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TaiwanNikolai 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 decision, including banking and payment rails.
Forex license in Vanuatu: VFSC financial dealers licence.
A forex license in Vanuatu is the Financial Dealers Licence from the VFSC under Cap 70, the rare statute that writes FOREX in by name. The firm keeps a VT 5,000,000 deposit with the Commission. A final file is processed in about three weeks. The licence has no fixed term and stays in force until revoked, with a VT 500,000 annual fee, and there is no corporate income tax.
30 yrs
of experienceof experience
60+
in-house specialistsspecialists
400+
Licenses obtainedlicenses obtained
Updated · Reviewed by the Prifinance team
Vanuatu in brief
Forex license in Vanuatu: speed, statute and zero corporate tax.
Vanuatu is the rare jurisdiction whose securities statute names the product: the Financial Dealers Licensing Act (Cap 70) defines securities to include 'the proceeds of Foreign Exchange or FOREX', and the VFSC licenses dealers under it - a principal's licence for the firm, representative's licences for the individuals dealing on its behalf, each staying in force until revoked, with annual fees. The entry mechanics are the fastest in licensed FX: a VT 5,000,000 deposit (about US$42,000) maintained with the Commission, statutory application and licence fees plus a VT 500,000 annual licence fee, a board of at least two directors (one resident, at least 30% independent), office premises and records kept in Vanuatu, and the VFSC's own guidance commits to processing an application within roughly three weeks of the file being final.
The regime has grown teeth since its brass-plate era: the Act was amended repeatedly - most recently in 2024 - a licensee that has not started providing services within six months of grant can have the licence revoked, and the VT 500,000 annual fee carries a 10% penalty for each month it is late. The frame, up front: no EU, UK or comparable retail access, and banking requires more craft than the licence itself, but for a global-book broker that needs to be licensed, operational and legitimate this quarter rather than next year, on a no-corporate-income-tax base, nothing credible is faster. We build the file to final in one pass and run the deposit, people and annual fees end to end.
VFSC Financial Dealers Licence under Cap 70: FOREX expressly in the statute, VT 5M deposit with the Commission, ~3-week processing from a final file, no fixed term (VT 500,000 a year), services within 6 months - the fastest credible route.
No corporate income tax, no CGT, no WHT. Global book only - we pair it with onshore licences where retail rules demand.
The two licences
The principal's licence - and its representatives.
Cap 70 splits the permission: the principal's licence for the dealing firm, representative's licences for the individuals who deal as its agents. We build both in one file.
The principal's licence for the firm. Representatives for its people.
01 - PRINCIPAL'S LICENCE
The dealing firm
The company's permission to deal in securities. With FOREX expressly in the statutory definition: VT 5,000,000 deposited with the Commission, the file processed in weeks, the licence in force until revoked.
The company's permission to deal in securities. With FOREX expressly in the statutory definition: VT 5,000,000 deposited with the Commission, the file processed in weeks, the licence in force until revoked.
- ✓Dealing in securities - FOREX in scope
- ✓VT 5,000,000 deposit maintained
- ✓Statutory + rules-based fees
- ✓No fixed term, VT 500,000 a year
- ✓Services within 6 months of grant
- ✓~3-week processing from a final file
02 - REPRESENTATIVE'S LICENCES
The people layerThe dealing individuals
Every person dealing as servant or agent of the principal holds a representative's licence. Applied for alongside the firm and managed with it as one people-file.
Every dealing individual licensed alongside the principal; one people-file, add as you scale.
- ✓Individual licence per dealer
- ✓Filed alongside the principal
- ✓Fit-and-proper documentation
- ✓Kept in step with the firm
- ✓Add representatives as you scale
- ✓One people-file, kept current
Costs and timelines are confirmed for your case before any work begins. Statutory fees are topped up by the current fee rules. The full schedule is itemised in your quote.
Why Vanuatu
The quarter-not-year licence.
Vanuatu compresses licensed entry to weeks, and charges no corporate income tax on what follows.
✓
~3 weeks' processing
The VFSC's guidance commits to processing an application within about three weeks of the file being final. The fastest credible clock in licensed FX.From a final file.
