Bahamas
Antigua & Barbuda
Dominica
St Kitts & NevisNikolai 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 FSC decision, including banking and payment rails.
Get an investment license in Belize.
An investment license in Belize is, in law, an FSC securities registration under the Securities Industry Act 2021: BZ$1,000,000 (about US$500,000) of capital for trading as principal, BZ$240,000 as agent, advisory and portfolio scopes by category, a 2023 practitioners' code and annual attestations. The system was rebuilt after the IBC era closed. Expect 4-8 months, on a territorial business tax.
30 yrs
of experienceof experience
60+
in-house specialistsspecialists
400+
Licenses obtainedlicenses obtained
Updated · Reviewed by the Prifinance team
Belize in brief
Investment license in Belize: the jurisdiction that rebuilt itself, described as it is.
Belize replaced its old offshore architecture with the Securities Industry Act 2021 and a 2023 practitioners' code, and the difference matters: the FSC now registers named securities activities against real capital - BZ$1,000,000 (about US$500,000) for trading as principal and BZ$240,000 as agent under the Securities Industry Regulations 2023, deposited in Belize before registration - with advisory and portfolio-management scopes issued per its categories. Annual attestations, conduct rules and named responsible persons replaced the paper-only era that ended as the IBC regime was dismantled between 2019 and June 2021. What remains is a supervised, affordable Caribbean licence with a regulator that now says no.
Used properly, that is a real position: a manager running international mandates gets a licensed home at capitalisation well below onshore centres, in a territorial tax system where business tax follows Belize-source receipts and substance gates the outcome. What Belize does not offer is a treaty network or a retail passport - its agreements are thin, and EU or UK retail requires locally licensed entities. The architecture we build reflects that: Belize as the licensed operating company for international books, paired deliberately with treaty or onshore vehicles where the structure needs them. We scope the permissions, build the file and say what the licence does not do.
The rebuilt Caribbean regime: FSC registration under the Securities Industry Act 2021 - BZ$1,000,000 (about US$500,000) to trade as principal, advisory and portfolio scopes per category, 2023 practitioners' code, annual attestations.
Territorial business tax on receipts, substance-gated; thin treaties and no retail passport - paired deliberately with vehicles that have both. Built end to end.
The two builds
The trading licence - or the advisory scope.
The SIA 2021 registers named activities: trading as principal at BZ$1,000,000 (about US$500,000), advisory and portfolio scopes per the Commission's categories. We scope before we file.
The BZ$1M trading registration - or the advisory scope.
01 - TRADING PERMISSIONS
The capitalised licence
Trading in securities as principal under the SIA 2021 at BZ$1,000,000 of capital deposited in Belize. The full operating registration for international books, with the practitioners' code and annual attestations behind it.
Trading in securities as principal under the SIA 2021 at BZ$1,000,000 of capital deposited in Belize. The full operating registration for international books, with the practitioners' code and annual attestations behind it.
- ✓Trading in securities
- ✓BZ$1,000,000 (~US$500,000) capital
- ✓2023 practitioners' code
- ✓Annual attestations
- ✓Named responsible persons
- ✓International client books
02 - ADVISORY · PORTFOLIO
The lighter scope
Investment advice and portfolio scopes issued per the Commission's categories. The lighter permission set for firms that advise and manage without trading permissions, scoped and priced at filing.
Investment advice and portfolio scopes per the Commission's categories. The lighter permission set, same conduct code, upgrade path built in.
- ✓Investment advice
- ✓Portfolio management scope
- ✓Capitalisation per category
- ✓Same conduct code
- ✓Upgrade path to trading
- ✓Scoped up front at design
Capital and category scopes per the Securities Industry Act 2021 and the Securities Industry Regulations 2023. Reconfirmed against the Commission's current schedule at filing.
Why Belize
Six reasons firms still choose Belize.
✓
A rebuilt regime
The SIA 2021 and 2023 code replaced the paper era. A registration granted today means something the old licence did not.Means something now.
✓
Real capitalisation, modest cost
BZ$1,000,000 (about US$500,000) to trade as principal sits far below onshore centres while still gating the unserious.BZ$1M, real gate.
✓
Territorial taxation
Business tax follows Belize-source receipts. International books map outside it when the structure is clean.Source-mapped receipts.
✓
English common law
A common-law system and English-language administration. Documents and disputes in a familiar frame.Familiar frame.
✓
American time zone
Central time, direct flights and a workday that overlaps both American coasts.Both coasts overlap.
✓
Real limits
Thin treaties, no retail passport. We say it here, on the page, before you build anything.Said on the page.
How it compares
How Belize differs from other routes.
The comparison that matters: an affordable rebuilt licence. With a thin treaty map that has to be planned around.
