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 QFCRA's authorisation, including banking and payment rails.
Get an investment license in Qatar.
A Qatar investment licence is a QFC authorisation: the QFC Regulatory Authority authorises Regulated Activities under QFC Law No. 7 of 2005 and the Financial Services Regulations - managing investments, advising, arranging, custody, operating a fund - with prudential rules in INMA and a concessionary tax rate of 0% for investment managers against a 10% headline. US$10,000 to apply, US$10,000 a year plus US$500 per approved individual, and a regulator that aims to decide within three months of a complete file. Minimum capital is set in INMA chapter 3; we confirm the figure for your activity set in the quote rather than print one. We run the file from our Dubai office.
27 yrs
on the international marketon the market
60+
in-house specialistsspecialists
400+
Licenses obtainedlicenses obtained
Updated
Qatar in brief
One authorisation, a three-month aim, a zero rate for managers.
Investment business in Qatar is licensed inside the Qatar Financial Centre, where the QFC Regulatory Authority grants a single Authorisation under QFC Law No. 7 of 2005 and the Financial Services Regulations (QFC Regulation No. 1 of 2005): the authorisation lists the Regulated Activities of FSR Schedule 3 - dealing in investments, arranging deals, managing investments, advising on investments, providing custody, operating a collective investment fund - and the prudential rulebook follows the list: INMA (Investment Management and Advisory Rules 2014, Version 9 of 23 September 2024) for managers, advisers, arrangers, custodians and fund operators, BANK for principal dealing, credit and deposit-taking. Only a body corporate or partnership may apply - QFC-incorporated or a registered branch - never an individual (FSR art. 29). Controlled functions under CTRL 2020 are approved individually on Form Q03. Minimum paid-up capital sits in INMA rule 3.3.3 and follows the activity set; we confirm the figure in the quote.
Tax is the argument. The QFC charges 10% on locally sourced profits and a concessionary 0% to investment managers, reinsurers, captives and firms at least 90% Qatari-owned; income earned through investment funds, holding companies and special purpose companies is exempt, and there is no personal income tax, wealth tax or Zakat. The regulator prints its costs: US$10,000 to apply for authorisation, US$10,000 a year plus US$500 per approved individual, US$2,000 to register a fund and US$2,000 a year to keep it registered. The QFCRA aims to process an application within three months of receiving all relevant information - an aim, not a statutory clock, and the only period the regulator publishes. Two limits: onshore Qatar needs a QFMA licence under Law No. 8 of 2012, and neither a count of authorised firms nor a population figure is published. We build the file from our Dubai office.
A Qatar licence is a QFC authorisation from the QFCRA under QFC Law 7/2005 and the FSR - managing investments, advising, arranging, custody, fund operation under INMA; body corporate or partnership only, controlled functions approved on Form Q03, capital per INMA chapter 3 confirmed in the quote.
10% on local-source profits, 0% for investment managers, no personal income tax; US$10,000 to apply, a three-month processing aim - built from our Dubai office.
The two builds
The managing investments authorisation - or advising and arranging.
One authorisation, priced by activity: managing investments and operating a fund under INMA with the 0% managers' rate, or advising and arranging without client assets. The activity set fixes the prudential test - we fix it first.
The managing investments authorisation - or advising and arranging.
01 - MANAGING INVESTMENTS · INMA
The manager's authorisation
Managing investments, operating a collective investment fund and providing custody in or from the QFC - INMA prudential rules, minimum paid-up capital under INMA chapter 3 confirmed in the quote, US$10,000 to apply, and the concessionary 0% tax rate the QFC reserves for investment managers.
Managing investments, operating a collective investment fund and providing custody in or from the QFC - INMA prudential rules, minimum paid-up capital under INMA chapter 3 confirmed in the quote, US$10,000 to apply, and the concessionary 0% tax rate the QFC reserves for investment managers.