✓
FOREX named in the statute
No interpretive stretch: Cap 70's definition of securities includes the proceeds of Foreign Exchange expressly. The licence and the product match by text.Named in the statute.
✓
VT 5M deposit, not capital tiers
About US$42,000 deposited with the Commission is the prudential core. A bond that comes back, not capital burned on thresholds.VT 5M with the VFSC.
✓
No corporate income tax
Vanuatu levies no corporate income tax and no capital gains tax. Licence fees are the cost of the flag, and the P&L keeps itself.Fees, not rates.
✓
A register that stays live
A six-month start-or-lose rule, a VT 500,000 annual fee with penalties for paying late and licences the Commission can grant with conditions keep the register live. The brass-plate era is over, which protects the licence's name.Start in 6 months or lose it.
✓
Group-ready satellite
The standard fast engine beside onshore licences. Live in weeks while the MiFID or ASIC build runs its longer clock.Fast engine, paired.
How it compares
How Vanuatu differs from other routes.
Numbers next to numbers: nothing credible is faster or lighter on tax, and nothing offshore opens ring-fenced retail.
Vanuatu vs other jurisdictions
| Feature |  Vanuatu | Other jurisdictions |
|---|---|---|
| Regime | Cap 70 - VFSC FDL | MiFID desks or offshore |
| Entry | VT 5M deposit (~US$42k) | US$50k-2M capital |
| Processing | ~3 weeks from final file | Months to a year+ |
| Corporate tax | None | 3-30% spread |
Regime
VanuatuCap 70 - VFSC FDL
Other jurisdictionsMiFID desks or offshore
Entry
VanuatuVT 5M deposit (~US$42k)
Other jurisdictionsUS$50k-2M capital
Processing
Vanuatu~3 weeks from final file
Other jurisdictionsMonths to a year+
Corporate tax
VanuatuNone
Other jurisdictions3-30% spread
Country by country
| Country | License type | Taxation | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vanuatu | VFSC Financial Dealer | No corporate income tax | VT 5M deposit, VT 500k a year |
 Seychelles | FSA Securities Dealer | 1.5% with substance | US$100k capital |
 Mauritius | FSC Investment Dealer | 15% · 3% effective | MUR 1M, 2 officers if domestic |
 Belize | FSC registration | Territorial | Capital + substance rules |
VanuatuLicense typeVFSC Financial Dealer
TaxationNo corporate income tax
RequirementsVT 5M deposit, VT 500k a year
SeychellesLicense typeFSA Securities Dealer
Taxation1.5% with substance
RequirementsUS$100k capital
MauritiusLicense typeFSC Investment Dealer
Taxation15% · 3% effective
RequirementsMUR 1M, 2 officers if domestic
BelizeLicense typeFSC registration
TaxationTerritorial
RequirementsCapital + substance rules
Asia and Oceania
Forex licences in neighbouring jurisdictions
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Offshore forex license: jurisdictions compared →
Forex license in Europe: MiFID II investment firm, countries compared →
Before you apply
Forex license requirements in Vanuatu: what the VFSC checks.Vanuatu forex license requirements.
The VFSC processes final files fast, so the craft is arriving final. The checklist below is what that file contains.
01
Vanuatu company. With a registered office/agent in Vanuatu and its records maintained there.
02
The deposit. VT 5,000,000 placed and maintained with the Commission.
03
At least two directors. One of them resident in Vanuatu and at least 30% independent, with the fit-and-proper documentation the Commission reviews.
04
Clean founders. Shareholders disclosed to UBO level with source-of-funds evidence.
05
Business plan. The dealing model, target markets and financials, presented for a fast read.
06
Representative applications. Every dealing individual filed alongside the principal.
07
Client money arrangements. Segregation and the banking architecture documented before launch.
08
AML/CFT programme. KYC, screening and reporting under Vanuatu AML law, with a named officer.
09
Commencement plan. Services running within six months of grant, or the licence can be revoked.
10
Annual fee discipline. VT 500,000 due by each anniversary of incorporation, with a 10% monthly penalty if late.
01
Vanuatu company, records local.
02
VT 5,000,000 deposit placed.
