Nikolai Timofejev
15 years in FinTech and payments. Maps your business model to the right licence scope and leads the file all the way to the VFSC licence, including banking and payment rails.
Get a crypto license in Vanuatu.
The Pacific's offshore veteran wrote itself a dedicated crypto statute: the VASP Act of 2025 puts exchange, transfer, custody and token offerings under VFSC licensing - with guidelines fresh from January 2026 and no income tax underneath. We build the file end to end.
27 yrs
on the international marketon the market
60+
in-house specialistsspecialists
400+
Crypto licenses obtainedlicenses obtained
Updated
Vanuatu in brief
An offshore veteran with a brand-new crypto statute.
Vanuatu spent decades licensing financial dealers through its Financial Dealers Licensing regime - the Class D endorsement covered digital assets for years, and in 2025 it graduated to a dedicated statute: the Virtual Asset Service Providers Act No. 3 of 2025. The Act puts virtual-asset exchange, transfers, custody and safekeeping, and initial token offerings under the licensing and supervision of the Vanuatu Financial Services Commission, which has published application guidelines, forms and a sector risk assessment - with the requirements framework revised as recently as January 2026. It is a young regime built on an old licensing culture: the VFSC knows how to process files.
The base underneath is the Pacific's classic: no corporate income tax, no personal income tax, no capital gains tax - VAT at 15% on domestic supplies and annual licence fees are the running costs that matter. Add English-law heritage, an established ecosystem of registered agents and administrators, and time zones bridging Asia and the Americas, and Vanuatu serves a specific profile well: global-facing exchanges, brokerage and token projects that want a licensed, tax-neutral home without EU or US perimeter ambitions.
The Pacific veteran wrote a dedicated statute: the VASP Act No. 3 of 2025 - exchange, transfer, custody and ITOs under VFSC licensing, guidelines revised January 2026.
Underneath: no corporate, personal or capital-gains tax. No passports either - the openly tax-neutral base.
The framework
One Act, the full service list.
The VASP Act licenses exchange, transfer, custody and token-offering activity under the VFSC. The old FDL regime continues for securities dealing alongside. We fix the perimeter first, then build once.
The Act's full service list under the VFSC; the veteran FDL pairs for securities dealing.
01 - VASP LICENCE
Exchange, transfer & custody
The core licence under the Act of 2025. Virtual-asset exchange, transfers and custody/safekeeping under VFSC supervision, with application guidelines and forms published and revised in January 2026.
The core licence under the Act of 2025. Virtual-asset exchange, transfers and custody/safekeeping under VFSC supervision, with application guidelines and forms published and revised in January 2026.
- ✓Crypto ↔ fiat and crypto ↔ crypto exchange
- ✓Transfer services for virtual assets
- ✓Custody and safekeeping of client assets
- ✓Business plan, governance and AML dossiers
- ✓Technology architecture and wind-down plans
- ✓VFSC supervision under the 2025 Act
02 - ITO & THE FDL HERITAGE
VASP Act - No. 3 of 2025Token offerings & dealing
Initial token offerings run inside the Act's perimeter, while Vanuatu's veteran Financial Dealers Licence continues for securities and derivatives dealing. Combinable where a model spans both worlds.
ITOs inside the Act's perimeter; FDL heritage for dealing - combinable structures.
- ✓Initial token offerings under the Act
- ✓ITO disclosure and approval filings
- ✓FDL - securities and derivatives dealing
- ✓Combinable VASP + FDL structures
- ✓Sector risk assessment published 2025
- ✓An old licensing culture, a new statute
Costs and timelines are confirmed for your case before any work begins. VFSC fees and requirements follow the Act and its guidelines. Revised January 2026, and are itemised in your quote.
Why Vanuatu
Tax-neutral, statute-backed, processing files for decades.
The framework is the VASP Act No. 3 of 2025, supervised by the VFSC. A dedicated crypto statute on an offshore veteran's licensing bench.
