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 decision, including banking and payment rails.
Get a forex license in Vanuatu.
The fastest credible route into licensed FX: the Financial Dealers Licence from the Vanuatu Financial Services Commission under Cap 70 - FOREX written expressly into the statute, a VT 5,000,000 deposit with the Commission, processing in roughly three weeks once the file is final, and a jurisdiction with no corporate income tax.
27 yrs
on the international marketon the market
60+
in-house specialistsspecialists
400+
Licenses obtainedlicenses obtained
Updated
Vanuatu in brief
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 running for one year and renewed annually. 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 topped up by the current fee rules, at least one director, a registered office 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most recently in 2024 - licensees are expected to commence business within three months of issue or the licence can be withdrawn, and renewal is an annual re-test rather than a formality. 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 renewals 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, one-year renewable licence, commence within 3 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 renewed annually.
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 renewed annually.
- ✓Dealing in securities - FOREX in scope
- ✓VT 5,000,000 deposit maintained
- ✓Statutory + rules-based fees
- ✓One-year licence, annual renewal
- ✓Commence within 3 months of issue
- ✓~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, renewed on the same annual rhythm, managed as one people-file.
Every dealing individual licensed alongside the principal; one people-file, annual renewal, add as you scale.
- ✓Individual licence per dealer
- ✓Filed alongside the principal
- ✓Fit-and-proper documentation
- ✓Annual renewal 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.
✓
An annually re-tested register
One-year licences, renewal scrutiny and a commence-or-lose rule keep the register live. The brass-plate era is over, which protects the licence's name.Annual re-tests.
✓
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, annual renewal |
 Seychelles | FSA Securities Dealer | 15%/25% · source-based | US$50k capital |
 Mauritius | FSC Investment Dealer | 15% · 3% effective | MUR 1M, 2 local officers |
 Belize | FSC licence | Territorial | Capital + substance rules |
VanuatuLicense typeVFSC Financial Dealer
TaxationNo corporate income tax
RequirementsVT 5M deposit, annual renewal
SeychellesLicense typeFSA Securities Dealer
Taxation15%/25% · source-based
RequirementsUS$50k capital
MauritiusLicense typeFSC Investment Dealer
Taxation15% · 3% effective
RequirementsMUR 1M, 2 local officers
BelizeLicense typeFSC licence
TaxationTerritorial
RequirementsCapital + substance rules
Before you apply
Requirements for the Vanuatu FDL.Requirements for the FDL.
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 one director. 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. Operations ready to start within three months of issue, or the licence risks withdrawal.
10
Renewal discipline. The annual re-licensing calendar owned from day one.
01
Vanuatu company, records local.
02
VT 5,000,000 deposit placed.
03
At least one director, vetted.
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
Commence within 3 months.
10
Renewal 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.
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, operations live within the three-month window, renewal 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 term1 year, renewable
CommencementWithin 3 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
Renewals and standing
The annual re-licensing 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
Tallinn
Estonia
Roseni 13
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 and renewal fees. 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 + renewal 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.
Follow Prifinance
Active across our channels.
Vanuatu · VFSC
Launch your forex project in Vanuatu with expert support.
Full-service assistance - from incorporation to the Financial Dealers Licence, deposit, banking and annual renewals - 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 a registered office and records in the country, at least one director, clean founders, a VT 5,000,000 deposit maintained with the Commission, and the fee schedule under the Act and current rules.
How fast is it really?+
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: you must commence business within three months of issue or the licence can be withdrawn, and the licence renews annually with real scrutiny. 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 and renewal fees, 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 Act was renamed and tightened as part of the regime's continuing move away from its brass-plate past - the register is policed, renewals are re-tests 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.
Why Prifinance for Vanuatu?+
A Port Vila office, files built to final in one pass, the deposit and banking mechanics handled, and the renewal 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.
The catch?+
Commence in 3 months; annual re-test.
Taxes?+
None on profits; fees instead.
EU retail?+
No - global book only.
Banking?+
Craft required - we sequence.
2024 changes?+
Tighter, better-policed register.
Or Seychelles?+
Clock vs proof - we model.
Why you?+
Final files, owned calendars.
Client notes
Google4.7★★★★★
Founders who wanted it done right.
Google4.7★★★★★
“As a software development crew at FewMoreTaps OÜ, we've had the pleasure of working with Prifinance on some key financial moves.First of all, navigating the world of corporate banking and finance can be a maze, but Prifinance made it feel like a walk in the park. They helped us set up a corporate bank account without the hassle of jumping on a plane or drowning in paperwork. Everything was done remotely, smoothly…”
Google
“I had their assistance in company registration and I would recommend them. They were answering all my clarification during the process and offering all their supportThank you Daniel and Irinia”
Google
“We found PRIFINANCE COMPANYvia the Internet and asked for help in organizing the opening of their company in Estonia. PRIFINANCE COMPANY specialists helped us a lot with this. Their professional, competent approach and knowledge of their business left us with only the best impressions.”
Google
“I'm thrilled with my experience with PriFinance! They helped me obtain a crypto license in Estonia without any hassle. The team was super understanding and always available to answer my questions and assist. It was great to see how they put effort into preparing the documents to ensure everything went smoothly. I'm delighted with the outcome and highly recommend PriFinance to anyone looking to get a license…”
Google
“Opening an account with Prifinance in a Swiss bank was such an easy and quick process that I was shocked. It all started with the first call, where I received detailed guidance on the required documents and the entire procedure.One of the key highlights was their attention to detail. As someone who usually gets tangled up in paperwork, I was pleasantly surprised when they sent me all the documents and…”
Google
“I recently had the pleasure of working with Boris.. and I must say, it was a fantastic experience. Boris went above and beyond to assist me with my residency needs. His professionalism, knowledge, and dedication truly stood out. I highly recommend working with Boris and the team!”
Google
Start today
One message away from your Vanuatu forex licence.
Get a free legal opinion on 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.Free legal opinion: which Vanuatu route fits your project and what it will cost.
✓Written legal opinion within 2-5 business days - free of charge✓A clear recommendation on the right licence scope, not a sales pitch✓Transparent fixed fees, confirmed up front✓EN · RU · ES speaking team
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.