Solutions · Wealth Protection
International Wealth Protection
We analyze your situation (residence, assets, future plans) and put together a structure from jurisdictions, banks, brokers and storage that spreads your wealth across several countries and legal entities, without a standard package.
Protection LevelsMulti-layered
Banking LocationsSG · HK · CH · LI · MY
Tax BurdenBy residence & structure
AnalysisIndividual
Last updated: 10/2026
What is an international wealth protection structure? It spreads your assets across several legal entities, banks and countries so that a single risk – one country, one bank, one currency – does not hit everything at once. It does not replace tax liability in your country of residence, and accounts abroad are generally reported under the automatic exchange of information (AEOI/CRS). It makes sense if it fits your residence and can be explained.
As of 29 Sep 2026 · Sources: IRD Hong Kong, IRAS
Overview
What an international wealth structure helps against, and what it does not
Which structure fits depends on where you live, where you might want to move, which assets you hold and which risks you want to cover.
There are different levels of protection: less dependence on a single country, its currency and its banking system, clear documentation in divorce or inheritance disputes, separation of private and business assets in lawsuits and third-party claims, or simply the certainty that you can still reach your wealth if one account is frozen.
We analyze your situation in detail and combine the right building blocks: jurisdictions, company structures, bank connections, brokers, precious metal storage and Lombard loans.
There are different levels of protection: less dependence on a single country, its currency and its banking system, clear documentation in divorce or inheritance disputes, separation of private and business assets in lawsuits and third-party claims, or simply the certainty that you can still reach your wealth if one account is frozen.
We analyze your situation in detail and combine the right building blocks: jurisdictions, company structures, bank connections, brokers, precious metal storage and Lombard loans.
Architecture
Protection layers: what each layer helps with – and what it does not
Select a layer. A structure is built from the bottom up: without a clear foundation in your country of residence, no layer above it holds.
Your wealth
Typical Profiles & Situations
Entrepreneur with assets in home country
Wants to spread wealth internationally and reduce dependence on one country, one currency and one banking system.
Wealthy individual with divorce risk
Wants to document clearly which assets are held where and in which structure, as a complement to a marriage contract in the country of residence, not a substitute.
Business owner with litigation risk
Wants a legally clean separation of private and business assets, spread across several legal entities and countries, without disadvantaging existing creditors.
Investor with multi-asset portfolio
Holds stocks, digital assets, precious metals and real estate and needs a consolidated structure that fits residence and tax obligations.
Retiree with international lifestyle
Lives or plans to live abroad and needs access to wealth worldwide with stable banking connections.
Heir with generational wealth
Wants to protect family wealth across generations and pass it on in an orderly way.
Be careful with "perfect" structures sold online
Many entrepreneurs are shown exotic asset-protection structures that look impressive on paper but later create banking, reporting, tax or compliance problems. A structure is only useful if it is practical, bankable, explainable and suitable for your real residence, assets and family situation. Strasia helps design international wealth structures that focus on diversification, banking access and long-term usability, not fragile promises from social media or generic marketing.
Common Risks & Hidden Complexity
01
Everything in one country
Wealth held exclusively in the home country depends on one currency, one banking system and one legal system. Spreading it across several countries reduces that dependence.
02
Insufficient legal separation
Without clear separation between personal and business assets, all assets are at risk in a lawsuit or divorce. The right structure creates multiple layers of protection.
03
Dependency on one banking location
Having all accounts in one country risks losing access to all wealth in case of account freezes or regulatory changes.
04
Missing succession planning
Without international estate planning, inheritance taxes and local regulations can consume a significant portion of family wealth.
Popular Structures & Setups
Hong Kong Holding Company
Fits as a central holding for international investments. Hong Kong levies no capital gains tax and no withholding tax on dividends; distributions to you are generally taxed in your country of residence. Common law legal system, established banking centre.
HK
Singapore Private Limited
Established location for wealth management with strict regulation. Support with account opening at banks such as DBS and OCBC. A director ordinarily resident in Singapore is mandatory.
SG
Labuan Company
Labuan trading activity is taxed at three percent on audited profits, provided the Labuan substance requirements are met; pure non-trading activity such as holding investments is treated separately under Labuan tax law. Fits holding and investment companies with an international focus.
Labuan
Swiss or Liechtenstein Banking
For larger wealth: private banks in Switzerland and Liechtenstein with professional wealth management. We support account opening; the bank decides whether to take you on.
