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 FSC decision, including banking and payment rails.
Get an investment license in Jamaica.
The Caribbean's most developed domestic capital market: Financial Services Commission licensing with published thresholds - J$50 million minimum capital for a company dealer, J$1 million in free assets for a company investment adviser, J$10 million net worth or indemnity insurance for individuals, and ownership that must be Jamaican or CARICOM.
27 yrs
on the international marketon the market
60+
in-house specialistsspecialists
400+
Licenses obtainedlicenses obtained
Updated
Jamaica in brief
A real securities market with published entry prices.
Jamaica has the English-speaking Caribbean's deepest domestic securities market, and the Financial Services Commission licenses into it on published terms. A company applying for a dealer's licence needs minimum capital of J$50 million, must satisfy solvency and liquidity standards under the Securities Act, and must have at least one director who personally holds a valid dealer's or investment adviser's licence and meets the individual financial requirements. A company applying for an investment adviser's licence needs J$1 million in free assets - cash and readily convertible securities. Individuals licensed as dealers or investment advisers must maintain a net worth of J$10 million evidenced by audited financial statements, or hold indemnity insurance for the same amount. Representatives carry no financial requirement at all, only documentation, qualifications and references.
There is one structural fact that changes how foreign groups approach this market, and it belongs at the top rather than in the small print: the company must be incorporated or registered in Jamaica and owned or controlled by Jamaican or CARICOM resident citizens. That is not a formality to engineer around - it is a design constraint, and it means an international group typically enters through partnership, local principals or acquisition rather than a wholly-owned subsidiary. We say so before any structure is drawn. For groups with genuine Caribbean roots or partners, Jamaica offers a serious, liquid, well-regulated market. We build the FSC file end to end.
Published thresholds in the Caribbean's deepest market: company dealer J$50 million minimum capital with solvency and liquidity standards, company investment adviser J$1 million in free assets, individuals J$10 million net worth or indemnity.
A dealer company needs at least one personally licensed director, and ownership must be Jamaican or CARICOM - a design constraint we lead with, not bury.
The two builds
The dealer's licence - or the investment adviser.
Two company licences with very different capital lines, plus the individual licences that must sit inside them. The director requirement links the two.
The J$50M dealer - or the J$1M free-assets adviser.
01 - DEALER'S LICENCE
The dealing company
The full securities dealer at J$50 million minimum capital. With solvency and liquidity standards and at least one director personally licensed and meeting the individual financial test.
The full securities dealer at J$50 million minimum capital. With solvency and liquidity standards and at least one director personally licensed and meeting the individual financial test.
- ✓J$50 million minimum capital
- ✓Solvency and liquidity standards
- ✓A personally licensed director
- ✓Fit-and-proper officers
- ✓Jamaican incorporation
- ✓Jamaican or CARICOM control
02 - INVESTMENT ADVISER
The advisory company
The company investment adviser at J$1 million in free assets. Cash and readily convertible securities. A materially lighter entry into the same regulated market.
The company investment adviser at J$1 million in free assets. Cash and readily convertible securities. The lighter regulated entry, upgradeable later.
- ✓J$1 million free assets
- ✓Cash and convertible securities
- ✓Fit-and-proper officers
- ✓Individual licences alongside
- ✓Representatives without capital tests
- ✓Upgrade path to dealing
Figures per the FSC's published financial requirements for securities licensees as of 2026. Individual licensees: J$10 million net worth or indemnity insurance of the same amount.
Why Jamaica
Six reasons firms license in Kingston.
✓
The region's deepest market
Jamaica's securities market is the most developed in the English-speaking Caribbean, with real domestic liquidity and listed depth.Real domestic liquidity.
✓
Published thresholds
J$50 million, J$1 million, J$10 million. The FSC states its financial requirements openly, so the entry price is computable.Entry is computable.
✓
A graded entry
The adviser licence at J$1 million free assets is a genuine, regulated way into the market without dealer-scale capital.Adviser at J$1M.
✓
Licensed people, not just firms
Individuals hold their own licences and a licensed director must sit on the dealer company. Credentials run through the structure.Credentials run through.
✓
CARICOM reach
A Jamaican licence sits inside a regional community with shared standards and recognisable credentials.Shared standards.
✓
Stated up front
The Jamaican and CARICOM ownership requirement is a real constraint. We lead with it rather than discovering it late.Ownership, up front.
