisions. Strategic risk can be difficult to assess and can lead to significant losses.

Buying a bank is a complex and risky undertaking. It is important to carefully consider all of the risks involved before making a decision to buy a bank. For assistance in purchasing a bank, feel free to contact me at info@premieroffshore.com 

Federal FinTech bank licenses

US Regulators to Issue First Federal FinTech Bank Licenses

US Federal regulators have begun issuing Federal FinTech bank licenses on a very limited basis to the most qualified applicants. I suggest that only the very largest FinTechs will be approved for the Federal FinTech bank licenses, at least in the next year or two. The purpose of the Federal FinTech bank license to allow companies like PayPal and eBay to get a national license rather than separate licenses in every state.

With a Federal FinTech bank license, the company will be allowed to paychecks, lend money, and hold deposits. This license is limited in scope and specialized on FinTechs. The stated purpose is to give more choices to consumers and recognize the value of FinTech businesses in banking.

For more on the logic behind these Federal FinTech bank licenses, see the US Department of Treasury report.

This Federal FinTech bank license gives top firms a path into the banking industry. FinTechs have limited options in the US, and many have had to partner with big banks. Being able to apply for the new Federal FinTech bank licenses will provide these companies with an opportunity to provide a full suite of online banking services to their clients

For example, Square is likely to be an early adopter of the Federal FinTech bank license. Major companies like this, with experience in compliance, KYC and AML are top candidates for a banking license.

I also note that Federal audits and compliance of these FinTech banks will be intense. They will be watched very closely to ensure the security of client funds. Regulation will be significantly more stringent than larger established banks.

So that’s the new Federal FinTech bank license. What if your company is not named Google, Alphabet, or PayPal? Is there a US FinTech bank license you can apply for? Yes, there is, the International Financial Entity license from the US territory of Puerto Rico.

A bank licensed as International Financial Entity in Puerto Rico can conduct all manner of banking business. The only limitation is that you can’t accept clients from Puerto Rico. To put it another way, you can do business with any person or company outside of Puerto Rico.

An International Financial Entity license in Puerto Rico is like the little brother of the Federal FinTech bank license. It’s more akin to a state bank charter and not a Federal charter and a Federal bank holding company is not required.

As such, an International Financial Entity in Puerto Rico is not a member of the Federal Reserve system, is not regulated by the Fed, and Federal Deposit Insurance does not apply. As there is no equivalent of FDIC in Puerto Rico, these banks do not offer deposit insurance.

These banks are referred to in the code as International Financial Entities. This is because the IFE statute can be used for many purposes. You might form a brokerage, cryptocurrency exchange, family office, hedge fund management company, or a bank. If you’ll offer accounts to the general public, you will be permitted to use the word “bank” in your name.

These international banks from Puerto Rico are going to be far more popular over the next two years compared to the Federal FinTech bank licenses. Puerto Rico is issuing 25 licenses a year and I’d expect to see 2 to 5 Federal FinTech bank licenses over the next calendar year.

Puerto Rico has a benefit that no state, nor the Federal Government can match. Form an international bank in Puerto Rico, and operate that International Financial Entity from Puerto and pay only 4% in taxes. Yes, only 4% total taxes. No Federal taxes and no other expenses so long as those operating the bank are residents of Puerto Rico or non-US persons living abroad.

For example, a group of 4 US citizens moves from New York to Puerto Rico and forms an International Financial Entity. Dividends from the IFE to those shareholders are tax-free. This would compare to a combined Federal and New York rate of about 40% on ordinary income from a Federal FinTech bank licensed business.

Likewise, dividends to foreign shareholders (who are not US citizens, green card holders, nor residents) are tax-free. The only tax paid on those corporate profits after salaries and other expenses is 4%. There is no withholding tax on dividends to foreign persons.

And an International Financial Entity in Puerto Rico can be formed at a fraction of the cost of a Federal FinTech bank license. Minimum corporate capital is $550,000, with $250,000 of this being paid-in capital and $300,000 being a CD held at a bank in Puerto Rico. We generally recommend you increase capital to $2.5 million over two years. For more, see: Lowest Cost Offshore Bank License is Puerto Rico.

The reason the US territory of Puerto Rico offers this International Financial Entity license is to bring jobs to the island. Thus, you’re required to have a minimum of 5 employees in Puerto Rico. These employees must be residents of Puerto Rico, which means they must be US citizens or otherwise permitted to work in the United States. That is to say, US employment and immigration laws apply to the territory just as they do to any state.

For more on building an international bank in Puerto Rico or elsewhere, see: The 8 Components of an Offshore Bank License

If you’re excited about the topic of international banks and Federal FinTech bank licenses, you might find my 300-page book interesting. See: Offshore Bank License Guide (Amazon Kindle edition).

I hope you’ve found this article on Federal FinTech bank licenses to be helpful. For more information and a quote to set up an IFE in Puerto Rico or an offshore bank in another jurisdiction, you can reach me at info@premieroffshore.com or call us at (619) 483-1708.

international bank license st lucia

International Bank License in St. Lucia

Here is everything you need to know about forming an international bank in St. Luca. I will summarize the due diligence and capital requirements that need to be met in order to build an international bank in St. Lucia.

The top three international banking jurisdictions in 2018 are Puerto Rico, St. Lucia and Dominica. Countries like Caymans and Belize have fallen off the list because of difficulties in obtaining new licenses.

For my book on international bank licenses, see Offshore Bank License Guide, 2017 (Amazon Kindle)

For an introduction to Puerto Rico, see: Lowest Cost Offshore Bank License is Puerto Rico

The first question prospective international bank license clients ask is about capital. The minimum capital in St. Lucia is $1 million compared to Puerto Rico at $550,000. We generally recommend $5 million in capital from any offshore jurisdiction to cover the requirements of a correspondent account. In Puerto Rico we recommend $2.5 million  

The second question on international bank licenses in St. Lucia is usually about operations and employees. St. Lucia doesn’t have a minimum employee requirement. In general, you should have an office with some employees. Also, all data must be in St. Lucia and accessible to local regulators.

For your information, Puerto Rico requires a minimum of 5 employees on the island. Thus, for someone planning to operate from a foreign country, St. Lucia might have a lower operating overhead.

An International Bank License in St. Lucia is the International Banking Act. These are the official guidelines that regulate the licensing and operation of an international bank in St. Lucia. Basically, this is the bible that needs to be followed to properly maintain your bank.

Your lawyer should have the International Bank Act memorized to the point where he can recite any article verbatim. When you review the International Bank Act you will find many important key points that need to be looked at and addressed before you start operating your international bank in St. Lucia.

For example, Article 15 which mentions how audits will be performed.

“A licensee shall have its accounts audited, annually or at such other times as the Minister may require, by an auditor who shall conduct the audit in accordance with the international accounting standards.”

Your bank is subject to audits by local regulators and these may be performed at any given time without notice. It is vital to keep your affairs in order as your banking license may be revoked if you fail to comply.

Some of the actions that may cause the relevant authority to revoke your license includes:

  • Fail to comply with a request made of that person by the
    Minister or the Director.
  • Offer of any gratuity, bribe or any other inducement prevent or attempt to prevent the Minister, the Director or any officer in the Director’s department acting under the Director’s authority.
  • Carry on any banking business with a resident unless in connection with the rendering of international banking business services from Saint Lucia, or as provided in this Act or in any other law in force in Saint Lucia governing the operations and activities of the licensee.

It is also important to know that the authority regulating your bank is called a Minister and his involvement in the process is all around. A Minister is responsible for all matters involving international financial services.

Some major activities that the Minister overviews involving your international bank are:

Article 13 (1) A share in a licensee under this Act shall not be issued, and no issued shares shall be transferred or disposed of in any manner, without the prior approval of the Minister.

Article 19 Section 3 (c) the Minister may disclose to another regulatory authority outside Saint Lucia information concerning the affairs of a licensee where the disclosure pertains to actions in violation of any law or with respect to the failure of a licensee to comply with generally accepted principles relating to the international banking business.

The Minister also has the authority to:

  • Revoke the license.
  • Require the substitution of any director or officer of the licensee.
  • At the expense of the licensee, appoint a person to assume control of the licensee’s affairs who shall, with the necessary changes, have all the powers of a person appointed as a receiver or manager of a company.
  • Require such action to be taken by the licensee as the Minister considers necessary.

Other important information that you should know regarding your bank is:

Article 54 (2) A company licensed under this Act, or the dividends, royalties, interest, foreign securities, funds, gains or assets generated or managed by a licensee in the course of its international banking business, shall not be subject to the provisions of the Exchange Control Act, or to any other exchange or currency control legislation in force in Saint Lucia.

You will find all of the application forms necessary to apply for an international banking license in the document. You will also find all of the regulations you have to comply with, they may not be as excessive and controlling as in other countries but still need to be noted.

I hope you’ve found this article on the international banking license in St.Lucia to be helpful. For more information, or for assistance in starting a bank in Puerto Rico or St. Lucia, contact us at info@premieroffshore.com or call us at (619) 483-1708.

Banking for a Cryptocurrency Exchange

Banking for a Cryptocurrency Exchange

In this article, I’ll look at where to form an international bank for a cryptocurrency exchange or FinTech group. That is, where to license and operate a new bank to provide FIAT to crypto exchange. Where to form a new bank for the cryptocurrency industry. Where to set up an offshore bank for the FinTech industry.

Puerto Rico is quickly becoming the center of the banking for cryptocurrency world. If you want to form a bank for the cryptocurrency industry, you have two options: 1) Puerto Rico with $550,000 in capital top-tier jurisdictions like Switzerland and Panama with $24 million or more.

So, it’s easy to see why so many new banks are setting up in Puerto Rico. This is also why the existing international banks on the island are growing incredibly quickly.

Per the  data published by the Puerto Rico Financial Institutions Commissioner’s Office indicate that bank deposits by international finance entities (IFE) category jumped by 248 percent to $3.3 billion in the fourth quarter, while total assets for these grew by 161 percent.

From Caribbean Business, “As BitMEX noted, the surge in deposits correlated with the cryptocurrency markets dramatic upswell, and Tether’s market cap grew by 215 percent during the same period.”

This growth is staggering, especially in an industry that has been contracting over the last couple of years. For example, the number of offshore banks operating from the Cayman Islands has decreased from 250 to 150 over the last 24 months. This is due to the increasing costs of compliance, higher capital requirements ($10 million, up from $1 million), difficulties finding and maintaining correspondent partners, and increased regulatory oversight.

At the same time, Puerto Rico issued 24 permits in 2017 and we expect the same number or more this year. This, combined with lower operating costs, relatively easier access to correspondent banks (because Puerto Rico is a US territory, and the fact that Puerto Rico is the only significant jurisdiction not a party to FATCA and Common Reporting Standards, are driving this significant growth.