CHLI
Precious Metal Storage
Physical precious metals in high-security vaults in Singapore, Switzerland or Hong Kong. Lombard loans on part of the stored value possible, depending on provider and metal.
SGCHHK
Multi-Jurisdiction Architecture
Combination of holding, banking, broker access, private banking and precious metal storage across multiple countries: protection through spreading.
HKSGCHLI
Which international wealth protection structures exist?
The overview below shows the common building blocks, what they are for, under which condition they work and what applies in your country of residence. Which combination fits depends on your situation.
| Structure | What for | Condition | What applies in your country of residence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Holding company in Hong KongHK | What forCentral holding for shareholdings and international investments; separating private and business assets. | ConditionProfits tax only on Hong Kong-sourced profits; whether profits count as sourced outside Hong Kong is decided by the IRD case by case. Audit and annual returns every year. | What applies in your country of residenceDistributions to you are generally taxed in your country of residence; accounts are generally reported under AEOI/CRS. |
| Pte. Ltd. in SingaporeSG | What forHolding and wealth management with access to banks in Singapore. | ConditionCapital gains are not taxable according to IRAS; whether a gain is capital or trading in nature depends on the facts of each case. The start-up exemption does not apply to investment holding companies. | What applies in your country of residenceOne-tier dividends are not taxable in Singapore and carry no withholding tax; your country of residence applies its own rules. Accounts are generally reported under AEOI/CRS. |
| Labuan companyLabuan | What forStructure for holding and investment. | ConditionIts own substance rules; details in the consultation. | What applies in your country of residenceTaxed under the rules of your country of residence; clarify this with your tax adviser. |
| Private bank / account in a second countryCH · LI · SG | What forA second banking location against an account freeze at one bank and dependence on one country or currency. | ConditionAccount opening after checks on the person and the source of funds; requirements vary by bank. | What applies in your country of residenceThe account and its income are declared in your country of residence; accounts in Singapore and Hong Kong are generally reported under AEOI/CRS. |
| Precious metal storageSG · CH · HK | What forHolding part of your wealth physically and outside bank deposits. | ConditionA storage agreement with a vault provider; a Lombard loan on part of the value is possible depending on provider and metal. | What applies in your country of residenceDeclaration duties and the taxation of gains follow the rules of your country of residence. |
| Combination of several building blocksMulti | What forSpreading risks across several legal entities, countries, banks and currencies. | ConditionEvery layer must be explainable and bankable; each location has ongoing obligations. | What applies in your country of residenceTax liability in your country of residence remains; rules on controlled foreign companies may apply – clarify this with your tax adviser. |
What a structure does not do
- It does not remove tax liability in your country of residence. How distributions and income are taxed depends on your residence; rules on controlled foreign companies may apply. Clarify this with your tax adviser.
- Accounts are reported. Under the automatic exchange of information (AEOI/CRS), banks in Hong Kong and Singapore identify accounts of tax residents of reportable jurisdictions, and for passive holding companies the controlling persons. Source: IRD Hong Kong
- No protection against existing claims. Transfers that disadvantage creditors or a spouse can be challenged. Clarify this with your lawyer.
- Local obligations remain. A Hong Kong limited company needs an audit every year and files annual returns; Singapore companies also have annual obligations. Hong Kong annual compliance · Singapore corporate tax
Official sources
- IRD Hong Kong: Automatic Exchange of Financial Account Information (AEOI)
- IRAS Singapore: Common Reporting Standard (CRS): Overview
- IRAS Singapore: Taxable & Non-Taxable Income
- IRAS Singapore: Corporate Income Tax Rate, Rebates & Tax Exemption Schemes
- IRD Hong Kong: A Simple Guide on the Territorial Source Principle of Taxation
As of 29 Sep 2026. This overview does not replace tax or legal advice in your country of residence.
Our Wealth Protection Building Blocks
Detailed situation analysis (residence, assets, risk profile, future plans)
Company formation in the right jurisdiction (HK, SG, Labuan)
Support with account opening at private banks and established commercial banks, including options in Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Singapore and other suitable jurisdictions
Support with broker accounts for stocks, bonds, ETFs and alternative investments
Custody and access for digital assets through regulated platforms
Precious metal storage in high-security vaults (SG, CH, HK)
Lombard loans on stored precious metals (loan on part of the value, depending on provider and metal)
Ongoing compliance, accounting and tax returns
Our Process
01
Confidential Initial Consultation
60 Min.We analyze your current situation: residence, assets, family situation, risks and goals. Everything strictly confidential.
