BVI company setup as holding!

[brianK]

I want to setup a BVI company as holding company for sole purpose of protecting my assets i.e. crypto, stocks, and property.

Protections against government and lenders should things go wrong in a bigger investment.

I considered BVI while I read it can protect you in such cases, what's your thoughts please?

I found a few service providers reading other threads like @James Turner and offshorebvi, are there better services?

 

[sknomad]

BVI requires economic substance for holding company in BVI. You will need a real physical office and full time staff there.

Therw are better jurisdictions for holding setup.

 

[Martin Everson]

I considered BVI while I read it can protect you in such cases, what's your thoughts please?

The biggest threat will come from the country in which you are resident and the capabilities of the authorities. If your country has have implemented GAAR then the taxman has total discretion can deem any structure using GAAR as "an artificial construct designed primarily to achieve a tax advantage". Now tax advantage may not be your motive but it is a back door authorities can use to penetrate your asset protection structure if they want to get those assets.

So like anything if you structure it well it can offer some asset protection but keep in mind the authorities capabilities.

 

[bubbledouble]

Do you know if it is possible to avoid your name be listed public as UBO of BVI ?

 

[happyjohn]

Do you know if it is possible to avoid your name be listed public as UBO of BVI ?

It’s not worth considering a BVI company for asset protection. That kind of strategy goes far beyond just setting up a company in some random place and thinking the world is well protected.

As you can see in the mentor group in the anonymity forum, you can get some key information here.

If you piece the puzzle together correctly, you can create a solid and stable setup where authorities will have a very hard time tracking you and your assets.

 

[burden]

what did you do OP ? interested to know what sort of setup you got.

 

[Offshr]

what is the point to go for BVI for asset protection when they do not have asset protection laws? Moreover, they have your UBO information filed, and HMRC has a direct access to BOSS system.
I would recommend a Nevis LLC instead.

 

[alpakiwi]

The most robust structure I’ve come across lately for privacy, asset protection, and international flexibility goes like this:

You set up a US single-member LLC and open bank accounts under it. Then, you assign the ownership (via a private assignment document, which can technically be backdated if needed) to a Nevis trust. Happy to dive deeper into how to manage the trust , whether with professional trustees or a PTC, and how to structure settlor/trustee roles , but that’s a separate conversation.

The US LLC, now owned by the trust, holds a stake in a holding company incorporated in a jurisdiction with strong double tax treaties, solid banking access, and clean optics , ideally the UK, Cyprus, or Malta, especially if you’re focused on Europe.

The UK is particularly attractive, as it doesn’t impose minimum holding periods or ownership thresholds to access treaty benefits. In the UK PSC register, you simply list the US LLC as the shareholder, and in many cases no individual beneficial owner needs to be disclosed , worst-case scenario, disclosure defaults to the trustees of the Nevis trust.

It’s worth remembering that the US does not participate in CRS, making it, technically, one of the last top-tier jurisdictions (if not the last one) that functions as a tax haven. If you ever need to buy US securities or generate effectively connected income (ECI), I’d recommend setting up a separate US LLC under the holding company described above, and using the original US LLC purely as a pass-through for privacy.

 

[Offshr]

The most robust structure I’ve come across lately for privacy, asset protection, and international flexibility goes like this:

You set up a US single-member LLC and open bank accounts under it. Then, you assign the ownership (via a private assignment document, which can technically be backdated if needed) to a Nevis trust. Happy to dive deeper into how to manage the trust , whether with professional trustees or a PTC, and how to structure settlor/trustee roles , but that’s a separate conversation.

The US LLC, now owned by the trust, holds a stake in a holding company incorporated in a jurisdiction with strong double tax treaties, solid banking access, and clean optics , ideally the UK, Cyprus, or Malta, especially if you’re focused on Europe.

The UK is particularly attractive, as it doesn’t impose minimum holding periods or ownership thresholds to access treaty benefits. In the UK PSC register, you simply list the US LLC as the shareholder, and in many cases no individual beneficial owner needs to be disclosed , worst-case scenario, disclosure defaults to the trustees of the Nevis trust.

It’s worth remembering that the US does not participate in CRS, making it, technically, one of the last top-tier jurisdictions (if not the last one) that functions as a tax haven. If you ever need to buy US securities or generate effectively connected income (ECI), I’d recommend setting up a separate US LLC under the holding company described above, and using the original US LLC purely as a pass-through for privacy.

Why wouldn't you set up a trust first, and then the US llc owned by the trust?
When you set up a bank account, are you talking about Mercury bank? Are you sure you your bank is not a part of CRS?
This sounds great, but I am afraid it may sound too good to be true.

 

[alpakiwi]

You wouldn’t want to set up the US LLC with a Nevis trust as the initial member because no reputable bank (and definitely no EMI) will open an account if the owner is a Nevis trust.

When I refer to a bank account, I mean whichever banking solution you can actually access,which often depends on your capital and profile.

It’s not too good to be true,just a matter of sequencing and practical banking access.

 

[redeye]

You wouldn’t want to set up the US LLC with a Nevis trust as the initial member because no reputable bank (and definitely no EMI) will open an account if the owner is a Nevis trust.

When I refer to a bank account, I mean whichever banking solution you can actually access,which often depends on your capital and profile.

It’s not too good to be true,just a matter of sequencing and practical banking access.

If you're using ChatGPT to translate your text, do yourself a favor and remove the em dashes.
They look unprofessional and make it obvious you don't know how to write proper English.

 

[alpakiwi]

Does it make a difference to my point? Which is what the thread is about. Thanks for your help @redeye whenever I need grammar lessons I'll make sure to call you first.

 

[bountymounty]

It just feels better and more like a personal response, rather than something written by ChatGPT, which can sometimes be lacking or incomplete.

Back to the topic...

You wouldn’t want to set up the US LLC with a Nevis trust as the initial member because no reputable bank (and definitely no EMI) will open an account if the owner is a Nevis trust.

One possible approach, as described in another thread I read today, is to first open a bank account or EMI for the US LLC, and then, once it’s set up, move it under a trust, holding company, or foundation.

 

[alpakiwi]

I guess that's what I suggested, maybe I didn't explain myself properly