HK · Incorporation

Company Registration
Hong Kong Limited

Incorporate your Hong Kong Limited 100% remotely, with 8.25% profits tax on the first HKD 2M of profit. Profits sourced outside Hong Kong may qualify for offshore exemption, subject to IRD review; what applies in your country of residence we clarify in the initial consultation. Filed online with the Companies Registry; government fee HKD 1,545.

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Strasia Group Limited is a licensed trust or company service provider in Hong Kong.

Corporate Tax8.25–16.5%

Incorporation feeHKD 1,545

Foreign Ownership100%

TCSPLicensed

Last updated: 10/2026

Can foreigners register a company in Hong Kong?

Yes. You register a Hong Kong limited company with the Companies Registry, without Hong Kong residence and 100% remotely: at least one shareholder and one director of any nationality, plus a company secretary and a registered office in Hong Kong. The government fee is HKD 1,545 online. Profits tax: 8.25% on the first HKD 2 million of profit, 16.5% above, only on profits sourced in Hong Kong. Your personal tax follows your residence.

Hong Kong limited company: key facts

Legal form	Private limited company (Ltd.), registered with the Companies Registry source
Shareholder and director	any nationality, no Hong Kong residence required source
Company secretary	required: an individual resident in Hong Kong or a Hong Kong body corporate; with us through our TCSP licence source
Registered office	a registered office address in Hong Kong source
Incorporation fee	HKD 1,545 online (HKD 1,720 on paper); the application also counts as the business registration application source
Profits tax	8.25% on the first HKD 2 million of profit, 16.5% above; only profits sourced in Hong Kong source
Annual duties	annual return (NAR1) within 42 days after the incorporation anniversary; profits tax return with audited accounts source
Transparency	the significant controllers register is kept locally; a company search shows the address, shareholders, directors and secretary source

As of 16 Oct 2026 · Sources: Hong Kong Companies Registry and Inland Revenue Department · territorial source principle (IRD) · profits tax return (IRD)

Overview

Why a Hong Kong Limited?

A Hong Kong company makes sense if you trade with Asia, invoice in US dollars or serve clients outside your country of residence. Hong Kong levies no VAT, allows 100% foreign ownership and taxes only profits sourced in Hong Kong. If tax is the only reason and you stay resident in Germany, the company does little for you, because it can become taxable there.

As a licensed trust or company service provider, Strasia Group Limited handles the entire incorporation, from the name search and registration to the company secretary and the registered office in Hong Kong, and supports you with the bank account application. Everything runs 100% remotely; you do not need to travel to Hong Kong. Who a Hong Kong company fits, with video and Fit Check →

After incorporation, the audit, profits tax return, annual return and business registration come every year. What is due when is shown in our annual compliance calendar for a Hong Kong limited company.

A Hong Kong limited company needs no local director

8.25% profits tax on the first HKD 2M of profit, 16.5% above

Territorial principle: profits arising in Hong Kong are taxed; an offshore claim needs evidence

No capital gains tax in Hong Kong (whether a gain counts as capital depends on the facts)

No VAT or GST

100% foreign ownership; one shareholder and one director are enough

No Hong Kong resident director required; we provide the company secretary and the address

No minimum capital; one issued share is enough

Registration with the Companies Registry 100% remote, no travel

Hong Kong dollar pegged to the US dollar, practical for trade in USD

Support with the account application (e.g. Airwallex, Aspire, OCBC Hong Kong); the bank decides itself

Incorporation Process

Registration is the quick part. The bank account is a separate step, and the bank decides.

Name Check & Consultation

We check the availability of your company name and agree the structure with you.

Documents & KYC

You send us the required documents (ID, proof of address). We prepare all incorporation documents.

Registration & Certificates

We file the incorporation documents with the Companies Registry. You receive your Certificate of Incorporation and Business Registration.

Support with account opening

We assist you in opening a business account with Airwallex, Aspire, or OCBC Hong Kong.