- ✓Managing investments - discretionary
- ✓Operating a collective investment fund
- ✓Providing custody where needed
- ✓INMA capital · confirmed in the quote
- ✓0% concessionary tax rate
- ✓Fund registration US$2,000 + US$2,000 a year
02 - ADVISING AND ARRANGING
US$10,000 application feeThe advisory authorisation
Advising on investments and arranging deals in investments - the same US$10,000 application and US$10,000 annual fee, US$500 per approved individual, INMA prudential rules without client assets, and the 10% local-source rate unless the firm qualifies as an investment manager.
Advising and arranging at US$10,000 to apply and US$10,000 a year - INMA without client assets, upgrading to managing investments when mandates arrive.
- ✓Advising on investments
- ✓Arranging deals in investments
- ✓US$10,000 application · US$10,000 a year
- ✓US$500 per approved individual
- ✓No client assets - lighter INMA footprint
- ✓Upgrade path to managing investments
Fees per the QFCRA schedule as reproduced in its 2024 funds guide; INMA capital figures and QFCA licence fees are confirmed in writing before any work begins. Capital, approved individuals and substance are itemised in your quote.
Why Qatar
Six reasons managers file in the QFC.
Qatar sells a zero rate for investment managers and a regulator that prints its fees and its processing aim.
✓
0% for investment managers
The QFC's concessionary rate: an authorised investment manager pays 0% instead of the 10% headline on locally sourced profits - the strongest single fact on this page.Concessionary rate, 10% headline.
✓
One authorisation, one list
The Regulated Activities of FSR Schedule 3 sit under one authorisation; the rulebook - INMA or BANK - follows the activity, not a numbered category.Schedule 3 list, INMA or BANK.
✓
A three-month aim
The QFCRA aims to process an application within three months of receiving all relevant information - the only Gulf Centre besides Bahrain to put a number on itself.From all relevant information.
✓
Fees you can print
US$10,000 to apply, US$10,000 a year plus US$500 per approved individual, US$2,000 to register a fund - the schedule the regulator publishes.US$10k + US$500 per individual.
✓
Own courts, English statute
The QFC Civil and Commercial Court, the Regulatory Tribunal, legislation in English and 100% foreign ownership - a self-contained legal system for the firm.English statute, 100% foreign.
✓
The mainland is another licence
A QFC authorisation covers business in or from the Centre; financial services inside the State of Qatar need a QFMA licence under Law No. 8 of 2012 - the honest limit before the model is drawn.QFMA licence for onshore.
How it compares
How Qatar differs from other routes.
The honest comparison: the Gulf's best tax rate for a manager, with a capital figure we must confirm rather than print.
Qatar vs other jurisdictions
| Feature |  Qatar - QFC | Other jurisdictions |
|---|---|---|
| Regime | QFC Law 7/2005 · FSR · INMA/BANK | FSMR categories · CBB Volume 4 · DFSA categories |
| Capital | INMA ch. 3 · confirmed in quote | ADGM US$50k-US$250k · Bahrain BD 125k-BD 250k |
| Scope | QFC only · QFMA for onshore | None in the Gulf · EU: 30-state passport |
| Timeline | 3-month aim · no statute clock read | Bahrain 60 days by law · ADGM no clock |
Regime
Qatar - QFCQFC Law 7/2005 · FSR · INMA/BANK
Other jurisdictionsFSMR categories · CBB Volume 4 · DFSA categories
Capital
Qatar - QFCINMA ch. 3 · confirmed in quote
Other jurisdictionsADGM US$50k-US$250k · Bahrain BD 125k-BD 250k
Scope
Qatar - QFCQFC only · QFMA for onshore
Other jurisdictionsNone in the Gulf · EU: 30-state passport
Timeline
Qatar - QFC3-month aim · no statute clock read
Other jurisdictionsBahrain 60 days by law · ADGM no clock
Country by country
| Country | License type | Taxation | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Qatar - QFC | QFCRA authorisation · INMA | 10% · 0% managers | INMA capital · 3-month aim |
 Abu Dhabi - ADGM | FSRA FSP · Cat 3C / 4 | 9% · 0% qualifying | US$250k · US$50k advisory |
 Bahrain | CBB Cat 1-4 · Volume 4 | No CIT · 15% DMTT large | BD 125k-BD 1m · 60-day clock |
| Dubai - DIFC | DFSA Cat 3C / 4 | 9% · 0% qualifying | US$500k · US$10k advisory |
Qatar - QFCLicense typeQFCRA authorisation · INMA
Taxation10% · 0% managers
RequirementsINMA capital · 3-month aim
Abu Dhabi - ADGMLicense typeFSRA FSP · Cat 3C / 4
Taxation9% · 0% qualifying
RequirementsUS$250k · US$50k advisory
BahrainLicense typeCBB Cat 1-4 · Volume 4
TaxationNo CIT · 15% DMTT large
RequirementsBD 125k-BD 1m · 60-day clock
Dubai - DIFCLicense typeDFSA Cat 3C / 4
Taxation9% · 0% qualifying
RequirementsUS$500k · US$10k advisory
Before you apply
Requirements for the QFC authorisation.Requirements for the authorisation.
