Where to incorporate for my business?

[Mark lane]

Hello everyone ,

I have been reading for months now about offshore companies and benefits of different jurisdictions (Nevis, Belize, BVI, etc..)
However, still hesitant where is the most suitable for my business type.

My business might seems from outside like unregulated money services, but operationally it's not., it's just a middle man between the service provider and the buyer, no custody of people money, payments is only in crypto and AML checking done through crypto payment gateway.

What will be the use of the offshore company?
It will be just for creating a space between me personally and the business activity, be the official registrant of the domain, etc.
No bank account needed.
Just will act as a shield to protect me personally.

What do you suggest based on your experience here?

Thanks

 

[alley]

In your case, and based on how you’ve described your situation, you can pretty much‌ choose any company setup and jurisdiction you like.

That said, I’d consider what you might‍ need the company for in the future, especially whether you'll need proper documentation of the⁠ company's activity for other purposes.

If you need something more serious or official, I’d go⁤ with Cyprus, Switzerland, or the UK. Otherwise, I’d just go with a simple New Mexico⁣ or Wyoming LLC.

 

[uplana]

Based on what you’ve described, a Wyoming LLC or Nevis LLC could be ideal, simple,‌ private, and no local reporting.

If you want stronger legal protection, Nevis offers better asset‍ shielding.

Since no banking is needed, focus on low-maintenance and strong privacy.

 

[OVZA LLC]

Respectfully, Alley, while I know you're a⁢ longtime expert and your input is always appreciated, I’ll have to gently disagree with your︀ recommendation here.

Cyprus, Switzerland, and the UK are not what I’d call “offshore-friendly” jurisdictions in︁ 2025. These are high-regulation environments with real tax obligations, filing requirements, and governments that make︂ a living by taxing corporations. That’s fine for traditional onshore businesses, but for someone looking︃ to create a clean legal buffer between personal activity and a crypto-facing online business, it’s︄ far from ideal.

The golden rule: go where you’re wanted.

Jurisdictions like Seychelles, St. Lucia, and Antigua & Barbuda build entire frameworks specifically designed to attract and︅ protect offshore companies. Their laws are streamlined, their tax codes are built around 0% corporate︆ tax models, and they aren’t trying to chase your business away with regulatory fog or︇ unpredictable enforcement changes.

On the flip side, many of the “respectable” places mentioned just happen︈ to have tax loopholes offshore users try to leverage, but those governments aren’t exactly cheering︉ them on. And when you’re not the kind of business they’re actively courting, it can︊ all flip on its head when the political winds change.

So yes, you can incorporate anywhere, but when privacy, legal shielding, and long-term certainty are key,go where the laws︋ are written for you, not against you.

 

[alley]

Sure, that‍ might be what you've read online, but reality is quite different!

Try jumping on a⁠ plane and spending a few months in places like Cyprus and Switzerland, getting properly established⁤ there, then we can have this conversation again.

Right now, your perspective seems very theoretical,⁣ and most of your information clearly comes from publicly available websites.

 

[OVZA LLC]

That’s an interesting take, and fair enough. Some of our team have⁣ actually lived in Switzerland, so we’re well aware of the perks that come with being⁢ in the heart of Europe. It’s clean, efficient, and yes, very Swiss in all the︀ right ways. But all of that comes with a price tag, and ultimately, it's the︁ corporate taxpayer who picks up the bill.

Some people are happy to pay for that︂ kind of structure and stability. Others prefer to maintain their lifestyle while benefiting from corporate︃ laws in jurisdictions that actually welcome international business.

We’re based in the Caribbean, and nothing︄ we share is theoretical, it comes from direct experience working in this space every day.︅ And if something about our unique perspective as offshore agents made it onto a public︆ website, chances are we’re the ones who put it there.

 

[alley]

I’m also still living in both Switzerland and Cyprus, and have been doing so for‌ the past five years.

So whatever it is you claim to have experienced, it’s certainly‍ far from what I’ve seen or done myself.

It must also be incredibly difficult to⁠ make any definitive claims about what is or isn’t possible when you have very little,⁤ if not zero, information about my actual situation.

 

[EliasIT]

I think you're both right, it always depends on the individual’s situation.

There’s no universal‌ truth or one size fits all solution when it comes to what works and what‍ doesn’t.

In today’s world of constant changes in offshore structures and banking, it’s clear that⁠ every case needs to be carefully analyzed on its own merits.

 

[alley]

My advice is to hop on a plane to the country you’re considering moving to,‌ book an Airbnb or a hotel for 2 - 3 months, and really try to‍ live like the locals, shop at the supermarket, buy clothes, cook at home, and try⁠ to connect with the community.

That way, you’ll see how life there actually works.

If it’s purely about setting up a company, I’d still travel to the country, visit 4–5⁤ consultants, and ask about the options available to you, paying close attention to what they⁣ don’t say and then researching that on your own.

After that, I’d set up a⁢ company as a kind of test run and operate it for about a year to︀ see what comes up.

If you get buried under administrative burdens or hit with huge︁ bills, just walk away, no harm done.