Payment Processing Setup

Through our direct contacts at PayPal, Airwallex and Oceanpayment you get a personal contact at the provider; the provider decides on activation.

A Hong Kong company for e-commerce

If you sell online, for example through Shopify or Amazon: with a multi-currency account, a Hong Kong Limited can invoice in several currencies, including US dollars; whether a payment provider or marketplace approves your account is for the provider to decide. Hong Kong charging no VAT does not change the VAT in your customers’ countries: sales to consumers in the EU fall under the EU rules for online sales. Where the profits are taxed depends on where they arise and from where you run the company.

Structure, payment providers and common mistakes in e-commerce →Source: European Commission, VAT for online sales (OSS/IOSS)

Payment Processing & Banking

Integrate Oceanpayment or Shopify Payments into your Shopify store to offer credit cards, Klarna, iDEAL and other common payment methods to your customers.

PayPalOnline Shop Integration, Payment Links

AirwallexMulti-currency accounts & payment processing

OceanpaymentPayment processing for online shops (Shopify, WooCommerce, …)

Shopify PaymentsPayment processing for Shopify stores

StripePayment processing with website integration, payment links

OCBCMajor Asian bank, traditional business banking, debit cards

AspireMulti-currency accounts & debit cards

Tax in Hong Kong: What the Territorial Principle Means

Hong Kong only taxes profits sourced in Hong Kong: 8.25% on the first HKD 2 million, 16.5% above that. Profits sourced outside Hong Kong may qualify for offshore exemption, subject to IRD review. This is not automatic: the IRD examines the claim, and what counts is actual business activity, where contracts are concluded and documentation. Hong Kong levies no capital gains tax and no withholding tax on dividends. Your home country applies its own rules: if the company is managed from Germany, Austria or Switzerland, it may be taxable there, and distributions are usually taxed in your country of residence. How much tax is due in the end depends on your residence, place of management and documentation. We review this with you in the initial consultation.

Living in the EU while holding an account outside it? The rules for that change in 2027; see EU banking rule & foreign accounts.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to travel to Hong Kong?

No. The entire incorporation is 100% remote. We handle all authority visits on-site.

How quickly can I open a bank account?

It depends on the bank: each bank checks who owns the company, where the money comes from and who the customers and suppliers are, and then decides. Nobody can give a timeline or a promise. We prepare the application with you; Airwallex and Aspire are options for multi-currency accounts, OCBC Hong Kong for traditional business banking.

What is a TCSP and why does it matter?

TCSP stands for trust or company service provider, a licence issued by the Hong Kong authorities. Anyone who provides company formation or company secretary services in Hong Kong as a business needs this licence. Strasia Group Limited is a licensed trust or company service provider in Hong Kong.

Can I use PayPal and other payment providers?

Yes, Hong Kong companies can use payment providers such as PayPal, Airwallex and Oceanpayment. Through our direct contacts you get a personal contact at the provider; the provider decides on activation.

Is 0% tax possible in Hong Kong?

Not automatically. Hong Kong taxes on a territorial basis, so only Hong Kong-sourced profits are taxed: 8.25% on the first HKD 2 million, 16.5% above that. Profits sourced outside Hong Kong may qualify for offshore exemption, subject to IRD review, depending on actual business activity, where contracts are concluded and documentation. Hong Kong levies no capital gains tax and no withholding tax on dividends. If the company is managed from Germany, Austria or Switzerland, it may be taxable there, and distributions are usually taxed in your country of residence. How much tax is due in the end depends on your residence, place of management and documentation. We clarify this in the initial consultation.

Territorial tax system: what does that mean?

Hong Kong only taxes profits sourced in Hong Kong. That does not mean foreign profits are automatically untaxed. Profits sourced outside Hong Kong may qualify for offshore exemption, subject to IRD review, depending on actual business activity, where contracts are concluded and documentation. Tax may still be due at home, for example if the company is managed from Germany, Austria or Switzerland. How much tax is due in the end depends on your residence, place of management and documentation.