03
Two directors, one resident.
04
Founders to UBO, funds sourced.
05
Fast-read business plan.
06
Representatives filed alongside.
07
Client money architecture.
08
AML with named officer.
09
Services within 6 months.
10
Annual fee calendar owned.
Reflects the Financial Dealers Licensing Act (Cap 70), its 2024 amendment and VFSC guidance as of 2026.Cap 70 + 2024 amendment + VFSC guidance, as of 2026.
Verify it yourself
Official sources
Regulator pages, legal texts and public registers the figures on this page are based on.
How it works
From first call to the VFSC register.
01
Model and strategy
Standalone or group satellite, markets and banking plan. Fixed in writing before any drafting.Fixed in writing.
02
Company and deposit
Vanuatu entity, registered office and the VT 5,000,000 deposit placed with the Commission.VT 5M placed.
03
The final file
Principal and representative applications, business plan and AML pack. Final at submission, nothing left to chase.Nothing left to chase.
04
VFSC processing
Roughly three weeks from the final file. Questions answered same-day to keep the clock moving.~3 weeks, answered same-day.
05
Licence and commencement
Register entry, services live well inside the six-month window, annual-fee calendar set. Licensed FX in a quarter.Commenced inside the window.
Quick facts
RegulatorVFSC
FrameworkCap 70 · FDL
FOREXExpressly in scope
DepositVT 5,000,000
Processing~3 weeks final file
Licence termNo fixed term
CommencementWithin 6 months
Corporate taxNone
The three-week clock runs from a final file. Arriving final is the entire strategy, and our job.
On the ground in Vanuatu
Run from our Port Vila office.
Prifinance - Vanuatu
Port Vila · Vanuatu
Port Vila, Vanuatu
01
Vanuatu company formation
Incorporation, registered office and the corporate layer the Commission expects. Built for the licence from day one.Built for the licence.
02
The VFSC file
Business plan, deposit mechanics, principal and representative applications. Drafted to final in one pass, because final is what starts the three-week clock.One pass, no chasing.
03
Deposit and banking
The VT 5M deposit placed correctly and the operating bank architecture built alongside. The part that takes longer than the licence.The longer pole, handled.
04
Annual fees and standing
The annual fee cycle, representative roster and commencement evidence. Owned as a calendar, not remembered as a scramble.A calendar, not a scramble.
We also have offices in
Vilnius
Lithuania
Gedimino pr. 2
Prague
Czech Republic
Vlkova 532/8, Žižkov
Dubai
UAE
33 Level, Al Saqr Business Tower
London
United Kingdom
7 Bell Yard
Madeira
Portugal
Rua da Alegria 31, 1F
Istanbul
Turkey
Perpa Ticaret Merkezi, A Blok
Good to know
Taxation of forex brokers in Vanuatu.
The lightest fiscal footprint in licensed FX: no corporate income tax, with licence fees as the cost of the flag.
No corporate income tax
Vanuatu levies no tax on corporate profits. The licensed dealer's P&L is a business question, not a tax computation.P&L keeps itself.
No capital gains tax
Disposals, revaluations and exits pass untaxed. Restructurings stay clean by default.Clean exits.
No withholding taxes
Dividends, interest and fees flow without Vanuatu withholding. Distribution is a transfer, not a filing.Transfers, not filings.
VAT 15% - domestic only
VAT applies to domestic Vanuatu supplies; the international dealing book of an FX broker sits outside it.Book sits outside.
Fees instead of taxes
The state charges through licence fees, VT 500,000 a year once licensed. Predictable line items itemised in your quote, not rates on profit.Predictable line items.
Plan the group layer
Zero local tax shifts the planning to the owners' jurisdictions. CFC and residency rules above the entity are where the modelling happens.CFC modelled above.
Tax summary
Corporate income taxNone
Capital gains taxNone
Withholding taxesNone
VAT15% domestic only
State chargesLicence + annual fees
*As of 2026. Owner-level CFC and residency outcomes are modelled per structure.
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 dealer.
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Vanuatu · VFSC
Get your forex license in Vanuatu with expert support.