Belize vs other jurisdictions
| Feature |  Belize | Other jurisdictions |
|---|---|---|
| Regime | SIA 2021 - FSC | SIBA or funds acts |
| Capital | BZ$1M (~US$500k) principal | CI$15k-US$500k |
| Treaties | Thin - pair deliberately | 40-100+ networks |
| Tax | Territorial business tax | None or 3% |
Regime
BelizeSIA 2021 - FSC
Other jurisdictionsSIBA or funds acts
Capital
BelizeBZ$1M (~US$500k) principal
Other jurisdictionsCI$15k-US$500k
Treaties
BelizeThin - pair deliberately
Other jurisdictions40-100+ networks
Tax
BelizeTerritorial business tax
Other jurisdictionsNone or 3%
Country by country
| Country | License type | Taxation | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belize | SIA registration - FSC | Territorial business tax | BZ$1,000,000 (~US$500,000) capital |
 BVI | Approved Manager / Cat 3 | No income tax | US$400M AUM cap, US$1,000 |
 Cayman Islands | Securities manager - CIMA | No income tax | CI$5,000/yr, CI$15k resources |
 Mauritius | Investment dealer - FSC | 15% · 3% effective | MUR 1M, 2 officers |
BelizeLicense typeSIA registration - FSC
TaxationTerritorial business tax
RequirementsBZ$1,000,000 (~US$500,000) capital
BVILicense typeApproved Manager / Cat 3
TaxationNo income tax
RequirementsUS$400M AUM cap, US$1,000
Cayman IslandsLicense typeSecurities manager - CIMA
TaxationNo income tax
RequirementsCI$5,000/yr, CI$15k resources
MauritiusLicense typeInvestment dealer - FSC
Taxation15% · 3% effective
RequirementsMUR 1M, 2 officers
The Caribbean and the Atlantic
Investment licences in neighbouring jurisdictions
All 113 investment licence jurisdictions →
Investment license cost: capital, official fees and timelines by country →
How to get an investment license: types, requirements and process →
Asset management and fund management license: regimes compared →
Broker-dealer and securities dealer license: regimes compared →
Before you apply
Investment license requirements in Belize: what the FSC checks.Investment license requirements in Belize.
The post-2021 Commission examines what it licenses. The checklist below is what a passing file contains.
01
Belize company. Incorporated for the registration with a real local presence.
02
Permission scope. Trading, advisory or portfolio activities mapped before filing.
03
Capital. BZ$1,000,000 (about US$500,000) to trade as principal or BZ$240,000 as agent, deposited in Belize before registration.
04
Fit-and-proper principals. Directors and owners vetted to ultimate-owner level.
05
Responsible persons. Named individuals accountable for the licensed activities.
06
Business plan. Clientele, instruments and projections the FSC can test.
07
Conduct compliance. The 2023 practitioners' code embedded in procedures.
08
Client-asset arrangements. Segregation and reconciliation per the Act.
09
Annual attestations. The declarations the regime requires, calendared.
10
AML/CFT programme. Belize's framework with a named officer.
11
Structural clarity. Treaty and retail limits addressed in the group design.
01
Belize company, present.
02
Permissions scoped first.
03
BZ$1M deposited.
04
Principals vetted to UBO.
05
Responsible persons named.
06
Testable business plan.
07
2023 code embedded.
08
Client assets segregated.
09
Attestations calendared.
10
AML officer named.
11
Limits designed around.
Reflects the Securities Industry Act 2021 and the 2023 code as of 2026. Capital is reconfirmed against the 2023 regulations at filing.SIA 2021 + 2023 code, as of 2026.
Verify it yourself
Official sources
Regulator pages, legal texts and public registers the figures on this page are based on.
- RegulatorBelize FSC - Securities: registration under the Securities Industry Act 2021belizefsc.org.bz
- RegulatorBelize FSC - Types of securities registrations: trading as agent or principal, managing, advice, arranging, custodybelizefsc.org.bz
- LawSecurities Industry Act 2021, No. 46 of 2021 - Belize FSCbelizefsc.org.bz
- LawSecurities Industry Regulations 2023, S.I. No. 139 of 2023: registration, capital (reg. 34) and conduct of business - Belize FSCbelizefsc.org.bz
- FeesBelize FSC - Securities fees: Schedule II of the Securities Industry Regulations 2023belizefsc.org.bz
How it works
From first call to the FSC register.
01
Scope and limits
Permissions chosen, treaty and retail gaps named. The structure designed around what Belize does not do.Gaps named first.
02
Company and capital
Belize entity, BZ$1,000,000 deposited in Belize for principal trading, key people vetted.BZ$1M deposited.
03
The application
The FSC file with plan, conduct procedures and responsible persons. Complete at submission.Complete at filing.
04
FSC examination
Queries answered on schedule. The modern Commission's questions taken seriously.Real questions met.
05
Registration and launch
Register entry, banking live, attestation calendar set. The operating company running.Attestations set.