Note that, when I say lower operating costs, I do not mean less regulation. I mean that the cost of labor and legal expertise is significantly lower in Puerto Rico than the Cayman Islands. As a US territory, it’s financial entities must comply with all US laws, anti money laundering rules, and know your customer rules.

As such, Puerto Rico is the place for a well run, well funded, compliant and professionally managed offshore bank or international financial entity. For more on compliance in Puerto Rico, see: Act 273 Compliance Requirements.

If you don’t want US oversite, then look to a lesser jurisdiction such as Dominica… but good luck getting a correspondent bank. For more information in the various offshore bank licenses, see: Top International Banking Jurisdictions in 2018.

I should also note that this article is focused on banks operating as FinTech businesses, blockchain financial entities, and cryptocurrency to FIAT facilitators. I am not talking about ICOs here. As a US territory, IFEs should avoid ICOs as they are subject to US oversite. The US government has been very hostile to ICOs of late.

As stated above, an offshore bank structured in Puerto Rico under Act 273 will pay only 4% in tax. Run the same bank from New York and you might pay 35%, even after Trump’s tax break. Move to Puerto Rico and swap that rate for a real tax break.

You’ll find that Puerto Rico doesn’t tax dividends to residents from the IFE. So, if the owners move to Puerto Rico under Act 22, they pay zero on capital gains and zero on dividends from their offshore bank. For a list of all of Puerto Rico’s tax incentives, see: A Detailed Analysis of Puerto Rico’s Tax Incentive Programs.

In order to form an offshore bank in Puerto Rico to manage cryptocurrency, you’ll start with the permit to organize. This first step can take 4 months and the average cost is $130,000. Once you have your permit to organize or preliminary license, you have the regulator’s approval to build out your business on the island. See: Here’s the process to start a bank in Puerto Rico.

Your permit to organize allows you to use the word “bank” in your materials. For example, you might issue a US compliant ICO, a Reg D offering, or raise money under the $50 million crowdfunding exemption. It’s only after you have your permit to organize that you should raise money and are allowed use the word bank in your name.  

I hope you’ve found this article on banking for a cryptocurrency exchange to be helpful. For more on forming a bank in the US territory of Puerto Rico, please contact me at info@premieroffshore.com or call us at (619) 483-1708. We’ll be happy to assist you to negotiate an International Financial Entity License.

You might also like to read through my 300 page book on this topic. For the kindle version, see: Offshore Bank License Guide.

Top International Banking Jurisdictions in 2018

Top International Banking Jurisdictions in 2018

In this article, I’ll consider the top international banking jurisdictions for 2018. More specifically, I’ll look at international banks in North, Central and South American, as well as the Caribbean region. These are the areas where I have experience, and not Europe (Switzerland, Andorra, Jersey, Guernsey, etc.)

When we talk about international banking jurisdictions in 2018 or an offshore banking license, we generally mean a license issued by a low or now tax country. The intended purpose of an international bank is to serve clients outside of its country of licensure.

For example, a Class A bank in Panama can do business with locals (Panamanians) and persons living outside of Panama. In most cases, Class A banks do not accept foreign persons.

In contrast, an international banking license generally referred to as a Class B bank, may only accept foreign persons. An international bank licensed in Panama may not do business with people living in Panama and companies based in Panama.

My ranking of top international banking jurisdictions in 2018 is as follows:

  1. The United States,
  2. Canada,
  3. Mexico,
  4. Panama,
  5. The Cayman Islands,
  6. Puerto Rico,
  7. Costa Rica,
  8. Argentina,
  9. St. Lucia,
  10. St. Vincent,
  11. Belize, and
  12. Dominica.

I don’t include Colombia or Brazil on this list because these countries have currency controls and most are trying to move money out of these nation rather than start new international banks there.

Many will think it’s strange that the United States tops the list of international banking jurisdictions. In fact, the US has been the world’s largest tax haven for decades. We incarcerate our citizens that dodge the tax man but welcome billions of dollars from abroad. Doubt this? Have a read through The U.S. Is Becoming the World’s New Tax Haven and The United States Is a Tax Haven for Global Investors.

The traditional international banking jurisdictions in 2018 begin with Panama and end with Dominica. These are the most popular international bank licenses for 2018. As you move down the list, the capital required goes down, which is to say, those on the top of the list require a significant investment.

Of the international bank jurisdictions, a license from Panama is the most difficult to secure. If you already have a general license from a major jurisdiction (the EU, USA, Canada, and Mexico), you can apply for an international license in Panama. In that case, the capital required might be about $10 million. This bank would act as a subsidiary or booking bank for its parent bank.

If you don’t have a major license, you will need to apply for a Class A license in Panama. This is true even if you will accept only foreign clients. A Class A license is likely to require $40 million in the capital and take about 18 months for approval.

The most well known international banking jurisdiction is the Cayman Islands. Cayman has been the go-to country for offshore banking for decades now and has a very advanced financial services sector.

However, Cayman’s international banking license business has been in a tailspin. The number of active offshore banks on the island has decreased from about 250 to 150 in the last 24 months. That’s an incredible contraction.

Basically, all of the smaller banks have been pushed out as compliance costs have increased. As a result, the remaining banks are capitalized with $10 to $50 million depending on their business model. This is up from about $1 million a few years ago.

At the other end of the “active” spectrum is the US territory of Puerto Rico. This island passed an international banking statute in 2012 and has been very active since 2014. There were 24 international banks approved in Puerto Rico in 2017 and I expect the same number, or more, to be issued in 2018. See: International Financial Entities Licenses in Puerto Rico.

The capital required for an international bank license from Puerto Rico is $550,000. You must hire a minimum of 5 employees and run the business from the territory. If you do this, your tax rate will be 4%.

Two of the reasons Puerto Rico is so popular in 2018 are:

  • CRS does not apply to the US territory. Even though the US signed this agreement, it does not carry over to Puerto Rico. As far as I know, PR is the only significant jurisdiction where CRS does not apply.
  • The relative ease of correspondent banking.

These are balanced against an employee requirement, US oversight, and a 4% tax rate.

For a general article on the various tax incentives available in Puerto Rico, see: A Detailed Analysis of Puerto Rico’s Tax Incentive Programs.

Those who don’t want to be to close to the United States, and don’t want the incredible regulation / costs of Cayman, look to St. Lucia and Dominica. I don’t include Belize or St. Vincent in this list because, while these islands have an international banking sector, they haven’t issued a new license in several years. See: Top 5 Offshore Bank License Jurisdictions for 2017.

St. Lucia and Dominica are actively seeking quality bank operators. Dominica has a reputation of being more “active” while St. Lucia is more conservative. Personally, I prefer the slower and more conservative approach. For more on Dominica, see: How to get an Offshore Bank License in Dominica.

The capital required for St. Lucia or Dominica is $1 million. This will get you a permit to incorporate. Then you will need to secure a correspondent banking partner. This will require anywhere from $5 to $12 million in capital, plus a volume guarantee.

I hope you’ve found this article on top international banking jurisdictions for 2018 to be helpful. For more information on setting up an international bank, please contact me at info@premieroffshiore.com or call us at (619) 483-1708. We’ll be happy to assist you to build an international bank in any of the jurisdictions listed above.

You might also find my 300-page book on this topic helpful. You can download it from Amazon here: Offshore Bank License Guide.

Here’s the process to start a bank in Puerto Rico

Here’s the process to start a bank in Puerto Rico

In order to form a new offshore bank in Puerto Rico, also referred to as an International Financial Entity (IFE), you will need to submit a number of documents to government regulators. Here’s a brief summary of the process to start a bank in Puerto Rico.

The process to start a bank in Puerto Rico can be broken down into 4 steps.

First, is the writing of a business plan.

In my experience, the most important step in securing and offshore banking license from Puerto Rico is a quality business plan. I suggest that drafting a quality business plan is 80% of the work that goes into an IFE application.

The introduction section of the business plan should match the Federal Reserve Bank of New York Business Plan guidelines. This is a summary of the business with financials and supporting information.

Then the business plan of an offshore bank in Puerto Rico should tell the story of the IFE. Who is building the bank, what market is it intended to serve, and what niche will it fill.

Writing the business plan can be a long and painful process. It just depends how long it takes me to learn your business and how many holes we need to fill in your plan and on your team. By the time the business plan is complete, all “risks” or areas of concern should have been dealt with and a solid image presented to government regulators.

To be honest, we look at the business plan for an IFE in Puerto Rico as a loss leader. Yes, we charge a flat fee to write the plan. But, the amount of effort that goes into most business plans far exceeds our hourly rate, thus we generally “lose” money on this stage of the project.

Second, file your permit to organize.

Once your business plan is complete, we prepare the application for a permit to organize (or preliminary license for an IFE). This submission will include the plan, financial reports on each shareholder, officer, and director, and police clearance reports from each shareholder, officer, and director.

Note that these police clearance reports can take time. If you’re from a foreign country, you’ll also need to have them notarized and apostilled (if from a treaty country).  For information on US reports, see the FBI website.

Please see the list below from OCIF on the steps to negotiate a permit to organize. For another of my articles on forming an offshore bank, see: Four Steps to Build an Offshore Bank.

Third, form your corporation or LLC, hire your employees and build out your bank.

A permit to organize is the authorization from government regulators to incorporate your banking entity and to set up an IFE on the island. You must have the permission to organize in hand before you can form a company that has the word “bank” in its name.

Now you need to build out your business. Set up an office, hire 5 people, buy and implement a core banking software and hardware system, contract with a correspondent banking partner, and do all of those things necessary to get ready to operate a bank from the island of Puerto Rico.

  • The statute says you need 4 employees. I always recommend 5 in case you lose one.

Note that your IFE must operate from Puerto Rico to receive the 4% tax rate. Any income generated in the US is US source and taxable by the IRS. That is to say, only income generated from work performed on Puerto Rico is PR source and taxable at the discounted rate. For more on this topic, see: What is Puerto Rico Sourced Income for an Act 20 Business.

Fourth, we file your permit to operate and complete an audit with government regulators.

When you’re ready to go live, and you’ve run test transactions with your correspondent partner, you can file your permit to operate. Once filed, regulators will send a team to audit your computer systems and ensure they’re secure. If you’ve used US core banking software and traditional hardware, this should be relatively easy.

Note that you’re not required to set up your own IT system. You can outsource this, along with many KYC and AML processes, to an outside vendor. Most IFEs use one of Puerto Rico based IT platforms.

Your lawyers will also need to file a number of documents and sworn statements from the President / CEO. These basically confirm that you’ve hired the correct people and will abide by the KYC, AML, operational manuals, and compliance documents you’ve provided.

Conclusion

I hope you’ve found this article on the steps to build an offshore bank or IFE in Puerto Rico to be helpful. For more information, please contact me at info@premieroffshore.com or call us at (619) 550-2743. We’ll be happy to assist you with an international financial entity in Puerto Rico.