02
Structure Recommendation
After the analysisBased on the analysis we propose a structure from jurisdictions, company forms, bank connections and additional building blocks.
03
Implementation
Set by banks and authoritiesWe coordinate company formation, account openings, broker accounts and precious metal storage. The authorities and banks set the timeline; we tell you the current state in the call.
04
Ongoing Management
OngoingAccounting, compliance, tax returns and regular structure review, so it still fits when your residence or assets change.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is international wealth protection legal?
If everything is disclosed, yes: international wealth protection through company formation and banking abroad is legal, provided companies, accounts and income are correctly declared in your country of residence. Accounts in Singapore and Hong Kong are generally reported to the tax authority of your country of residence under the automatic exchange of financial account information (AEOI/CRS), including accounts of passive holding companies, where the controlling persons are identified. We set up structures so that they are explainable and reportable.
Which assets can be protected?
Most transferable assets: cash, stocks, bonds, digital assets, precious metals, real estate (indirectly through holding structures) and intellectual property. Claims of existing creditors and tax liability in your country of residence remain.
What is a Lombard loan on precious metals?
You store physical precious metals in a high-security vault and can receive part of the value as a loan, depending on provider and metal, without selling the metals. Your wealth stays protected and you still have liquidity.
How confidential is the consultation?
All conversations and information are strictly confidential. We operate in jurisdictions with strong data protection and professional discretion. Confidentiality does not mean secrecy towards tax authorities, however: accounts abroad are generally reported to your country of residence under the automatic exchange of information (AEOI/CRS).
From what wealth level is an international structure worthwhile?
A basic structure (company + bank account) makes sense from mid five-figure amounts. More complex architectures with private banks and precious metal storage typically become relevant from six-figure amounts.
Can you also help with divorce protection?
Partly: an international structure can document clearly which assets are held where and in which company. What applies in a divorce, however, is decided by the family law of your country of residence and a marriage contract, not by where a company is located. Transfers made shortly before or during proceedings can be challenged. We discuss the details in the confidential initial consultation, together with your lawyer if needed.
Which banks are available?
We support account opening at commercial banks in Hong Kong and Singapore (OCBC, DBS etc.), private banks in Switzerland and Liechtenstein, and banks in Malaysia. Selection depends on your wealth profile and goals; the bank decides whether to take you on.
Which international wealth protection structures exist?
It depends on residence, assets and goals. Common building blocks are: a holding company in Hong Kong, a private limited company in Singapore or a Labuan company as the legal entity; accounts with banks in at least two countries, for example Switzerland, Liechtenstein or Singapore; broker accounts; storage of physical precious metals in vaults; and an arranged succession. A combination usually makes sense. Tax liability in your country of residence remains in every case, and accounts are reported under the automatic exchange of information (AEOI/CRS).
Are accounts in Singapore or Hong Kong reported to the tax office?
If you are tax resident in a country that takes part in the automatic exchange of information, generally yes. Hong Kong and Singapore participate in the automatic exchange of financial account information (AEOI/CRS). Financial institutions there must identify accounts held by tax residents of reportable jurisdictions, and the data goes to the tax authority of that jurisdiction. This also applies to accounts of passive holding companies: here the controlling persons are identified. A structure in Asia therefore never replaces correct declaration in your country of residence.
Hong Kong or Singapore as a holding location for wealth?
It depends on your residence, your assets and your banking. Hong Kong taxes profits only if they are sourced in Hong Kong; whether profits count as sourced outside Hong Kong is decided by the IRD case by case. Hong Kong levies no capital gains tax and no withholding tax on dividends. In Singapore, capital gains are not taxable according to IRAS; whether a gain is capital or trading in nature, however, depends on the facts of each case. One-tier dividends are not taxable in Singapore, and there is no withholding tax on dividends there. The start-up tax exemption does not apply to investment holding companies. Both locations come with annual obligations, in Hong Kong for example an audit and annual returns. Distributions to you are generally taxed in your country of residence. We clarify which location fits in the initial consultation.
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Confidential consultation: 60 minutes, no obligation.
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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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