✓
A dedicated Act, not an endorsement
Vanuatu upgraded from the FDL Class D era to a purpose-built VASP statute in 2025. Definitions, licensing and supervision written for virtual assets, with guidelines already revised in January 2026.Purpose-built 2025 statute, fresh guidelines.
✓
No income tax - at all
No corporate income tax, no personal income tax, no capital gains tax. The running costs are licence fees and VAT on domestic supplies. The model's economics stay the model's.Corporate, personal, CGT - none.
✓
A regulator that processes
The VFSC has licensed financial dealers for decades. Application guidelines, forms and risk assessments are published, and the desk's culture is processing files, not parking them.Decades of FDL practice behind it.
✓
English-law bones
Common-law heritage, English-language filings and an established ecosystem of agents, auditors and administrators. The offshore infrastructure is already built.Common law, established agents.
✓
Pacific time-zone bridge
Between Asian and American trading days. A practical perch for global-facing exchanges and OTC desks serving both.Asia and the Americas, one perch.
✓
The sober positioning
No EU passport, no US reach. Vanuatu is the tax-neutral, statute-backed home base that pairs with onshore licences when specific markets demand them. We sequence both.No passports. Pairs with onshore.
How it compares
How Vanuatu differs from other routes.
Vanuatu is the tax-neutral statute play among offshore homes. The side-by-side comparison is below.
Vanuatu vs other jurisdictions
| Feature |  Vanuatu | Other jurisdictions |
|---|---|---|
| Regulatory regime | VASP Act 2025 - VFSC | Registrations or old endorsements |
| Income tax | None | 0-30% typical |
| Licensing culture | Decades of FDL processing | Newer desks |
| Market access | Global-facing, no passports | MiCA covers 27 states |
Regulatory regime
VanuatuVASP Act 2025 - VFSC
Other jurisdictionsRegistrations or old endorsements
Income tax
VanuatuNone
Other jurisdictions0-30% typical
Licensing culture
VanuatuDecades of FDL processing
Other jurisdictionsNewer desks
Market access
VanuatuGlobal-facing, no passports
Other jurisdictionsMiCA covers 27 states
Country by country
| Country | License type | Taxation | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vanuatu | VASP licence (VFSC) | No income tax · VAT 15% | New Act, veteran desk |
 St Lucia | VABA classes A-E (FSRA) | Territorial - 0% foreign | IBC vehicle, 4-5 months |
 Gibraltar | DLT Provider (GFSC) | 15% CIT · no VAT · no CGT | Principles-based, three stages |
 UAE (Dubai) | VARA VASP by activity | 9% CIT · 0% personal | Substance-heavy, 3-9 months |
VanuatuLicense typeVASP licence (VFSC)
TaxationNo income tax · VAT 15%
RequirementsNew Act, veteran desk
St LuciaLicense typeVABA classes A-E (FSRA)
TaxationTerritorial - 0% foreign
RequirementsIBC vehicle, 4-5 months
GibraltarLicense typeDLT Provider (GFSC)
Taxation15% CIT · no VAT · no CGT
RequirementsPrinciples-based, three stages
UAE (Dubai)License typeVARA VASP by activity
Taxation9% CIT · 0% personal
RequirementsSubstance-heavy, 3-9 months
Before you apply
Requirements for the VFSC licence.Requirements for the VFSC licence.
The Act and its guidelines. Revised January 2026. Define the file. The checklist below is what a passing application contains.
01
Vanuatu entity. A local company with registered office and the governance the Act expects.
02
Fit & proper directors and beneficial owners. Clean records and transparent ownership to UBOs.
03
Business plan. Services, markets, volumes and financials the VFSC can interrogate.
04
Governance documentation. Board arrangements, internal controls and responsibility maps.
05
AML/CFT programme. KYC, monitoring and reporting per Vanuatu's framework, with a named officer.
06
Technology architecture. Platform, wallet and key-management documentation per the guidelines.
07
Custody and client-asset arrangements. Segregation and safekeeping design.
08
Wind-down plan. Credible and documented, as the guidelines require.
09
Local administration. Registered agent and the on-island arrangements the VFSC verifies.
10
For ITOs: the offering's disclosure and approval filings under the Act's dedicated track.