Below is the process to negotiate a permit to organize from OCIF. You might also find my 300-page book on this topic to be helpful. See: Offshore Bank License Guide, available on Amazon Kindle.

Process for IFE permit to organize

Here is the process to negotiate a permit to organize with government regulators in Puerto Rico. This is a loose translation from the official Spanish version.

(1) The proposed articles of incorporation, partnership agreement or other written document establishing the international financial institution, or the certification required by § 3084 of this title;

(2) a nonrefundable application fee of five thousand dollars ($5,000) to defray the costs of the initial investigation, and

(3) such other documents as may be specified or required by the regulations of the Commissioner.

(a) Every application shall include:

(1) The identity and business history of the applicants;

(2) the city or town in Puerto Rico and the street and number or any other address where its principal   place of business in Puerto Rico shall be maintained;

(3) the identity and business and credit history of any person who, directly or indirectly, possesses or  controls or intends to possess or control ten percent (10%) or more in the capital of the proposed international financial institution;

(4) a statement of the assets and liabilities of any applicant and of any person who possesses or controls or intends to possess or control ten percent (10% ) or more of the interest in the capital of the international financial institution, or of the person of which the proposed international financial institution shall be a unit, for each of the three (3) years preceding the application;

(5) the identity and background of all proposed directors, and officials or persons who intend to act in a similar capacity in the international financial institution, and

(6) such additional information as may be required by the regulations of the Commissioner.

(b) Upon receipt of the sworn application, all the required documents, and the application fee, the Commissioner shall carry out any and all investigations of the applicants and the application, including a review of:

(1) The financial solvency, credit, banking experience and business integrity of the applicants, their directors and officers, or persons who intend to act in a similar capacity in the proposed international financial institution;

(2) the adequacy of the capital available for the operations of the proposed international financial institution;

(3) the adequacy of the articles of incorporation, partnership agreement or other written document belonging to any applicant and, when appropriate, of the articles of incorporation, partnership agreement or other written document establishing the proposed international financial institution, and

(4) the impact that the proposed international financial institution shall have on the economy of Puerto Rico.

(c) Expenses, in excess of the aforementioned five thousand dollars ($5,000), incurred by the Commissioner for the purpose of conducting the initial investigation, shall be defrayed by the applicants by means of a previous deposit made in accordance with the estimate. The Commissioner shall claim said investigation expenses from the applicants.

(d) Should the Commissioner determine that the results of his/her investigation are favorable, he/she may, at his/her sole and exclusive discretion, issue to the applicants a permit to organize an international financial institution, subject to such conditions as the Commissioner may establish.

(e) When the Commissioner issues a permit pursuant to the provisions of this section, the interested party shall file with the Department of State of Puerto Rico the articles of incorporation, partnership agreement, or other written document establishing the proposed international financial institution, or those of the person of which the international financial institution shall be a unit, as well as the certification provided for in § 3084(c) of this title in the case of a unit, and the permit issued by the Commissioner. The Department of State shall issue under its official seal a certification of the filing of the stipulated documents.

The Offshore ICO Scam and Cayman Islands Corporations

The Offshore ICO Scam and Cayman Islands Corporations

There’s an offshore ICO scam going on and it’s focused on Cayman Islands Corporations. If you’re planning an ICO, here’s what you need to know to avoid the offshore ICO scam and Cayman Islands Corporations.

First, note that I use the term “scam” very carefully and intentionally here. I truly believe there is an offshore ICO scam going on and it’s being perpetrated by lawyers and incorporation agents, many of them in the Cayman Islands.

Second, this article is about an offshore ICO scam that affects those issuing ICOs out of the Cayman Islands and most other offshore jurisdictions. I’ve seen this ICO scam in Belize, Nevis, Cook Islands, and in a number of offshore countries.

Third, this article is for those who are looking to fund their businesses with an “offshore” ICO. I’m not talking about ICOs in regulated jurisdictions such as the United States. Also, this scam does not generally affect ICO investors. I’m speaking only to those who wish to issue an ICO.

With all of that said, here’s the offshore ICO scam often found in the Cayman Islands:

Those hoping to issue an ICO call up a lawyer or an incorporator and say, “hey, I need an offshore corporation in the Cayman Islands to issue an ICO for my new business.”

The sales agent say, “sure, no problem. Send us $9,500 and we’ll set up your corporation.”

Buyer pays and gets his or her Cayman Islands corporation. Scam complete.

Now, you’re thinking, what the heck? The buyer got exactly what they paid for. How is this an ICO scam perpetrated by the lawyer or incorporator?

This is an ICO scam because the agent knows full well that the buyer won’t be able to get a bank account. They know that the buyer doesn’t have the legal structure or documents necessary to issue an ICO. They know that it will be a cold day in hell before this client gets a bank account opened for his ICO.

They know the Cayman Islands corporation can’t be used as intended. These lawyers are intentionally selling a useless structure to make a buck. They’re taking advantage of a buyer who has no idea what they’re doing and doesn’t have the financial backing to issue a proper ICO.

Even if the buyer could get a bank account opened, it would be closed after the first few deposits… and the ICO would probably be blacklisted by the industry.

The only way to open an account would be to lie to the bank about how you intend to use that Cayman Islands corporation. You say that the company will sell a service such as internet marketing or whatever. You won’t get an account in the Cayman Islands, but you’ll get one in a smaller offshore jurisdiction.

Now you issue the token and deposits start coming in. You’re converting bitcoin into FIAT and transferring that to your offshore account to fund your business.

Do this a few times and the bank will get suspicious. Send a large transfer, and the bank will get suspicious. They’ll want to know the source of funds and to see your sales agreements if you’re saying these are business transfers.

Let’s say you skirt past the bank’s KYC, AML and compliance systems (this won’t happen), what are the Cayman regulators going to say? If in some alternate universe, you somehow manage to raise a few million bucks, regulators will be all over you.

The bottom line is that these Cayman Islands corporations are useless for an ICO. At least, they’re useless without all of the legal and planning work that goes into a proper ICO.  

Sure, Cayman Islands is a top-tier jurisdiction for offshore ICOs and crypto funds. I recommend Cayman to clients all the time… clients who can afford the high costs associated with issuing a proper ICO from the Cayman Islands.

Back in the early days if ICOs, you might have been able to start in Cayman for $10,000. Today, you can’t get anywhere spending less than $50,000 on the front-end, and with most spending $100,000 on the back-end (success fees). Even low cost lesser jurisdictions are $35,000 in 2018.

The typical components of an offshore corporation in Caymans that will issue an ICO are as follows:

  1. Corporate entity,
  2. Financial Services Entity,
  3. Anti Money Laundering Manual (AML),
  4. Know Your Customers (KYC) procedures and systems,
  5. Dedicated Money Laundering Reporting Officer or Chief Compliance Officer with several years experience, and
  6. Sufficient capital to entice a correspondent bank to take you on as a client.

Setting up an ICO in 2018 is not cheap and any shortcuts will likely wind up causing massive headaches down the line.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of folks offering services in this area who haven’t got a clue or who know that what they’re selling is worthless. Sure, I can set up an offshore corporation for you in Cayman for less than $10,000, but it won’t be good for anything.

The choke points are the banks and international correspondent banks. They simply won’t accept anything that is not whiter than white in‎ the crypto arena.  That means proper licensing, approvals, and conformity with laws and regulations, especially US Securities laws if US persons are involved.

You’ll need to also address issues such as utility token or security coin right from the start. If a security, we’ll need to start as an exempt offering under 506(D) if any US persons are involved. Otherwise, we will still need a proper offering document wherever you want to set up shop that’s compliant with whichever countries you plan to sell into.

If you’re currently speaking with a promoter offering to form a cheap Cayman Islands company for your ICO, here’s what to do. Simply ask them to guarantee in writing that they’ll open a bank account in Caymans that will be allowed to receive ICO funds. Also, let them know you plan to visit the bank to discuss your ICO. This will shut them down very quickly.

I hope you’ve found this article on the offshore ICO scam and the Cayman Islands corporations. If you would like assistance with a proper and legal ICO out of Cayman, please contact me at info@premieroffshore.com or call me at (619) 483-1708  for a consultation.

We can also help you clean up your legal structure if you’ve already done some pre-sales. The only thing we can’t fix is sales of tokens or deposits accepted from non-accredited US investors. The only option there is to refund these buyers or face the ire of regulators.

And no, we can’t form an offshore corporation in the Cayman Islands for an ICO, allow you to do some pre-sales, and then get you into compliance. There’s way to much risk in that for you and us. Plus, the costs to fix a mess always outweigh the costs of doing it right the first time. If you’re already in trouble, we can help you get back on track, but we can’t go down that road with you.

Four Steps to Building an Offshore Bank

Four Steps to Build an Offshore Bank

When building an offshore bank, there are four steps you must work through. Here’s what you need to plan for and understand when building an offshore bank. These are the four steps to taking an international bank from permit to operational.

First, keep in mind that this article is focused on offshore banks. That is, an international bank formed in a low or zero tax country. One that will do business with people and companies outside of its country of licensure.

Second, these four steps to building an offshore bank are general guidelines. Every jurisdiction has a different set of laws and many use different terminology for these categories. For a complete guide to forming an offshore bank, see my 300-page book, Offshore Bank License Guide, 2017 (Amazon Kindle edition)

The top jurisdictions for an offshore bank are Puerto Rico, Caymans, Belize, Dominica, St. Lucia, Panama, and Switzerland. Puerto Rico issues about 25 licenses a year, while Cayman and the rest issue 1 to 2, depending on the year. Belize hasn’t issued a new license in about 7 years. Puerto Rico’s International Financial Entity license is dominating the industry in 2018.

Because of the popularity of cryptocurrency and ICOs, the value of banks in Switzerland and elsewhere have increased dramatically in the last year. For example, I’m aware of an offshore crypto friendly bank with European and US correspondent accounts that are on the market at $100 million in Bitcoin.  

With that said, here are the four steps to building an offshore bank:

  1. Permit to Organize / Incorporate,
  2. Compliance, AML, IT, Employees, Office, etc.,
  3. Correspondent Bank Account, and
  4. Operating License

The first step in building an offshore bank is your permit to incorporate or permit to organize. We also refer to this as your preliminary license. With this permit, the government is basically saying they will allow you to build and open a bank in their country.

In order to obtain a permit to organize, you must submit a very detailed business plan and financials to your government regulator. You must also file information on each officer, director, and the person involved in the business (including police reports, references and personal, financial data). All of this will be used to judge the group’s banking expertise and ability to run a clean and professional international bank.

This first step is often the most urgent for a startup. Once a government gives you the green light, you can go out and raise money, build out the business, and do those things necessary to launch the bank. It’s during this stage that most offshore banks need the most help to navigate the complex application process.

