Jurisdictions
Seychelles
Seychelles has been one of the most popular offshore incorporation destinations since the International Business Companies Act came into force in 1994. More than 200,000 IBCs have been registered there — a striking number for an archipelago of 115 islands and fewer than 100,000 people. The jurisdiction is built for international business, and the numbers confirm it.
The appeal is straightforward: zero tax on offshore income, no annual returns, no mandatory audits, and beneficial ownership that stays off the public register. An IBC needs just one director, one shareholder, and a dollar of share capital to get started. For forex brokerages, the Financial Services Authority issues Securities Dealer Licenses with lower capital thresholds than most competing jurisdictions — which is why Seychelles has become one of the most licensed forex hubs in the world.
Since the 1990s, we’ve been the direct source for Seychelles incorporations and license applications. When a client needs a cost-effective corporate vehicle with strong privacy protections, or a forex license without the capital burden of an onshore regime, Seychelles is one of the first jurisdictions we put on the table.
Why businesses choose Seychelles
Cost-Effective and Fast
Incorporation takes around two weeks and the annual costs sit well below BVI and Panama. For IBCs, there are no financial statement filings, no annual returns, and no audits required by law. The administrative overhead is as low as it gets — which means total cost of ownership stays low year after year, not just at setup.
Privacy Without Compromise
There is no public register of beneficial owners. Ownership information stays with the registered agent, disclosed only under a lawful request from a jurisdiction with a valid exchange agreement. Combined with minimal filing requirements, Seychelles offers a level of confidentiality that few jurisdictions outside the Caribbean can match.
Two Corporate Structures, Two Tax Profiles
The IBC is the default — zero tax on all offshore income, fully managed from abroad, no local substance requirements. For clients who need treaty access, the Special License Company (CSL) offers a 1.5% tax rate on global revenue and eligibility for Seychelles’ network of double taxation agreements. Most jurisdictions force a binary choice between zero tax and treaty access. Seychelles offers both under one framework.
Crypto and Blockchain Without Red Tape
Seychelles has no specific cryptocurrency legislation — crypto exchanges and blockchain businesses operate under a self-regulatory framework with no licensing requirement. There are no taxes on crypto revenue generated outside the jurisdiction. Where Malta requires a VFA license and Gibraltar demands a DLT provider license, Seychelles lets operators launch and iterate without a regulatory queue. That positioning has made it one of the most popular domiciles for crypto exchanges globally.
What You Can Do Here
Company Formation
IBCs and Special License Companies with zero-tax or 1.5% structures. Fast incorporation, minimal compliance overhead, and strong confidentiality protections.
View formation detailsForex Licensing
Securities Dealer Licenses through the FSA, with lower capital requirements than most competing jurisdictions and a well-established regulatory framework.
View licensing detailsNot for everyone
We’d recommend Seychelles when the priority is a low-cost corporate structure with genuine privacy protections — or when a forex license needs to be affordable without cutting regulatory corners. The IBC is one of the cleanest zero-tax vehicles available, and the CSL adds treaty access for clients who need it.
It’s not the right fit if institutional name recognition is what matters most — BVI carries more weight with banks and counterparties in that context. For EU market access or a European strategy, Cyprus and Malta are the more practical routes. And Seychelles doesn’t issue gaming licenses, so operators looking for iGaming should be looking at Anjouan, Nevis, or Curaçao instead. Many of our clients pair a Seychelles holding company with a licensed entity in another jurisdiction — the cost savings on the corporate layer add up quickly.
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