01
Vanuatu company with registered office.
02
Fit & proper directors and owners.
03
Interrogable business plan.
04
Documented governance and controls.
05
AML/CFT with named officer.
06
Technology architecture per guidelines.
07
Custody and segregation design.
08
Credible wind-down plan.
09
Registered agent and administration.
10
ITO filings where offerings run.
Reflects the Virtual Asset Service Providers Act No. 3 of 2025 and VFSC guidelines (revised January 2026) as of 2026.VASP Act No. 3 of 2025 + VFSC guidelines (Jan 2026), as of 2026.
How it works
From first call to the VFSC register.
01
Perimeter and strategy
VASP scope, ITO plans and any FDL pairing. Fixed in writing with fees and timeline.VASP, ITO, FDL - in writing.
02
Vanuatu company and people
Incorporation, registered agent and the fit-and-proper dossiers the VFSC vets.Incorporation + vetted dossiers.
03
The application file
Business plan, governance, AML, technology and wind-down documentation - per the revised guidelines, complete before filing.Per revised guidelines, complete.
04
VFSC review
Question rounds with a desk that has processed licences for decades - 3-6 months expected for complete files.3-6 months expected.
05
Licence and operation
Register entry, launch under supervision, and the annual obligations we can keep running.Register entry, launch, renewals.
Quick facts
RegulatorVFSC
StatuteAct No. 3 of 2025
GuidelinesRevised Jan 2026
In practice3-6 months expected
Income taxNone
Capital gains taxNone
VAT15% domestic
HeritageFDL - decades of practice
A new statute on an old bench. The VFSC publishes its expectations, and files built to them move at offshore speed.
On the ground in Vanuatu
Run from our Port Vila office.
Prifinance - Vanuatu
Port Vila · Vanuatu
Port Vila, Vanuatu
01
Vanuatu company formation
Local incorporation, registered agent and the corporate layer the VFSC expects. Structured for the licence from day one.Structured for the licence.
02
The VASP file
Business plan, governance, AML and technology dossiers per the January 2026 guidelines. Drafted by us and walked through the VFSC's rounds.Per the 2026 guidelines, walked through.
03
Administration and audit
Registered agents, administrators and auditors from the island's established bench - assembled pragmatically.The island's bench, assembled.
04
Multi-desk sequencing
Vanuatu as the tax-neutral base, paired with onshore licences where target markets demand them. One team, both tracks.Tax-neutral base + onshore pairs.
We also have offices in
Tallinn
Estonia
Roseni 13
Vilnius
Lithuania
Gedimino pr. 2
Prague
Czech Republic
Vlkova 532/8, Žižkov
London
United Kingdom
7 Bell Yard
Madeira
Portugal
Rua da Alegria 31, 1F
Budapest
Hungary
Korányi Sándor u. 4
Istanbul
Turkey
Perpa Ticaret Merkezi, A Blok
Good to know
Taxation of crypto companies in Vanuatu.
The Pacific classic, intact: no income tax anywhere in the system. The costs that matter are licence fees, VAT on domestic supplies and substance.
No corporate income tax
Vanuatu levies no tax on corporate profits. Exchange margins, custody fees and trading gains accrue untaxed at the entity level.Profits accrue untaxed.
No personal income tax
Salaries, dividends and founders' gains carry no personal income tax. The full offshore package, still intact in 2026.Salaries and gains clean.
No capital gains tax
Disposals of virtual assets and other property sit outside any capital-gains net. There is none.Disposals outside any net.
VAT at 15%
Value-added tax applies to domestic supplies at 15%. Largely irrelevant to global-facing service models, planned where it touches.Rarely touches global models.
Fees are the system
Licence and registration fees. Annual and published. Are the jurisdiction's revenue model; they are costs to budget, not taxes to structure around.Annual, published, budgeted.
Substance still matters
Tax neutrality does not waive supervision: the VFSC verifies governance and administration, and counterparties read substance as credibility. We build it properly.Verified, and worth building.