Once you have your permit to organize, you have the government’s permission to incorporate an international bank. It’s after the permit is issued that you will spend money on building out an office, hiring employees, drafting your detailed operating manuals, building a compliance program, and purchasing hardware and software.

Certain jurisdictions have an employment requirement and some do not. For example, Puerto Rico requires a minimum of 5 employees on the island (the largest IFE has 450 employees). Dominica doesn’t have a fixed number, but you should have account opening and compliance based on the island.

In some countries, you’ll need a secure office environment for your servers and client files. The government will come in to check your facilities before issuing a permit to operate. The same goes for computers and software… the government will come in and test these before allowing you to go live.

The third step in forming an offshore bank is negotiating a correspondent account, is the step that most ignore in the beginning. However, securing a correspondent partner is by far the most difficult task after the permit to organize is issued.

You should be prepared to spend some serious money on consultants and lawyers. You probably spen1 $100,000 to $250,000 to get a permit to organize. Most spend $50,000 to $100,000 on lawyers to negotiate a correspondent account.

Plus, you’ll need capital to fund this account. While you can get a permit to organize in Dominica with $1 million in capital, you’ll need much more than this to secure a quality correspondent partner. Most have $3 to $7 million in funds on top of their corporate capital by the time they go in search of a correspondent bank.

And this is why the government first issues a permit to organize. Then you build out your systems, hire your people, and negotiate your correspondent account. If you need to raise money, you can do so after receiving your permit to organize.

  • Note that you generally don’t need to put up any capital until you’re ready to launch and are applying for your permit to operate.

However, you won’t get your permit to operate unless and until you have a correspondent banking partner. You must have a correspondent bank in place before any government will allow you to go live.

Once you have all of your systems, documents, and people in place, and a signed agreement with a correspondent partner, you can request an operating permit from your regulator.

During this process, government regulators will audit your books, test your security, and meet with your people. They’ll check everything to ensure you’re running a quality bank. One that won’t bring trouble or risk to the island.

Because most of the work with the government was done during the permit to organize stage, the permit to operate should be easy. If you’ve spent money and hired the right people, then this will be a standard audit…. A mechanical process. Regulators will come in and be impressed with your professionalism.

If you’re trying to start an offshore bank on a shoestring budget, the permit to operate will be a challenge. If you don’t have a top-notch compliance person on staff, the government will look at you very closely. If you haven’t purchased a well-known core banking platform, tests will be more in depth.

I hope you’ve found this article on the four steps to build an offshore bank to be helpful. For more information, please contact us at info@premieroffshore.com or call us at (619) 483-1708. We’ll be happy to assist you throughout the offshore bank licensing and operating process.

How to trade cryptocurrency and manage investments for others without a license

How to trade cryptocurrency and manage investments for others without a license

I get a number of emails from readers each week asking how they can manage money for friends and family offshore. They want to trade cryptocurrency and make investments for others without going to the expense of setting up a licensed and regulated exchange. So, here’s how to trade cryptocurrency and manage investments for others without a license.

When you want to trade crypto or other assets for anyone other than yourself, you need an account that allows you to hold other people’s money. Banks are very cautious when it comes to those trading on behalf of others or managing investments without a license.

First, banks don’t want to be fined for facilitating money laundering. Banks paid hundreds of millions in the last few years for “allowing” their customers to avoid taxes and launder illicit gains. The bank might not have had any idea what was going on, but their due diligence procedures weren’t stringent enough to catch the wrongdoers, so they were fined big time.

Second, banks and governments don’t want anyone without a license managing other people’s money. Brokerage and investment management licenses and regulation is big business. If you don’t want to pay, you won’t be allowed to play.

Third, banks must follow strict Know Your Client (KYC) rules. When you open an account, the bank checks you out and thereby knows you, their customer. If you then receive friends and family or customer money in your bank account, the bank doesn’t “know” the true beneficial owner of the money. The actual owner is one level removed from the person the bank “knows.”

Setting up an offshore corporation and hoping for the best is not a good idea in today’s world. Banks are watching for the source of funds on most wires. They will check outflows and for anyone using their account to manage OPM. If you try to hide, you’ll be caught and kicked to the curb.

Against that backdrop, here’s how to trade cryptocurrency and manage investments for others without a license.

When you don’t want to set up a regulated exchange, which can cost $35,000 to $250,000, depending on the country, you can use offshore LLCs and a trading corporation to accomplish your goals.

You, the trader form an investment corporation and a management LLC. Then, each and every client forms an offshore LLC. Yes, every single client, friend, or family, must have their own offshore corporation. Only a husband and wife can have a joint LLC.

Next, all of these structures open offshore accounts at the same international bank. In this way, the bank has done its due diligence on you and your customers. Everyone has been reviewed and approved by the bank and transfers will be permitted between the group of companies.

Once everyone has been approved, the client LLCs can issue a Power of Attorney to your management LLC. With this Power of Attorney on file with the bank, you will be allowed to manage the investments of these clients and transfer funds into your investment corporation.

This multi LLC offshore investment management structure ticks all the right boxes. It allows you to manage client funds and for the bank to do its KYC on everyone involved. Because all the accounts are at the same bank, transfer costs are minimized and the source of funds won’t be questioned.

A separate LLC system to trade cryptocurrency and manage investments for others without a license works well with large investors. Because of the setup costs, it’s not efficient for smaller clients or selling investments to the general public.

This practical limitation is positive for banks. They don’t want someone operating an unregulated offshore hedge fund selling to mom and pop investors. This will only bring trouble and litigation to the bank. They like larger accounts, larger deals, and sophisticated investors.

This system also allows sophisticated investors to put more advanced structures in place. For example, they might want to trade within an international trust for estate and asset protection reasons. High net worth investors might want to hold the LLC inside an offshore life insurance company to eliminate US tax on the capital gains.

You can also use this structures to create private entities in countries with public registries. For example, let’s say you want to invest in Panama. That country has a public registry of corporate shareholders and directors and a list of beneficial owners of foundations (their version of a trust).

To keep your name out of the registry, you can set up an offshore LLC in a country like Nevis or Belize that doesn’t have a public registry. Then, this LLC can be the founder of a foundation or the officer and director of a Panama corporation. In this way, the beneficial owner (you) won’t be listed in the registry.

When someone searches the Panama database, all they’ll see is the name of your Belize LLC. When they go to Belize for more information, they’ll hit a brick wall.

Whether this offshore LLC structure is cost-effective will depend on how many clients/friends and family you plan to manage. In most cases, the base corporation might cost $3,500 and each LLC $2,000 to $2,900 to set up (not including bank fees).

The largest structure I’ve seen like this was 3,400 LLCs and two management corporations in Switzerland. Why, you ask, would someone spend that kind of money on LLCs? Because they don’t want to go through all the compliance and regulation that comes with a fully licensed exchange.

Had they decided to operate as an investment manager in Switzerland, they would have had to hire someone with the necessary Swiss licenses and go through a very arduous registration process. The multi LLC model eliminated both of these requirements.

Plus, once you have a license, you have quarterly filing, KYC and AML compliance, and all manner of regulations to contend with. When you use separate offshore LLCs, it’s a private transaction between you and your friend/client.

Finally, this system allows some clients to move their retirement accounts offshore. They could form an offshore IRA LLC and transfer some or all of their vested retirement savings into that entity. Then, that LLC could issue a POA to you, the trader.

As you can see, this multi offshore LLC approach to trading cryptocurrency and managing OPM for others without a license can be a very powerful tool.

I hope you’ve found this article on how to trade cryptocurrency and investments for others without a license to be helpful. For more information on setting up a regulated or unregulated crypto trading business, please contact me at info@premieroffshore.com or call us at (619) 483-1708. We’ll be happy to assist you with an offshore structure and banking.

IRS Targets Bitcoin

The US Government is Targeting Bitcoin

The US government has launched an all out war on Bitcoin and battles are raging on several fronts. The purpose of this war is to either kill Bitcoin so that the dollar remains dominant or, failing that, to control Bitcoin such that the government maximized taxable income and eliminates your ability to transact in private.

It’s early days yet in the war on Bitcoin. But, the writing’s on the wall. The only way for you to salvage some level of privacy is to move your Bitcoin offshore. Set up an offshore company and hold your crypto account in the name of the company.

Here are the 4 primary lines of attack the US government has on Bitcoin today. You can rest assured that new agencies will jump into the fray once they find a way to take what’s yours.

  1. IRS taxing bitcoin as a capital asset and not a monetary instrument.
  2. The SEC treating bitcoin as cash so they can regulate ICOs.
  3. Applying civil asset forfeiture rules to Bitcoin.
  4. Requiring you to report your Bitcoin every time you enter or exit the United States.

Let’s start with the IRS. The Service recently declared that Bitcoin and cryptocurrency are assets, not cash and not currency. This means that, when you exchange Bitcoin for FIAT currency, you must pay tax on the gain.

If you held the Bitcoin for less than a year, you pay short term capital gains tax at your standard rate. This is probably around 35%. If you held the Bitcoin for more than a year, you pay the long term capital gains rate on your profit, which is probably 23.5% (20% if Trump repeals Obamacare taxes). These are the Federal rates and your State will also tax the gain.

Had the IRS classified Bitcoin as a currency, they wouldn’t be able to tax you when you convert Bitcoin to dollars. By calling Bitcoin an asset, the IRS can tax the conversion (or more properly, the sale of the asset).

  • Only currency investments are taxable, such as FX traders, and not basic conversions. That is to say, if you buy foreign currency as an investment, then the gains are taxable.

Then there’s the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). If the regulator had determined Bitcoin to be an asset, rather than a cash or cash equivalent, they might not have had jurisdiction to control ICOs. For the reasons why this might have been the case, see: Crowd Sale vs ICO – What’s Legal?

Suffice it to say, if Bitcoin were an asset, all ICOs might have been considered crowd sales and thus outside the purview of the SEC. Of course, this is unacceptable… all investments must be watched over and controlled by our government – so, Bitcoin is cash to the SEC.

To those of us who write on these topics, both of these lines of attack were obvious. Each US agency will define Bitcoin in whatever way allows them to exert control and levy fines to generate more income. That’s the nature of the beast… to a hammer, everything looks like a nail.

Here’s the regulation of Bitcoin that no one saw coming:

Introduced last month, the Combating Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Counterfeiting Act of 2017, will force you to report your Bitcoin each time you leave or enter the United States. That’s right, you will be required to fill out a form telling the government how much Bitcoin and cryptocurrency you have each and every time you cross our border.

When I first saw comments on this legislation, I didn’t believe it. I’ve been writing about government overreach since 2000 and still thought this must be an error. It took me days, and a lot of research, to accept that this level of insanity was possible.

When you cross a US border with $10,000 or more in cash or cash equivalents (diamonds, coins, checks, letters of credit, etc), you must report to the government by filling out a form. Of course, filing this form will likely subject you to scrutiny at the airport and unwanted attention from the IRS later.