How it compares
How Jamaica differs from other routes.
The comparison in plain terms: a genuine domestic market with published prices. Behind an ownership requirement most offshore routes do not have.
Jamaica vs other jurisdictions
| Feature |  Jamaica | Other jurisdictions |
|---|---|---|
| Regime | Securities Act - FSC | Offshore or MiFID |
| Dealer capital | J$50 million | US$50k-US$500k offshore |
| Adviser entry | J$1 million free assets | US$10k-€75k |
| Ownership | Jamaican or CARICOM | Unrestricted |
Regime
JamaicaSecurities Act - FSC
Other jurisdictionsOffshore or MiFID
Dealer capital
JamaicaJ$50 million
Other jurisdictionsUS$50k-US$500k offshore
Adviser entry
JamaicaJ$1 million free assets
Other jurisdictionsUS$10k-€75k
Ownership
JamaicaJamaican or CARICOM
Other jurisdictionsUnrestricted
Country by country
| Country | License type | Taxation | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jamaica | Dealer / adviser - FSC | Local corporate regime | J$50M or J$1M free assets |
 Bahamas | Funds + SIA - SCB | No income tax | IFA 2019 fund categories |
 Belize | Securities licence - FSC | Territorial business tax | US$500,000 capitalisation |
 Cayman Islands | Securities manager - CIMA | No income tax | CI$5,000/yr, CI$15k resources |
JamaicaLicense typeDealer / adviser - FSC
TaxationLocal corporate regime
RequirementsJ$50M or J$1M free assets
BahamasLicense typeFunds + SIA - SCB
TaxationNo income tax
RequirementsIFA 2019 fund categories
BelizeLicense typeSecurities licence - FSC
TaxationTerritorial business tax
RequirementsUS$500,000 capitalisation
Cayman IslandsLicense typeSecurities manager - CIMA
TaxationNo income tax
RequirementsCI$5,000/yr, CI$15k resources
Before you apply
Requirements for the Jamaican licence.Requirements for the licence.
The FSC publishes what it requires. The checklist below is what a passing application contains.
01
Jamaican company. Incorporated or registered in Jamaica for the licensed activity.
02
Ownership and control. Held by Jamaican or CARICOM resident citizens.
03
Dealer capital. J$50 million minimum for a company dealer's licence.
04
Adviser assets. J$1 million in free assets, held as cash or readily convertible securities.
05
Licensed director. At least one director holding a valid dealer's or investment adviser's licence.
06
Individual financial test. J$10 million net worth on audited statements, or J$10 million indemnity insurance.
07
Solvency and liquidity. The standards prescribed under the Securities Act, evidenced.
08
Fit-and-proper officers - no convictions involving dishonesty; the FSC's fitness and propriety guidelines applied.
09
Representatives. Documentation, academic qualifications and written references, without a financial test.
10
Business plan and organisation. Strategy, controls and compliance the Commission can examine.
11
AML/CFT programme. Jamaican framework with a named responsible officer.
01
Jamaican company formed.
02
Jamaican/CARICOM control.
03
Dealer capital J$50M.
04
Adviser free assets J$1M.
05
One licensed director.
06
Individuals J$10M or cover.
07
Solvency and liquidity met.
08
Fit-and-proper officers.
09
Reps documented.
10
Plan and controls filed.
11
AML officer named.
Reflects the FSC's published financial requirements and fitness guidelines as of 2026. The ownership requirement is structural and addressed at design, not at filing.FSC published requirements, as of 2026.
How it works
From first call to the FSC register.
01
Ownership and route
The Jamaican and CARICOM control requirement mapped to a real structure before anything is formed.Real structure first.
02
Licence and capital
Dealer or adviser chosen, and J$50 million or J$1 million in free assets arranged accordingly.J$50M or J$1M.
03
People
The licensed director and individual licensees prepared. Net worth or indemnity evidenced.Evidence prepared.
04
The application
The FSC file with financial, fitness and organisational documentation complete at submission.Complete at filing.
05
Licensed and live
Licence granted, representatives registered, operations opened in Kingston.Reps registered.
Quick facts
RegulatorFSC Jamaica
Company dealerJ$50 million
Company adviserJ$1 million free assets
Individual net worthJ$10 million
Indemnity alternativeJ$10 million
Director requirementOne personally licensed
RepresentativesNo financial test
OwnershipJamaican or CARICOM
The licensed-director requirement is the practical bottleneck on the dealer route. Sourcing that person is the first workstream, not the last.