Tax summary
Corporate income taxNone
Personal income taxNone
Capital gains taxNone
VAT (domestic)15%
Licence feesAnnual · published
Withholding taxesNone
*As of 2026. The running costs are fees and substance. We budget them precisely in your quote.
Turnkey professional support
Experienced lawyers and international consultants.
We provide end-to-end support, from company registration and the application file to regulatory interaction and compliance oversight - with an individualized approach to each client.
Oleksii Kindratenko
Builds the application itself: Vanuatu company, AML/KYC policy pack, capital structure and tax registrations. His document sets are the reason reviews finish in months, not years.
Eugeniu Bevziuc
First point of contact for international founders. Runs the whole setup remotely, across time zones and languages - from the first call to a live, licensed business.
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Vanuatu · VFSC
Launch your crypto project in Vanuatu with expert support.
Full-service assistance - from company registration to the VFSC licence and ongoing compliance.
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Is Vanuatu the right fit for your project?
Our legal team will analyze your case at no cost and provide a written legal opinion: which jurisdiction, licence scope, or route fits your business.
Written assessment within 2-5 business days
Request a free conclusion →FAQ
The Vanuatu crypto licence: the practical answers.
What licence does a crypto business need in Vanuatu?+
A VASP licence from the Vanuatu Financial Services Commission under the Virtual Asset Service Providers Act No. 3 of 2025 - covering exchange, transfers, custody and safekeeping, and initial token offerings.
Is this the old Class D financial dealers licence?+
No - the FDL's Class D endorsement covered digital assets for years, but the 2025 Act created a dedicated VASP regime with its own licensing, guidelines and supervision. The FDL continues for securities dealing and can pair with the VASP licence.
How new are the rules?+
The Act is No. 3 of 2025, and the VFSC's application requirements were revised in January 2026 - with guidelines, forms and a sector risk assessment all published. Young statute, veteran desk.
How long does licensing take?+
We expect 3-6 months for complete files - the VFSC has processed dealer licences for decades, and its published guidelines make the file's contents knowable in advance.
Is there really no income tax?+
Correct - Vanuatu levies no corporate income tax, no personal income tax and no capital gains tax. VAT at 15% touches domestic supplies, and annual licence fees are the budgeted cost.
What substance is expected?+
A Vanuatu company with a registered agent, fit-and-proper directors and owners, documented governance, a named AML officer and technology architecture per the guidelines - verified by the VFSC.
Can we run token offerings?+
Yes - initial token offerings sit inside the Act's perimeter with dedicated disclosure and approval filings. We scope the ITO track alongside the service licence.
What are the real limitations?+
No EU passport, no US reach, and banking that requires careful arrangement - Vanuatu is a tax-neutral home base, not a market-access play. Groups targeting specific onshore markets pair it with the relevant licence, and we sequence both.
How is banking handled?+
Through a deliberate mix of island and international institutions matched to your flows - arranged as part of the build, with the licence and substance file doing the persuading.
Why Vanuatu rather than St Lucia or Gibraltar?+
Against St Lucia: a dedicated 2025 statute and zero income tax versus a class system on a territorial base. Against Gibraltar: lighter cost and full tax neutrality versus a heavier, more branded regime. The profile decides, and we model all three side by side.
What licence is needed?+
VFSC VASP licence under the 2025 Act.
The old Class D?+
Superseded by the dedicated Act; FDL pairs.
How new?+
Act of 2025; guidelines revised Jan 2026.
How long?+
3-6 months expected.
No income tax?+
None - corporate, personal or CGT.
Substance?+
Agent, governance, AML, verified tech.
ITOs?+
Yes - dedicated track in the Act.
Limitations?+
No passports; careful banking.
Banking?+
Island + international mix, arranged.
Why Vanuatu?+
Statute-backed and fully tax-neutral.
Client notes
Google4.7★★★★★
Founders who wanted it done right.
Google4.7★★★★★
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Prifinance is an independent law and advisory firm. We are not a regulator and are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of the Vanuatu Financial Services Commission or any other public authority. Authorisations are granted by, and obtained directly from, the competent authorities.