In most cases, the government has been reasonable in applying this rule. For example, if you’re traveling with collectable coins, you only report if the face value of those coins is over $10,000. So, reporting was generally for those transporting cash and very rarely intruded into the lives of everyday Americans.

The new rules targeting Bitcoin basically allege that cryptocurrency is always with you. Unlike an offshore bank account, where cash is held outside of the US and must be reported once a year, Bitcoin is literally travels with you inside of your laptop. Regulators believe that Bitcoin is stored in your laptop, phone, hard drive, or USB storage device, and is thus crossing the border with you.

This claim that Bitcoin is always with you is key to the government’s attempt to force reporting. If Bitcoin, which is cash or cash equivalent and not an asset in this case, travels with you, the government can force you to report. If it’s cash sitting on the blockchain, and all you have on your laptop are the codes to access that “cash,” no reporting can be required.

That is to say, you don’t need to report how much you have in your bank accounts simply because you’re username and password to access those accounts is stored on the laptop. You can only be required to report what you are physically carrying with you carrying when you cross the border.

And the same law that requires you to report your Bitcoin allows the government to take it from you. Bitcoin will become subject to the asset forfeiture laws. The government can seize your Bitcoin if 1) you fail to report it, or 2) you report it and they believe you obtained it illegally.

Note that I said, they “believe.” The government can take your Bitcoin and then force you to prove how you earned it. The burden of proof falls on you in a civil asset forfeiture case (YouTube video by John Oliver)… and you must be willing to spend big money on lawyers to have any chance of success.

What can you do to protect your Bitcoin?

These are all the ways the US government is targeting Bitcoin. And the only thing you can do to protect your coins is to move them out of the United States and out of the government’s reach. Remember that the US government can seize any cryptocurrency “stored” in a US exchange by issuing a levy or seizure order.

The US government can’t easily seize assets held outside it’s borders. For example, the IRS can levy any bank or brokerage in the US, and any institution that has a branch in the US. So, if you have cash in a bank in Panama, and that bank has a branch in the US, you’re at risk.

The solution is to form an offshore corporation or trust to hold your wallet. Then use only Bitcoin firms located out of the United States… those without ANY ties to the US and can’t be intimidated by Uncle Sam.

The same goes for buying Bitcoin in your retirement account. First, form an offshore IRA LLC. Then move your account into an international bank that doesn’t have a branch in the United States. Then setup an offshore wallet and buy your coins.

I should point out that buying Bitcoin in your IRA is one way to beat the IRS at their own game. Because crypto is an asset, you pay capital gains tax on each and every transaction. However, if you buy Bitcoin in your IRA, you defer or eliminate capital gains tax. Because cryptocurrency is an asset, you can buy and sell it inside an IRA.  For more, see How to move your IRA offshore in 2017.

The fact that Bitcoin is an asset also means you can take advantage of the tax benefits available in the US territory of Puerto Rico. Basically, if you move to Puerto Rico, spend 183 days a year on the island, and qualify for Act 22, all crypto gains on coins acquired after you become a resident will be tax free. See: Move to Puerto Rico and Pay Zero Capital Gains Tax.

I hope you’ve found this article on how the government is targeting Bitcoin to be helpful. For more information on taking your IRA offshore, setting up an asset protection structure, or moving to Puerto Rico, please contact us at info@premieroffshore.com or call (619) 483-1708. We’ll be happy to assist you to protect your coins and keep more of those crypto profits.

ICO hits the Caribbean

ICOs come to the Caribbean

ICOs and cryptocurrencies are coming to the Caribbean. Many Caribbean islands are looking to the licensing of cryptocurrency and ICOs to boost their fledgling financial services sector. The banking, FX (Forex currency conversion), investment and brokerage industries are all moving towards blockchain. The Caribbean island who gets to a solid licensing scheme the quickest might dominate the industry for years to come.

And this move, to ICO and crypto, couldn’t come at a better time for the Caribbean. The offshore banking industry has been decimated in recent years. Puerto Rico is taking over the offshore bank licensing industry because smaller jurisdictions can’t compete with the tax deals from the US territory.

Likewise, offshore banks throughout the Caribbean are closing because it’s become impossible to find and keep correspondent banking relationships. Without the support of bigger banks, the smaller offshore entities are out of business.

I believe crypto will solve many of these issues for offshore banks, but not just yet. For more, see: Blockchain and cryptocurrency are the future of offshore banking.

What’s hot today are ICO platforms and offshore crypto exchanges.

Let’s start with ICOs. This financing method, similar to stock offers, has characteristics that make it different and unique, which is perhaps the main reason why, the regulators are slow to recognize it. The SEC, just this month, equated ICOs to IPO (Initial Public Offering) for regulatory purposes. For more on this topic, see: Crowdsale vs. ICO.

Investors receive ICOs as coins or tokens, they even are given certificates if investments made in Ethereum. ICOs could be done from the mere start of companies, or in financing phases commonly is embodied in a document that is known as “White Paper” explaining the operation and investment.

Does anyone regulate the ICOs?

As mentioned previously, the United States sector called SEC has begun regulating ICOs. Also as, Singapore has MAS, and China has PBoC regulating or banning cryptocurrency, and so forth. Essentially these agency regulate for their own nationals but their is no international regulator for digital investments made. In fact, China has closed down all ICO platforms and cryptocurrency exchanges.

So, you may ask if the investment exists in cyberspace, what is the difference of the physical location? Why do you need a license to operate a crypto exchange?

The physical location, or jurisdiction of your license and/or your investment, is key in avoiding stricter regulations. Many Caribbean jurisdictions are looking very favorably on crypto currency to support their financial services offerings.

Can you imagine your investments being tax free?

The Caribbean is one of the most approachable financial markets in the digital world, flexible and sovereign governments are abundant in these warm waters, and the ICO world is looking for offshore solutions.

The Caribbean holds 13 sovereign island nations and 12 dependent territories, each having its own financial systems and source of income (tourism, local businesses, financial services, corporate formations, etc). Many Caribbean nations are struggling with low economic growth, and feeling the battle of de-risking banks and the high cost of compliance. Digital currency issuance is a viable solution to solve a number of problems in the Caribbean. See How to Raise Money for an International Bank

Where can we avail of this wonderful opportunity?

Barbados Central Bank is working has been working with blockchain since last year with the startup called Bitt which is empowered by California startup Netki. But wait there’s more, Bitt launched a digital Barbadian dollar in a partnership, through blockchain startup Colu.  Basically demonstrates that cryptocurrency, ideally in sovereign nations, could be backed by real government currency. This concept stirred a wild fire in the Caribbean, soon to join similar platforms are Aruban Florins and Bahamian Dollars. Seeing that these hold “traditional” exchanges to the USD, transactions are simplified to tangible notion rather than a stock value if you are still insecure about investing. Your Token conversion is more or less solved and you are giving sustenance to a devastated economy (always think about the greater good).

As for tax havens Puerto Rico has opened the gates for all new companies to incorporate under new tax exemption programs, if your new company wishes to receive funds through ICO in Puerto Rico as of now there are no reasons not to – and local domiciled shareholders could receive 100% of their gains legally, through Act 22.

Then there are those Caribbean jurisdictions that don’t regulate ICOs or crypto at all. If you set up in Dominica, through an offshore corporation, you will have no government oversight. And, if you do set up in Dominica, you will have the opportunity to help shape the laws when the are finally enacted.

In my opinion, building a business and becoming part of a community in Dominica or another island that has not yet drafted crypto statutes is an amazing opportunity. So long as you select the correct political climate, you might well become a major player in the region.

I hope this article on ICOs coming to the Caribbean has been helpful. For more information on structuring an ICO platform, please contact me at info@premieroffshore.com or call us at (619) 483-1708.

tax on bitcoin

Tax on Bitcoin Transactions

In this post I’ll talk about how the United States taxes bitcoin transactions and how you can reduce or eliminate those taxes by planning ahead. Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies are generating massive returns, but are very volatile. Proper tax planning must take both of these issues into account.

The US Internal Revenue Service declared Bitcoin and cryptocurrency capital assets back in 2014. This is significant because, by treating Bitcoins and other virtual currencies as property and not currency, the IRS is imposing extensive record-keeping and taxes on its use.

That is to say, from a federal tax perspective, Bitcoin and other cryptocurrency are not considered “currency.”  On March 25, 2014, the IRS issued Notice 2014-21, which stated that, “Virtual currency is treated as property for U.S. federal tax purposes.”  

The notice further reads, “General tax principles that apply to property transactions apply to transactions using virtual currency.”  

In other words, the IRS is treating the income or gains from the sale of a Bitcoin as a capital asset, subject to either short-term (ordinary income tax rates) or long term capital gains tax rates, (20% tax rate assuming Trump repeals the Obamacare tax).

Fyi… in July of 2017, the US Securities and Exchange Commission ruled that cryptocurrencies are a currency. As a result, ICOs are regulated by the SEC.

Tax Reporting for Bitcoin Transactions

When you sell a Bitcoin, you must report the purchase price, purchase date, sale date and sale price on Schedule D of your personal return. If you’re audited, you must provide documents to prove your basis in these Bitcoins.

For example, if you bought Bitcoins in 2015 and sell them in 2025, you must keep your purchase “documents” until at least 2029, when your audit statute expires. The IRS usually has 3 years to audit your return after it’s filed.

You also need to decide which coins you sold when you report the transaction. For example, you bought two bitcoins in 2015, two in 2016, two in 2017 and two in 2018. Then you sold one coin in 2018. Which coin did  you sell?

Since Bitcoin is taxed as personal property, you can chose from two accounting methods. You can select the coin sold using first-in-first-out (FIFO), last-in-first-out (LIFO), or to sell specific tax lots that are most efficient under the “specific share identification” method used for stocks. For more information, see: Bitcoin Tax Guide: Trading Gains And Losses – LIFO, FIFO, Offsetting Lots.

Under LIFO, you would have sold one of the coins you purchased in 2018 in that same year. Under FIFO, you would have sold one of the coins you purchased in 2015 in 2018.

Which accounting method you choose can make a major difference on your taxes. FIFO is the most common and spreads your tax obligations more evenly over the years assuming steady growth. LIFO can defer taxes, but can also result in major spikes in taxes owed.

Once you select a reporting method for your Bitcoin transactions, you must stick with it. If you go with FIFO, you must use that each and every year. You can’t switch methods year after year. For example, you can’t switch from LIFO to FIFO because you want to maximize your crypto gains because you have a large capital loss in a particular year.

Stop Paying Taxes on Your Bitcoin Transactions!

Because Bitcoin sales are taxed as a capital gain, there are three ways you can stop paying taxes on your bitcoin transactions. They are:

  1. Invest through your IRA,
  2. Invest through a life insurance policy, or
  3. Move to the US territory of Puerto Rico.