Quick facts
RegulatorFSC Belize
FrameworkSIA 2021
Trading capitalisationBZ$1,000,000 (~US$500k)
Conduct2023 code + regulations
AttestationAnnual declarations
ReformIBC exemptions ended 2019-2021
Realistic timeline4-8 months
TaxTerritorial · substance-gated
The old Belize sold certificates; the new one registers supervised dealers. Files built to the old standard get refused. We build to the current one.
On the ground in Belize
Run from our Belize City office.
Prifinance - Belize
Belize City · Belize
Belize City, Belize
01
Scope and structure
Permissions mapped to the real business, with treaty and retail limits designed around from the start.Limits designed in.
02
The FSC file
Capitalisation, principals and conduct procedures. Complete at submission under the post-2021 standard.Post-2021 standard.
03
Conduct and attestations
The 2023 code embedded and the annual declaration calendar run as routine.Calendar as routine.
04
Banking and pairing
Accounts built deliberately and treaty vehicles paired where the structure needs them.Parallel, deliberate.
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 investment firms in Belize.
Territorial business tax with substance gating, and a treaty map thin enough to plan around deliberately.
Business tax on receipts
Belize taxes receipts rather than profits, by category. The computation is a revenue exercise, and we model it before you commit.Receipts by category.
Territorial logic
Belize-source receipts sit inside the system; international books map outside it when substance and structure hold.Source decides.
Substance-gated
The territorial outcome depends on real operations. The reform closed the paper route permanently.Paper route closed.
The IBC era ended
The reforms of 2019 dismantled the old exempt regime, and grandfathering ended on 30 June 2021. Structures inherited from it need rebuilding, not renewing.Rebuild, don't renew.
GST on domestic supplies
The indirect layer touches local consumption, not international mandates.Not on mandates.
Thin treaties
The network is small. Cross-border flows are paired with treaty vehicles elsewhere, deliberately, at design.Paired deliberately.
Tax summary
SystemBusiness tax on receipts
LogicTerritorial · substance-gated
ReformIBC exemptions ended 2019-2021
GSTDomestic supplies
TreatiesThin - pair deliberately
*Figures as of 2026 per Belize law. Category rates and territorial outcomes are modelled per structure before filing.
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: Belize 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 firm.
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Belize · FSC
Get your investment license in Belize with expert support.
Full-service assistance - from scope design and capitalisation to the FSC registration, conduct compliance and pairing - run through our Belize City office.
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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 Belize investment licence: quick answers.
What licence does an investment firm need in Belize?+
In law, a registration with the FSC under the Securities Industry Act 2021, scoped to the activities performed - trading as principal or agent, investment advice or portfolio management per the Commission's categories.
What capitalisation is required?+
BZ$1,000,000 (about US$500,000) to trade as principal and BZ$240,000 (about US$120,000) as agent, under regulation 34 of the Securities Industry Regulations 2023, held in Belize in Belize-dollar assets; advisory and portfolio scopes are capitalised per their category.
What changed after the reforms?+
Everything that mattered: the IBC regime was dismantled between 2019 and June 2021, the SIA 2021 replaced the old framework with registration and a 2023 practitioners' code added conduct obligations and annual attestations. A registration granted today is supervised in a way the old licence was not.
How long does an investment license in Belize take?+
Realistically 4-8 months including preparation - the modern Commission asks real questions, and files built to the pre-reform standard are refused.
Does Belize have a treaty network?+
No - the network is thin. Cross-border structures pair the Belize operating company with treaty vehicles elsewhere; that pairing is designed at the start, not discovered later.
Can the licence serve EU or UK retail clients?+
No - regulated retail markets require locally licensed entities. Belize serves international books; the layered structure covers the rest, and we build both ends.
How are Belize firms taxed?+
Business tax applies to receipts by category under a territorial system, gated by substance - international books map outside it when the structure holds. GST touches domestic supplies only.
Is a Belize licence bankable?+
With deliberate work and a post-reform file, yes - banks distinguish sharply between pre-2019 structures and registrations granted under the current regime. Banking runs as a parallel workstream from day one.
Belize or the BVI for a lean structure?+
Different shapes: the BVI Approved Manager suits fund managers below its AUM thresholds at US$1,000; Belize suits operating companies with client books at BZ$1,000,000 (about US$500,000) of capital. What you actually run decides - we model both.
Why Prifinance for Belize?+
Scope and limits stated before anything is built, a file constructed to the post-2021 standard, and treaty pairing designed in from the start - from our Belize City office.
What licence?+
FSC registration, SIA 2021.
Capital?+
BZ$1M as principal.
What changed?+
IBC gone; code added.
How long?+
4-8 months realistic.
Treaties?+
Thin - pair elsewhere.
EU retail?+
No - layered instead.
Taxes?+
Territorial on receipts.
Bankable?+
Post-reform files, yes.
Or BVI?+
What you run decides.
Why you?+
Limits stated first.
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 FSC Belize or any other public authority. Authorisations are granted by, and obtained directly from, the competent authorities.