How long does company formation in Hong Kong take?

Registration with the Companies Registry is quick, faster online than on paper. Opening the account usually takes longer, because each bank runs its own checks and decides. That is why we do not quote a fixed timeline; in the first consultation we tell you what to expect.

What do I need to incorporate in Hong Kong as a foreigner?

Passport, proof of address and the company details, nothing more. No minimum capital (one issued share is enough), no travel required; as a licensed TCSP we handle everything remotely.

Can foreigners register a company in Hong Kong?

Yes. Shareholders and directors can be of any nationality and do not need to live in Hong Kong. Required are a company secretary resident or based in Hong Kong and a registered office in Hong Kong; as a licensed TCSP we provide both. Incorporation runs 100% remotely.

How much does it cost to register a company in Hong Kong?

The Companies Registry fee is HKD 1,545 for online filing (HKD 1,720 on paper); the application also counts as the business registration application, whose fee is set by the IRD. On top come the company secretary, the address and later bookkeeping and audit. We quote our own fees in a written offer before any engagement; government fees are shown separately.

Is there VAT in Hong Kong?

No, Hong Kong levies no VAT or sales tax. If you sell to customers in the EU, VAT may still apply there; we clarify that with your tax adviser.

Can I set up a Hong Kong company on my own?

Yes. A private limited company needs at least one shareholder and one director, and that can be the same person. The company also needs a company secretary resident or based in Hong Kong and a Hong Kong address; we provide both.

Next step: the first call

Free initial consultation: 60 minutes, no obligation.

Written offer before any engagement; government fees shown separately.

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Corporate tax compared

Standard rates on the company’s profit

Hong Kong8.25% / 16.5%

Profits tax, two-tier: 8.25% up to HKD 2 million profit

Singapore17%

Corporate income tax, partial exemptions only for qualifying income

Dubai (UAE)9%

on the part above AED 375,000; 0% below it and on qualifying free-zone income

Labuan3%

on audited net profit from Labuan trading activity, with substance on site

USA21%

federal rate for corporations, plus state tax where due; an LLC is taxed differently

Germany~30%

15% corporate tax plus solidarity surcharge and trade tax

Netherlands19% / 25.8%

19% up to EUR 200,000 profit

France25%

What you pay yourself depends on where you live and where the company is actually managed. As of 22 Oct 2026, sources: IRD · IRAS · FTA (VAE) · LHDN · IRS · Belastingdienst · impots.gouv.fr

HK vs SG vs Dubai vs UK vs USA: Company Formation Compared

Compare the key jurisdictions for your company formation at a glance.

Criterion	Hong Kong	Singapore	Dubai	UK	USA
Corporate Tax	8.25–16.5%	17% (effective from ~4.25%)	9% above AED 375,000	19–25%	21% (corporation); LLC: at owner level
VAT	0%	9%	5%	20%	0%
Minimum Capital	No minimum	S$1	No minimum	No minimum	No minimum
100% Foreign Ownership	Yes	Yes	Yes (Free Zone)	Yes	Yes
Capital Gains Tax	0%	0%	0%	0–28%	0–20%

Corporate Tax8.25–16.5%

VAT0%

Minimum CapitalNo minimum

100% Foreign OwnershipYes

Capital Gains Tax0%

1 / 5

Headline rates as of 2026, without guarantee. Hong Kong taxes only profits sourced in Hong Kong; offshore profits may be exempt, subject to IRD review. Capital gains tax 0% applies only to gains of a capital, not a trading, nature. Your personal tax follows your residence.

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Contact our Hong Kong Team

Tell us what it is about: company formation, accounting and tax, or a visa. You will hear from us within one business day.

Strasia Group · Hong Kong

Office

Unit 1005, 10/F, Boss Commercial Centre
28 Ferry Street, Yau Ma Tei
Kowloon, Hong Kong

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Company RegistrationHong Kong Limited