If you have a sizable IRA or retirement plan, you can buy Bitcoins through this account. Because Bitcoin is a capital asset, you’re allowed to hold coins inside your IRA. Most US IRA providers don’t allow Bitcoin, but you can take your IRA offshore and buy using an international wallet.

When you buy Bitcoin in a traditional IRA, you get tax deferral. You’ll pay tax on the gain when you take your distribution. When you invest through a ROTH IRA, you get tax free… you never pay tax on the gain.

Of course, buying Bitcoin in an IRA isn’t always possible or good practice. Most young investors don’t yet have significant cash in their retirement accounts. Also, Bitcoin is highly volatile and most investment advisors don’t recommend gambling with your retirement savings.

If you buy Bitcoin in an offshore IRA using leverage or a loan, you need to watch out for Unrelated Business Income Tax on the gains. For more on this, see: What is UBIT in an IRA.

Leverage on Bitcoin contracts is generally not available in the United States. The CFTC does not permit American retail customers to trade leveraged Bitcoin contracts on Bitcoin exchanges, thus investing through an offshore IRA LLC with a UBIT blocker can be a significant advantage to a sophisticated investor.

Another way to buy Bitcoin tax free is in an international life insurance policy. If you invest at least $1.5 to $2.5 million, you can get a US compliant life policy that allows you to control your investments.

Like the IRA, this policy gives you tax deferred growth if you cancel it during your lifetime. It also gives you tax free similar to a ROTH if you hold it until your death and transfer the assets to your heirs.

Offshore life insurance is a very powerful and complex tax planning tool. For more, see: Benefits of Private Placement Life Insurance.

The third way to stop paying tax on your Bitcoin transactions is to move to the US territory of Puerto Rico. If you move out of the United States, spend 183 days a year in Puerto Rico, and otherwise qualify for Act 22, you pay zero tax on gains on assets acquired after you move to the territory.

First, note that the United States taxes its citizens on our capital gains no matter where we live. If you move to Colombia, you still pay US tax on your crypto gains because the US taxes you on your worldwide income. So long as you have a US passport, you pay tax on your Bitcoin transactions.

The ONLY exception to this tax on worldwide income is the US territory of Puerto Rico. Section 933 of the US Tax Code excludes Puerto Rico source income from US tax, which allowed Puerto Rico to create it’s own tax rules.

Because the territory is in dire financial shape, they’re doing everything possible to attract high net worth investors. You can move to Puerto Rico, pay zero tax on your capital gains, and never pay US tax on those profits, even if you return to the States after a few years.

Puerto Rico’s tax incentives present a truly unique opportunity for US persons to benefit from the territory’s financial hardship. For more, see: How to benefit from Puerto Rico’s bankruptcy.

For example, you can set up a business on the island and cut your corporate tax rate by 90%. An internet business operating from Puerto Rico will pay only 4% in corporate tax on its PR sourced income. For more, see: Changes to Puerto Rico’s Act 20.

You might also like to read through: A Detailed Analysis of Puerto Rico’s Tax Incentive Programs.

I hope you’ve found this article on how the US taxes Bitcoin, and how to eliminate that tax, has been helpful. For more information, please contact me at info@premieroffshore.com or (619) 483-1708. 

future of offshore banking

Blockchain and cryptocurrency are the future of offshore banking

As I watch the offshore banking industry fight it’s way back to respectability and profitability, I expect blockchain and cryptocurrencies to play a major role in the comeback. Small offshore banks are down, but far from out. Blockchain and cryptocurrency will bring with them a paradigm shift in costs, allowing offshore banks to compete with their larger counterparts in top tier jurisdictions.

Note that I’m talking about the systems and technologies behind blockchain and cryptocurrencies in this article. About the value of blockchain in the offshore banking industry. So, let me get the volatility issue out of the way up front.

Yes, Ethereum, Bitcoin, and the rest are volatile. Ethereum lost about 50% of it’s value recently, and Bitcoin 25% before making a comeback on a deal to prevent the “fork.” And some believe the Ethereum market is a major bubble because of ICOs.

Such assets don’t fit well onto the balance sheets of certain offshore banks because of the regulatory policies of Central Banks.  

For example, Belize is not the jurisdiction for an offshore bank that holds cryptocurrency. Their basic capital requirement is 20% and goes higher the more volatile the asset. Want to hold $1 of pink sheet stock? You need $1 of cash on your books.

But there are offshore jurisdictions that are working to attract Crypto banks. For example, the US territory of Puerto Rico just issued a license for a Cryptocurrency International Financial Entity (their version of a banking license). Dominica is also active in the issuance of quality offshore banking licenses and makes allowances for cryptocurrency.  

And a number of open-sourced groups have been formed to increase the availability of blockchain technology for offshore banks. For example, the Enterprise Ethereum Alliance became the world’s largest open-source blockchain initiative on July 18, 2017. With members like MasterCard, Cisco and Scotiabank, I have high hopes for this team.

Scotiabank makes EEA interesting as as association offshore banks. Scotia holds a banking license in Puerto Rico, and licenses throughout the Caribbean, but no US license. Scotia is closely tied to Bank of America, and has offices in the United States, but no US charter.

With that said, the value of blockchain and cryptocurrency for offshore banks is in the following three areas:

  1. The ability to transmit FIAT and cryptocurrency via blockchain outside of the high cost legacy systems like SWIFT and Fedwire.
  2. The ability to transact without the oversight and compliance costs of a correspondent bank.
  3. The ability to finance through ICOs and act as a platform for international ICOs for your clients.

Operational Efficiency

I believe that, because of it’s ability to transmit efficiently, blockchain will revolutionize the offshore banking industry. Offshore banks are being crushed by the high costs of compliance and by the outdated systems they’re forced to use.

When a small international bank wants to send a wire, they need to ask their correspondent for permission. Then the correspondent charges a fee, an agent takes a cut (if it’s a nested account), SWIFT charges a fee, and so on. Many banks are forced to charge $100+ to send a wire and net $15 per transfer.

As a result, the only service an offshore bank can offer is wealth management and cash management / retained earnings. You can’t run most business accounts through an offshore bank because the wire fees will eat you alive. Likewise, you can’t easily make payments to vendors or make small transfers in any currency. And, finally, very few clients want to go through the hassle of sending an international wire.

An offshore bank operating over blockchain, or network like Ripple, can send FIAT or crypto ledger to ledger, thereby bypassing high cost wire systems. This will allow them to transmit money across borders at little or no cost.

Once these blockchain systems become available on a wider scale, offshore banks will be able to compete with larger correspondent banks who currently have a monopoly on money transmissions.

I don’t think we’ll need to wait long for blockchain to dominate the offshore banking industry. I have clients setting up in Puerto Rico now under Act 273 that will transfer multiple FIAT currencies over blockchain.

Offshore Bank Compliance Issues and Blockchain

Then there’s the ability to control your compliance costs by reducing or eliminating your exposure to correspondent banking partners. The bane of any offshore bank is correspondent banking. Ask any international banker what they worry about and they’ll say correspondent banking, compliance risks from corresponding partners, and how to keep their correspondent accounts open.

All quality banks will need to deal with AML and KYC. No matter how you transact, you must protect your bank from money launderers and criminals. On the other hand, FATCA and KYC (or even KYCC, Know Your Customer’s Customer), are out of control. The United States and the EU can fine an offshore bank out of existence for an honest mistake and everyone is running scared. Most of these compliance requirements are being pushed upon offshore banks by their correspondent partners.

Reducing the number of transactions processed through your correspondent bank reduces costs, reduces compliance, and allows you to do business on your terms, not those imposed by a global bank.

Someday, you might be able to eliminate the the correspondent parter all together which will change the game. For more, see: How to Setup a Bank for the Marijuana Industry.

Initial Coin Offerings and Offshore Banks

Finally, there’s the ICO market. For many reasons, these offerings are best facilitated by an offshore bank. The bank is best suited to perform the due diligence, secure the transaction, issue the tokens, hedge that token, and providing the FIAT currency against the Crypto that comes in.

ICOs have allowed startups around the world to raise hundreds of millions of dollars by issuing digital tokens.  Over half a billion dollars has been raised through these Initial Coin Offerings in the first 6 months of 2017. Amazing growth considering the ICO didn’t even exist 2 years ago.

And the speed of these ICOs is incredible. Genosis raised $12 million in 10 minutes back in April while Brave took in $35 million in less than 30 seconds. Demand for ICOs is strong and the opportunity for offshore banks is significant.

Running these ICOs through an offshore bank will maximize the privacy of the investors and may reduce SEC and other regulations. Operating outside of the purview of US regulators is sure to unlock capital and allow investors to place their capital more efficiently.

And there are plenty of reasons people prefer to hold their crypto offshore. For example, privacy, asset protection, etc. Also, the US IRS is in the process of auditing most crypto accounts at CoinBase. They can do this because of a John Doe summons issued to the brokerage last year.

While there are ICOs which are open to all US persons, the SEC just issued guidance saying that ICOs are regulated transactions (Reg D, Reg S, accredited investor standards, etc). The government hasn’t prosecuted anyone yet, but we all expect they will… and when that happens, some heads will roll. The SEC issued its first statement on ICOs July 25, 2017. See: Using a blockchain doesn’t exempt you from securities regulations.

It also appears that US brokerages will be subject to the money transmission laws of each state. See: Washington’s New Cryptocurrency Exchange Rules Are Now in Effect.

If an offshore business were to run an ICO through an offshore bank, they should avoid these regulations. Of course, you can’t market the offering in the United States without registering and must follow the KYC and AML rules of your jurisdiction. But, the use of an offshore bank for an offshore ICO is sure to reduce costs and streamline the process.

I’m  also looking forward to the first ICO by an offshore bank. A high tech international bank focused on privacy and blockchain is a perfect candidate for a big dollar ICO. For more, see: How to Raise Money for an International Bank.

Conclusion

I hope you’ve found this article on why I believe blockchain and cryptocurrencies are the future of offshore banking to be helpful. If you’re considering forming an offshore bank, you might also read through Tax Planning for an International Bank License.

For more information on setting up an offshore bank, or for assistance in opening a correspondent account, please contact us at info@premieroffshore.com or call us at (619) 483-1708. 

how to raise money for an international bank

How to Raise Money for an International Bank

Blockchain and cryptocurrencies are the future of offshore banking. Ledger based protocols allow offshore banks to compete with legacy banks by reducing wire transfer and remittance costs. Now, cryptocurrency has become the best way to raise money for an international bank.

Here’s how to raise money for an international bank with zero filing requirements, no Securities and Exchange Commission rules, no quarterly reporting, and no required public disclosures. Here’s how to fund an offshore bank with an ICO (Initial Cryptocurrency Offering).

