In this post, I will look at selling Bitcoin for cash in Canada. The bottom line is that it’s legal to sell Bitcoin for cash in Canada so long as you watch out for cash buyers with illegal businesses looking to launder their drug proceeds (for example). We don’t want to get involved with any
A Mexican SOFOM, or Sociedad Financiera de Objeto Múltiple, is a type of financial institution that can provide a variety of financial services, including money transmission, cryptocurrency, loans, leases, and factoring. SOFOMs can be either regulated or unregulated, with regulated SOFOMs being subject to more oversight by the Mexican government. Fintech, financial services, and crypto
The dynamic business landscape in Mexico is offering fertile ground for both FinTech and crypto businesses. Driven by a potent mix of regulatory evolution, market potential, and consumer demand, Mexico has emerged as one of Latin America’s hotspots for these disruptive technologies. Here’s a look at the vibrant business climate in Mexico for FinTech and
In this post, I’ll explain why I believe Tijuana is the best business city in Mexico in which to set up a fintech, financial services, or crypto business. I’ve traveled and done business throughout Mexico for over 20 years and can say without a doubt that Tijuana is the most efficient option for setting up
The purpose of this post is to guide investors and business owners looking to do business in the Dominican Republic. Thus, it is written from a business perspective. I strongly recommend the Dominican Republic as a jurisdiction for a fintech business or as a domestic and international banking center. The history of the Dominican Republic
In this post, I will consider why card issuers and certain fintech businesses have compliance requirements and how those KYC and AML rules translate to transaction monitoring rules within the core system or compliance system. The focus of this post is on anti-money laundering and related transaction rules. Know Your Customer (KYC) and Anti-Money Laundering
In this post, I will review how to build a compliance program for a new or startup fintech, crypto, or credit card issuing business. Most startups focus on tech, testing, and finding customers in the early days. But, a complete compliance program should be the first thing a fintech, crypto, or credit card issuing business
One of the biggest issues facing fintech and card issuers in the United States is how to structure the business to avoid the need for an MSB license. An MSB license can tie up many millions of dollars in capital and cost a fortune to acquire on a national level. Thus, there is how to
In this post, I’ll look at the top 10 reasons to move your business to Mexico in 2020. The current government is focused on bringing in new jobs and new businesses to the country. If you’re looking to set up a lower-cost international operation, an outsourcing team, call center, financial services or Fintech company, Mexico
As an American investor, you have a ton of opportunities to make a number of investments in many countries around the world. Europe and Asia have had a rise of foreign investment going into the country, but there is another country closer to the United States that has been in the eyes of investors and
Step One: You Must First Reserve the Name of Your Company Your name must be authorized by the Secretaria de Economía in Mexico. You should provide 5 options in order of preference. The Secretaria de Economia will eliminate those that have already been taken and you will receive the name of your company based on
Mexican reform is in full stride as the new president implements his programs. Some of these changes affect the Mexican SOFOM. Here’s what you need to know about setting up a SOFOM in 2020. Reform regarding SOFOMs in Mexico is likely to pass as most banks and financial institutions have already felt the wave of
My previous post was on how to start a general business in Mexico. In this section, I’ll focus on how to open a Maquiladora in Mexico. These Maquiladoras have huge economic importance for Mexico and the United States. Maquiladoras provide for hundreds of thousands of jobs for residents of border cities (on both sides of
After the Panama Papers, and because it became impossible to deal with banks in Panama, I moved Premier to Tijuana, Mexico in 2017. While the move was challenging, both from a quality of life and a business perspective, things are now running smoothly. Costs are down significantly compared in Panama, the availability of English speaking
Here’s how to live tax-free as an American. If you’re willing to live, work, and invest abroad, it’s possible to live tax-free as an American – legally and without watching over your shoulder for the tax man. First, note that this article is for US persons willing to live and work outside of the United
In this article, I will focus on where to start a cryptocurrency exchange in 2018. That is, where to incorporate a new cryptocurrency exchange. Which countries are friendly to startup cryptocurrency exchanges and why you should consider each based on your business model. Countries are not listed in any particular order. You should select your
In this article, I’ll look at the steps to build a cryptocurrency exchange. Whether you’re building out a new cryptocurrency exchange or planning on expanding beyond your current country, these are the steps necessary to start an international cryptocurrency exchange. Note that this article is for those wishing to start an international cryptocurrency exchange. Setting
The days of retained earnings in offshore corporations are officially over. No longer can those of us living and working abroad hold profits in excess of the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion inside of our corporations tax-deferred. Here’s what you need to know about US expats and retained earnings in foreign corporations for 2018. Please note
There are big changes coming from the Trump administration that will affect your offshore corporation. Republicans have made it clear that they must pass tax reform or they’ll be crushed in the next election cycle. Here’s how Trump’s tax plan is likely to affect offshore corporations and and international taxation. There are three groups of
The SEC recently issued a ruling that ICOs must be treated as IPOs. This means that ICOs are now fully regulated by the SEC and that all accredited investor rules apply. But, beyond the new compliance costs, what does this mean for the ICO issuer? What does SEC regulation mean to ICOs in the United