Full-service assistance - from incorporation to the Financial Dealers Licence, deposit, banking and annual fees - run through our Port Vila office.
Get a consultation →Free legal opinion
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 forex licence: the practical answers.
What licence does a forex broker need in Vanuatu?+
The Financial Dealers Licence from the VFSC under Cap 70 - a principal's licence for the firm and representative's licences for the individuals dealing on its behalf. The Act's definition of securities includes the proceeds of Foreign Exchange expressly.
What does entry actually require?+
A Vanuatu company with office premises and records in the country, a board of at least two directors (one resident in Vanuatu, at least 30% independent), clean founders, professional indemnity cover of at least VT 5,000,000 per claim, a VT 5,000,000 deposit maintained with the Commission, and the fees under the Act, including the VT 500,000 annual licence fee.
How long does a forex license in Vanuatu take?+
The VFSC's guidance commits to processing an application within roughly three weeks of the final file. End to end - company, deposit, people, file - a prepared project is licensed in about one to three months.
Is there a catch in the speed?+
Two real ones: a licensee that has not started providing services within six months of grant can lose the licence, and the VT 500,000 annual fee falls due by each anniversary of incorporation, with a 10% penalty for every month of delay up to 50%. The licence itself has no fixed term. Vanuatu is fast to grant and fast to take back - the calendar matters.
How are Vanuatu dealers taxed?+
There is no corporate income tax, no capital gains tax and no withholding - VAT touches only domestic supplies. The state charges through licence fees, including VT 500,000 a year, and the real tax modelling moves to the owners' jurisdictions.
Can the licence serve EU, UK or US retail?+
No - ring-fenced retail markets need their own licences. The FDL carries the global book; groups pair it with onshore entities where regulated retail matters, and we structure that cleanly.
What about banking?+
The licence is the easy part; banking takes craft. PSP-first architectures, regional banks familiar with VFSC licensees and clean substance are the working answers - we sequence rails alongside the licence.
What changed in the 2024 amendment?+
The Financial Dealers Licensing (Amendment) Act No. 5 of 2024 amends Cap 70 without renaming it. It lets the Commission grant a licence with or without conditions, sets a VT 500,000 annual licence fee and adds a penalty of 10% a month, up to 50%, for paying it late. One more step away from the brass-plate past, and the licence's name is better protected because of it.
Vanuatu or the Seychelles?+
Vanuatu wins on clock and tax (weeks; zero corporate income tax); the Seychelles wins on market proof and PSP recognition. Fast-to-market groups often start in Port Vila and add jurisdictions as flow justifies them.
Does the financial dealers licence cover crypto?+
No. The Financial Dealers Licence under Cap 70 is written around securities and FX dealing; exchange, transfers, custody and token offerings sit under the Virtual Asset Service Providers Act No. 3 of 2025, with its own VFSC licence and guidelines revised in January 2026. A broker that wants both applies twice, to the same regulator. The Vanuatu crypto licence page covers the VASP route.
Why Prifinance for Vanuatu?+
A Port Vila office, files built to final in one pass, the deposit and banking mechanics handled, and the annual-fee calendar owned - speed with the discipline that keeps it.
What licence?+
VFSC FDL - FOREX in statute.
Entry?+
VT 5M deposit + clean file.
How fast?+
~3 weeks from final file.
Any conditions?+
Start within 6 months; pay the annual fee.
Taxes?+
None on profits; fees instead.
EU retail?+
No - global book only.
Banking?+
Craft required - we sequence.
2024 changes?+
Conditions and a VT 500k annual fee.
Or Seychelles?+
Clock vs proof - we model.
Does the financial dealers licence cover crypto?+
No. The Financial Dealers Licence under Cap 70 is written around securities and FX dealing; exchange, transfers, custody and token offerings sit under the Virtual Asset Service Providers Act No. 3 of 2025, with its own VFSC licence and guidelines revised in January 2026. A broker that wants both applies twice, to the same regulator. The Vanuatu crypto licence page covers the VASP route.
Why you?+
Final files, owned calendars.
Client notes
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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 (VFSC) or any other public authority. Authorisations are granted by, and obtained directly from, the competent authorities.