The problem for an offshore bank in selling shares directly are obvious. Shareholders have zero liquidity.  Their only exit is to hope the bank is acquired or some random person comes along to buy their shares at a premium.

Don’t even think of an IPO in a major market with an international banking license. Even if you could get listed, the regulation would kill your business. That leaves you to pink sheets or small exchanges like Panama or the Eastern Caribbean Securities Exchange… and we’re back to zero liquidity.

Cryptocurrency can solve this problem. Offshore and international banks can now raise money and provide liquidity to their shareholders through cryptocurrency. No matter where you’re licensed, Dominica, Cayman Islands, Cook Islands, Puerto Rico, Gibraltar, Luxembourg, and anywhere inbetween, you can now issue “cryptoshares” which are 100% liquid.

A company called Bancor has developed a protocol that allows anyone to issue their own digital “smart tokens.” These tokens are linked to a cryptocurrency and can be converted at any time by the owner. This provides liquidity and a market price from day one. Click here for a whitepaper by Bancor.

And we’re talking about real money here. Bancor used it’s token protocol to raise nearly $150 million in 3 hours!  

Bancor issued its own tokens and raised about 390,000 Ethers (a crypto-currency that competes with Bitcoin) in its initial coin offering. That’s $147 million spread over 11,000 buyers. According to Bancor’s website, this is the second-largest fundraising campaign in the blockchain industry.

Bancor will hold 20% of its tokens in reserve to ensure liquidity. They’ll convert what they need to dollars to use it as any startup does, for operating costs and to grow the business.  The investor hopes the value of the business, and thus the value of their tokens, will increase.

Of course, the investors are taking a risk that Ethers will go down in value. But, that’s the crypto game. Also, the tokens can be revalued and linked to any crypto or FIAT currency the investor chooses, providing the buyer a hedge or FX option not available in other investments.

Bancor is new and not yet available to the public. There are operating ICO platforms in China and one ready to launch in the United States. However, the US market will require SEC and Reg D compliance. Click here for an article from Wired on the topic.

Here’s why an ICO is the perfect way to capitalize an international bank: In an ICO, investors don’t get equity in the venture, nor do they lend money… they speculate on the future value of the tokens they buy.

So, in theory, the transaction doesn’t need to be reported to the bank’s regulators. No due diligence from the regulator, no background check, and none of the headaches associated with selling equity in an internationally licensed bank.

In order to minimize your disclosure requirements, I would add two caveats:

  1. Have your international banking license, or at least your preliminary offshore banking license / permit to organize, in hand before announcing any intention to issue an ICO.
  2. Form a holding company that owns the cryptoshares of the bank and sell tokens from that entity. This corporation might be registered in a jurisdiction different from where the bank is licensed and modeled after a US bank holding company.

In most  jurisdictions, you’ll receive a preliminary international banking license before you’re allowed to go live. The costs to secure this license are relatively low. Once it’s issued you can go out and raise capital.

For example, you’ll get a permit to organize from Dominica with $1 million in capital and about $100,000 spent on a business plan and legal services. You’ll get a preliminary license from the US territory of Puerto Rico at about the same cost, but don’t need to put up the corporate capital ($550,000) until you’re ready to launch.

The permit to organize is a preliminary license from the government that indicates their willingness to issue a full license once you comply with certain requirements. A permit to organize allows you to incorporate your company, hire employees, lease space, set up your IT, and raise capital using the word “Bank” in your company’s name.

Moving from the permit to the full license is a mechanical process because the government has already approved your people and your business model. Securing the permit before you raise money eliminates much of the risk for the investors.

Because of the liquidity and privacy afforded investors, and the relative ease and reduced costs for the bank, I believe an ICO is the most efficient method for international banks to raise capital.

And cryptocurrency and blockchain are natural extensions of the modern offshore bank. From correspondent banking to the transfer of FIAT currency, blockchain is where it’s at for offshore banks.

See, for example: Correspondent Banking Powered By Machine Learning And Using Blockchain

I hope you’ve found this article on how to raise capital for an offshore bank helpful. For more on setting up an international bank or raising capital, please contact me at info@premieroffshore.com or call (619) 483-1708.

tax free income the legal way

Pay Zero Income Tax the Legal Way

The internet is filled with Idiots selling scam programs that will teach you how to pay zero income tax. They’re all full of BS and infuriate those of us who try to write about legal ways to protect your assets and minimize your income taxes. In this article I’ll talk about the only legal ways to pay zero income tax on your business and capital gains offshore.

This post is meant for US citizens or green card holders willing to do what it takes to reduce or eliminate their US taxes.

I’ll tell you upfront that paying zero income tax the legal way is VERY difficult. It takes a lot of work and commitment on your part. There are no tricks or easy solutions. To pay zero income tax requires moving you and your business out of your comfort zone… not necessarily out of the United States… but, I’ll get to that in a bit.

And I’m not talking about retirement accounts or other US methods for reducing or deferring US tax. I’ll assume you’re making too much money to benefit from those accounts or that you already have your IRA and 401-k plans setup.

As I said, the web is filled with scam artists pitching all kinds of ways avoid US taxes. Tax lawyers call these guys tax protestors (and morons) and they refer to themselves as sovereign citizens. They’re using straw man companies and sham trusts to claim they earn no “income.”

I won’t get into these bogus arguments because they’ve been debunked time and time again. At this point, tax protestors are just a sad commentary on how gullible some people are. These cases are so cut and dry that lawyers can be sanctioned for wasting the court’s time.

Another issue to watch out for when searching the web are claims that you can operate tax free in a foreign country. These are true statements by providers in the country where you will incorporate… but meaningless to US citizens.

For example, you call a lawyer in Panama to set up a corporation there. You ask them if your structure will pay any tax… and they say no, it does not. It’s totally tax free! They’re talking about the tax laws of Panama. That’s great but, as a US citizen, you’re focused on US tax laws because that’s your real risk.

The provider in Panama is not trying to mislead you. He’s simply telling you the law of his country. He’s an expert in Panamanian law, thus his comments are limited to that country. This is why you always need a quarterback in the US who can show you how US tax laws interact with those of the foreign jurisdictions you’re setting up in.

There are basically four legal ways to eliminate US tax by going offshore. They are:

  1. Offshore captive insurance,
  2. Offshore life insurance,
  3. Set up a division of your business offshore, and
  4. Move to Puerto Rico to eliminate capital gains tax.

Offshore Captive Insurance Company

An offshore captive insurance company allows you to provide insurance to your active business. You form an offshore captive insurance company in Bermuda, Cayman or Belize, and insure against risks not covered by your traditional policies.

As of 2017, the US IRS will allow you to deduct up to $2.2 million of insurance premiums paid to an offshore captive insurance company owned by you. For previous years, the amount was $1.2 million.

By insuring against risks with a low probability of occurring, you effectively move $2.2 million of pre-tax income off of your corporate books in the US and onto an offshore captive insurance company. These transfers then accumulate offshore tax deferred until you close down the structure.

For more, see: The Mini Offshore Captive Insurance Company. This article was written before the deductible amount was increased from $1.2 to $2.2 million.

Offshore Life Insurance

Offshore life insurance, typically offshore private placement life insurance basically allows you to create an “offshore ROTH” without any of the contribution limits or distribution requirements.

You can put as much after tax money into an offshore life policy as you like and it will remain in the plan tax deferred. That is to say, you will pay zero tax on capital gains inside the life policy so long as the plan is active.

If you decide to shut it down and take a distribution, you will pay US tax on the increase in value. If you leave the policy in place until your death, the value will pass to your heirs tax free. Neither you nor they will ever pay US tax on the gains because of the step-up in basis they receive.

You also have the choice of borrowing against the policy. If you need access to the cash, you can take out a loan.

The minimum investment for these offshore life policies is usually between $1.2 to $2.5 million depending on the provider and other factors. For more, see: Benefits of Private Placement Life Insurance.

Offshore Business

If you move you and your business offshore, you can earn up to $200,000 a year tax free. If you move a division of your business offshore, you can get tax deferral on any foreign sourced profits that business generates.

If you move abroad and qualify for the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion, you can earn $102,100 per year free of Federal income tax from your offshore business. If a husband and wife are both working in the business, and both qualify for the Exclusion, you can take out over $200,000 combined.

To qualify for the Exclusion, you need to 1) be a resident of a foreign country and out of the US for about 5 months a year, or 2) out of the US for 330 out of 365 days. It’s much easier to qualify for the FEIE as a resident, so I strongly recommend you consider one of the easy and low cost second residency programs.

For example, you can become a resident of Panama with an investment of $20,000 and Nicaragua for $35,000. Panama is the easiest because this one doesn’t have a physical presence requirement. For more, see: Best Panama Residency by Investment Program.

If you’re not ready to move you and your family offshore, but can setup a division of your business offshore, then you can defer US tax on income attributable to that division.

Assuming your offshore team can operate independently, income they generate should be eligible to be held in the offshore corporation tax deferred. When you take it out as a dividend, either personally or as a transfer to the parent company in the US, you will pay US tax. For more, see: Step by Step Guide to Taking Your Business Offshore

Move to Puerto Rico

Even if you go offshore, you’re still going to pay US tax on your capital gains. So long as you hold a US passport, the IRS wants it’s cut of your investment profits. The only exceptions are investments inside a US compliant life insurance policy (described above) and capital gains for residents of Puerto Rico.

When an American moves to a foreign country, they’re subject to US Federal Income Tax laws. All US citizens and green card holders must pay unto the IRS.

The only individuals exempted from this rule are residents of the US territory of Puerto Rico. US Tax Code Section 933 excludes residents of Puerto Rico from US Federal tax laws.  This means that Puerto Rico is free to create it’s own tax system, which it has done.

If you set up a service business in Puerto Rico, one with at least 5 employees on the island, you can qualify for a 4% tax rate on your Puerto Rico sourced income. To see how this compares to the FEIE, see: Panama vs Puerto Rico.

EDITORS NOTE: On July 11, 2017, the government of Puerto Rico did away with the requirement to hire 5 employees to qualify for Act 20. You can now set up an Act 20 company with only 1 employee (you, the business owner). For more information, see: Puerto Rico Eliminates 5 Employee Requirement

Even better, if you move to Puerto Rico, spend a minimum of 183 days a year on the island, and otherwise qualify for their Act 22, you’ll pay zero tax on your capital gains. That’s right, without any of the costs or limitations associated with a private placement life insurance policy, those willing to live in an island paradise can pay zero income tax on their capital gains.

For more on how to pay zero tax in Puerto Rico, see: How to stop paying capital gains tax.

Conclusion

I hope you’ve found this article on how to pay zero income tax legally to be helpful. For more information, and a consultation, please contact us at info@premieroffshore.com or call (619) 483-1708. We’ll be happy to assist you to structure your affairs offshore in a tax compliant manner.

offshore bank license

The 8 Components of an Offshore Bank License

When building a new offshore bank, you need the following 8 components: The business plan, the capital, the people (board of directors, management, and employees), the computer systems, the compliance system, the license, a correspondent account, and a tax plan. These are the 8 components to negotiate an offshore bank license and set up a new international bank.