On the ground in Jamaica
Run from our Kingston office.
Prifinance - Jamaica
Kingston · Jamaica
Kingston, Jamaica
01
Ownership design
The Jamaican and CARICOM requirement addressed first. Partnership, local principals or acquisition, decided up front.Addressed first.
02
Licence choice
Dealer at J$50 million or adviser at J$1 million free assets, matched to what the business actually does.Matched to model.
03
The licensed director
The individually licensed director sourced and qualified. The link the dealer application depends on.Sourced early.
04
The FSC file
Financial evidence, fitness documentation and organisation assembled to the Commission's published standards.Built to standard.
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 investment firms in Jamaica.
A conventional domestic regime. Modelled against the actual licence and ownership structure.
Corporate income tax
Jamaica taxes companies at rates that differ for regulated financial institutions. Confirmed against the current schedule at structuring.Per current schedule.
Regulated-entity treatment
Licensed financial institutions can face their own rate and levies. A reason to model the licence and the tax position together.Own levies apply.
GCT on services
The general consumption tax applies with treatment for financial services per the published rules.Per published rules.
Withholding on outbound
Payments to non-residents carry withholding by type, reduced under Jamaica's treaty network.Treaty-reducible.
CARICOM treaty relief
The regional double-taxation treaty supports intra-CARICOM structures. Relevant given the ownership requirement.Regional relief.
Modelled per structure
Because ownership must be local or regional, tax planning and shareholder design are the same conversation.Tax and ownership.
Tax summary
Corporate taxPer current schedule
Regulated entitiesOwn rate and levies
GCTPer published treatment
WithholdingBy type · treaty relief
CARICOMRegional treaty relief
*Position as of 2026. Rates and levies for regulated financial institutions are confirmed with local advisers 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: Jamaican 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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Jamaica · FSC
Launch your investment firm in Jamaica with expert support.
Full-service assistance - from ownership design and licence selection to FSC licensing and individual registrations - run through our Kingston office.
Get a consultation →Free legal opinion
Is Jamaica 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 Jamaican investment licence - the questions we hear.
What licences does the FSC issue?+
Dealer's licences and investment adviser's licences, held by companies, individuals or partnerships, plus registration of representatives who act for licensed firms.
What capital does a company dealer need?+
Minimum capital of J$50 million, together with the solvency and liquidity standards prescribed under the Securities Act.
What does a company investment adviser need?+
Minimum free assets of J$1 million, held as cash and readily convertible securities - a materially lighter route into the same regulated market.
What must individuals show?+
A minimum net worth of J$10 million supported by audited financial statements, or indemnity insurance for at least J$10 million. Partnerships follow the individual requirements.
Is there a director requirement?+
Yes, and it drives the timeline: a company applying for a dealer's licence must have at least one director who personally holds a valid dealer's or investment adviser's licence and meets the individual financial requirements.
Can a foreign group own a Jamaican licensee?+
The company must be incorporated or registered in Jamaica and owned or controlled by Jamaican or CARICOM resident citizens. International groups therefore enter through partnership, local principals or acquisition - we design that at the start rather than discovering it late.
What about representatives?+
No financial requirements apply to representatives. They provide certified passport copies, academic qualifications and written references from referees.
Why license in Jamaica?+
It is the most developed securities market in the English-speaking Caribbean, with genuine domestic liquidity, a published rulebook and a regulator that states its financial requirements openly.
How long does licensing take?+
Realistically 6-12 months including preparation, with the licensed-director requirement and the individual financial evidence usually setting the pace.
Why Prifinance for Jamaica?+
The ownership constraint addressed before anything is formed, the licensed director sourced as the first workstream, and the FSC file built to the Commission's published standards - from our Kingston office.
What licences?+
Dealer and adviser.
Dealer capital?+
J$50 million.
Adviser?+
J$1M free assets.
Individuals?+
J$10M or indemnity.
Director rule?+
One personally licensed.
Foreign ownership?+
Jamaican/CARICOM required.
Representatives?+
No financial test.
Why here?+
Deepest regional market.
How long?+
6-12 months realistic.
Why you?+
Constraint handled first.
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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 Jamaican route fits your project and what it will cost.
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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 Jamaica or any other public authority. Authorisations are granted by, and obtained directly from, the competent authorities.