Side-by-side on the points that decide where you incorporate: corporate tax, FATF standing, sanctions exposure, data-protection law, arbitration enforceability, apostille, foreign ownership and local-director requirements.
Last reviewed: 2026-08-03
| Cyprus [CY] | BVI [VG] | |
|---|---|---|
| Region | EU | Offshore |
| Corporate tax rate | 12.5% | 0% |
| FATF status | compliant | grey list |
| Sanctions exposure | No | No |
| Data-protection law | GDPR | None |
| New York Convention | Yes | Yes |
| Apostille Convention (1961) | Yes | Yes |
| Foreign ownership | Yes | Yes |
| Local director requirement | No | No |
The headline corporate income tax rate in Cyprus is 12.5%. Free zones, small-business reliefs and participation exemptions can change the effective rate — treat this as the starting point.
The headline corporate income tax rate in BVI is 0%. Free zones, small-business reliefs and participation exemptions can change the effective rate — treat this as the starting point.
Cyprus is FATF-compliant and not on the grey list, which generally means smoother bank onboarding.
BVI is on the FATF grey list (increased monitoring). Expect slower bank onboarding and more KYC questions for the company and its counterparties — not a prohibition on doing business.
The applicable data-protection statute is GDPR (in force since 2018). If you process EU/UK personal data you also need a valid transfer mechanism into Cyprus.
The applicable data-protection statute is None. If you process EU/UK personal data you also need a valid transfer mechanism into BVI.
Neither is obviously right until you know what you are optimising for — tax, banking, enforcement or speed.
Informational resource curated by the Ignito legal practice and cross-checked against primary sources. This is not legal advice and does not create a lawyer-client relationship. Rules change — verify against the primary source before you sign or file. Terms of Use