These 8 components are somewhat unique to offshore banking. Because you’re entering a licensed and highly regulated industry, building a new offshore bank requires you develop each of these areas to the satisfaction of your licensing board.

A new offshore bank obviously needs all the same things any startup would, such as a solid business strategy, sales, money, experienced people, etc. This article is on the 8 components an offshore bank required which are different from a standard business.

The Business Plan

An offshore bank requires a very detailed business plan. The business plan is the heart of the license application and should include audited financials from the parent company or accounting and tax records from the beneficial owners.

The plan should also include 3 to 5 years of projections broken down by business unit. These projections should cover use of funds, risk and liquidity ratios, reserves, break-even analysis, etc. across all divisions of the bank.

The bottom line is that the business plan must convince the regulator that the applicant is of fine character, has the requisite experience, has a well thought out and funded plan, and understand the risks and compliance requirements of operating an offshore bank.

Each of the next 7 components of a startup offshore bank must be described in great detail in the business plan. Again, remember that the business plan must convince the regulators, auditors, and licensing board that you and your team are qualified to operate a bank and won’t cause trouble for the jurisdiction.

The Capital

All offshore bank licensed require a minimum amount of capital to comply with the statute. In Dominica, the required capital is $1 million on deposit in the government bank. In Puerto Rico it’s $250,000 of paid in capital plus $300,000 on deposit with the government.

Those two jurisdictions typically issue licenses with the minimum amount of capital under the law. Other countries require much more cash. For example, Belize law allows for a license with $1 million, but experience tells me that you’ll need $3 million to $5 million to get an offshore banking license.

Then there are the larger jurisdictions that negotiate capital on a case by case basis. For example, a subsidiary of a bank from a major jurisdiction can get an offshore license in Panama with around $5 million in capital. If you don’t have a major license already, then you’ll need a Class A license from Panama and about $25 million in capital.

When selecting the best jurisdiction, you should first consider the capital required. This will usually narrow down your search significantly. But, as you can see, knowing the capital requires experience and not just a review of the law as written.

The People

Your business plan should include the resumes of your key personnel and your board of directors. Both of these groups must have extensive experience in banking. Presumably your management and employees will be locals (residents of the country where you get your license).

It’s also important that your board of directors include one or two locals. The licensing authority will look upon your team more favorably if it includes professionals with a solid track record in your country of license. These board members should have experience in banking law and/or compliance.

At a minimum, you’ll want to handle account openings, KYC and AML, correspondent banking, and compliance in the same country that issued your license. Many banks in small jurisdictions put support and trading / investment management in larger countries such as Switzerland or Panama.

Thus, your country of license should be large enough provide a sufficient number of quality employees. While Dominica and St. Vincent might be fine for banks with 4 or 5 employees, there’s no way to build a staff of 200 there.

Puerto Rico is a country of 3 million and any US citizen can move to the island and work legally. No matter the size of the business, you’ll find quality employees on the island… and, if you can’t find them, you can import them.

The largest offshore bank on the island has over 400 employees and the next has about 180.  The banks in Puerto Rico are larger than all of the competitors in the Caribbean combined excluding Cayman. I expect Puerto Rico to surpass Cayman in two years.

Where your staff is located will play a major role in determining the tax costs of your bank. See Tax Considerations below.

The Computer Systems

The foundation of your operation will be the computer system. The IT system for an offshore bank will handle KYC and AML, compliance, background checks, account openings, transfer, document management, etc. All of these modules will be looked at carefully by the government regulators before they allow you to “go live” with the business.

The core system and compliance modules are typically the largest startup cost for a new offshore bank. Most clients spend $100,000 to $1 million on their IT system. The largest quote I’ve seen in 2017 was from Terminos for $3.5 million.

A typical IT implementation will take 3 to 6 months. Once the provisional license is granted, the IT system will be what will delays your launch. Get to work on this while you’re building your business plan and you’ll get to market much quicker.

The Compliance Systems

The compliance system will be built around your IT system. From there, you can build an in-house team or outsource compliance monitoring to a local law firm.

Basically, all the operational risk of an offshore bank comes from a possible failure of your compliance program. If you run afoul of the money laundering rules, know your client requirements, or FATCA / OCEF reporting, you’ll be fined and shut down faster than you can blink. Either your licensing board will get you or your correspondent partner will kick you out of the system.

No matter your jurisdiction, government regulators will watch your compliance program very carefully. Any error will be dealt with swiftly and without a second chance.

The reason regulators monitor compliance so carefully is that a major error by one bank can bring down the entire country’s banking system. For example, back in 2015, Bank of Belize was shut down by US regulators. As a result, all of the banks in Belize lost their correspondent partners because none of these banks wanted anything to do with Belize. The entire system was tainted by one allegation against one offshore bank.

It took months for these banks caught in the crossfire to get new banking partners. To this day, it’s very difficult for a Belize bank to find a correspondent partner. See: Belize Banks Under Attack by US Government.

For these reasons, your business plan must explain your compliance program and procedures in great detail. Also, your employees and board of directors must have significant compliance experience.

Once your preliminary license is granted, building a solid compliance program will be your first priority. All processes and procedures must be in place, and everyone trained in the IT system, before you board even one client.

The License

Regardless of what their law says, very few counties will grant international banking licenses to startup banks. For example, Panama and Cayman will only issue offshore licenses to banks that already have a license from a major jurisdiction.

If you have a license from the US or Germany, you can easily get a license in Cayman Islands. Cayman’s reasoning is that your bank is already highly regulated in your home country, so their regulators don’t need to worry about you too much.

If you have an existing license, you can get an offshore license from Panama with $5 million. If you want to start a new bank in Panama, you can form a Class A bank with $25 million in capital.

The most active jurisdictions for offshore bank licenses are Puerto Rico and Dominica. For a comparison of these two options, see: Best Offshore Bank License Jurisdictions in 2017

Of course, there are others in Europe and less active jurisdictions in the Caribbean. I would avoid African nations and Vanuatu. You’ll never get a correspondent account from those countries.

Once you’ve selected your jurisdiction and prepared your business plan, you can apply for your preliminary license.

Preliminary Offshore Bank License: The preliminary license, sometimes referred to as your “permit to organize,” allows you to incorporate a company using the word “Bank” in the name. It also allows you you to hire employees, buy your IT system, and do all of those things necessary to begin to operate the business.

Once your systems and people are in place, you send notice to the regulator that you’re ready to launch. The government will audit your systems and procedures. If they pass, you’ll receive your offshore bank license or permit to operate.  

Offshore Bank License: The second step in the licensing process is to take the bank live and begin to board on clients. The operational license will require you provide audited statements to the regulator each quarter. Now is the time to hire an outside auditor.

The Correspondent Account

The life blood of an offshore bank is its correspondent account. The correspondent account allows you to hold money and transact through the facilities of a larger bank. Ask any experienced offshore banker what’s the most important component of their business and every one will answer, “the correspondent account, obviously!”

For example, if a bank in Dominica want’s to hold accounts in US dollars, they need a US correspondent banking partner. The US partner has US Fedwire capabilities and is authorized to transact in US dollars.

Likewise, if you want to hold accounts in Swiss Francs, you need a Swiss correspondent bank. An offshore bank will need a separate correspondent account for each currency it wishes to hold.

And its the correspondent account that will require the most capital. While you can negotiate a license from Dominica with $1 million, no USD correspondent will open an account with that small of a deposit. I doubt you can get a correspondent account with less than $5 million… and $12 million is the preferred size.

These accounts are also the bane of the offshore banking industry. Any slip in compliance, or attention from the US government, can mean the loss of your correspondent account. When that happens, your bank is basically out of business and unable to send and receive funds.

The exception to the correspondent account dilemma is a license from Puerto Rico. As a bank licensed in a US territory, a bank in Puerto Rico has an easier time setting up and maintaining a US correspondent partner.

Also, if the bank so desires, it can apply to the Federal Reserve for a primary account. In that case, a Puerto Rico bank would eliminate the need for a USD correspondent account. In fact, such a bank structured in Puerto Rico could offer correspondent services to other offshore banks.

I’m not saying Puerto Rico is always the best solution. If you don’t mind being subject to US anti-money laundering rules, Puerto Rico is great. If you want to do business without US oversight, then Dominica or elsewhere might be better.

I caution you from jumping to conclusions in this regard. Always remember that your US correspondent bank will require you to comply with all US regulations. If you want to be completely free of US compliance costs, you must get a license from a very small offshore jurisdiction and not hold US dollars or transact n US dollars. Only then will you avoid US correspondent banking issues.

Tax Considerations

Most offshore banking jurisdictions won’t tax the your corporate profits. Instead, they charge a large annual license fee. For example, Cayman charges $85,000 per year to maintain an international banking license.

In contrast, Puerto Rico charges a 4% rate on corporate profits and a $5,000 annual fee.

The tax benefits of operating an offshore bank are substantial. But you’ll need a solid tax plan to maximize the value of these tax deals.

Let’s say you set up a bank in Dominica and hire 3 people on the island. Then you open office in the UK and hire 23 people. Obviously, most of the work to generate customers and income is coming from the UK while Dominica is just the licensing jurisdiction with a few people doing menial tasks.

In that case, the UK will want to tax the majority of your income at 21%, leaving only a small fraction tax free in Dominica.

The same goes for Puerto Rico. Let’s say you have 5 employees on the island, which is the minimum allowed under the law. Then you open an office in Florida with 50 employees.

The US government will want to tax the income generated by the Florida workers at 35%, leaving a small bit left over for Puerto Rico to tax at 4%.

Your global tax plan is important during the startup phase because you want to maximize income in the low tax jurisdiction and minimize income in high tax countries.  Thus, when you select your country of licensure, it must be one large enough to provide a sufficient number of quality employees and allow for growth in coming years.

If you all you require is 5 to 10 employees, and don’t plan to grow much past this number, a license from Dominica, St. Vincent, St. Lucia, or elsewhere is fine. If you’ll need 50 employees, you’ll need to look to a larger jurisdiction such as Puerto Rico.

If you do incorporate in Dominica, you might also consider a Panama Financial Services License. This will allow you to hire employees to manage your bank remotely and maintain your tax free status.

Conclusion

I hope you’ve found this article on the 8 components of an offshore bank license to be helpful. For assistance in licensing and building an offshore bank in Dominica, Puerto Rico, or elsewhere, or in negotiating a correspondent account for an existing bank, please contact me at info@premieroffshore.com or call us at (619) 483-1708. Our team has over 100 combined years of experience in offshore banking and we’ll be happy to help you structure your bank.