The QFCRA authorises the activity set and the people who will run it. The checklist below is what a complete file contains.
01
QFC vehicle - a body corporate or partnership formed under the QFC Companies Regulations or the LLP Regulations, or a branch registered with the Companies Registration Office; an individual cannot be authorised (FSR art. 29).
02
Regulated Activities - each activity of FSR Schedule 3 named in the authorisation: managing investments, advising, arranging, custody, operating a collective investment fund.
03
INMA capital - minimum paid-up share capital under INMA rule 3.3.3 and the minimum capital requirement under rule 3.3.1; the figures follow the activity set and prudential class, so we confirm them for your file in the quote.
04
Prudential class - INMA for managers, advisers, arrangers, custodians and fund operators; BANK for dealing as principal, credit and deposit-taking.
05
Regulatory Business Plan - the document the Financial Sector Office and the QFCRA test before Form Q02 goes in: activities, clients, projections and controls.
06
Approved individuals - Senior Executive, Finance, Compliance Oversight, MLRO, Risk, Internal Audit and Executive Governance functions under CTRL 2020, each filed on Form Q03 at US$500 a year.
07
Fit and proper - FSR art. 29(2)-(5) for the firm and its controllers; entry on the public register under art. 18.
08
Client money and custody - CIPR 2019 rules wherever the activities touch client assets; there is no compensation scheme to fall back on.
09
Premises - a physical office in the QFC for the incorporated firm or the registered branch, scoped with the Companies Registration Office before the lease.
10
Fees - US$10,000 authorisation application; US$10,000 a year plus US$500 per approved individual; US$2,000 fund registration and US$2,000 a year per registered fund; QFCA licence fees confirmed separately.
01
Body corporate or partnership.
02
Schedule 3 activities named.
03
INMA capital, confirmed.
04
INMA or BANK class.
05
Regulatory Business Plan.
06
Form Q03 individuals, US$500.
07
Fit and proper, art. 29.
08
CIPR client money.
09
Office in the QFC.
10
US$10,000 + annual fees.
Reflects QFC Law 7/2005, the FSR and the QFCRA rulebooks (INMA Version 9, CTRL 2020, CIPR 2019) as of 2026.QFC Law 7/2005, FSR, INMA, CTRL, as of 2026.
How it works
From first call to QFCRA authorisation.
01
Activity set
The QFCA's assessment of which activities are regulated, the INMA or BANK class and the tax position fixed in writing.QFCA assessment, tax fixed.
02
Front door and plan
Referral to the Financial Sector Office, the Regulatory Business Plan and the pre-application meeting - the QFC's front door before any form.Sector Office, RBP, pre-application.
03
Forms Q02 and Q03
The firm's application and each controlled function's approval filed together with the US$10,000 fee.Filed with US$10,000.
04
QFCRA review
Questions answered on schedule - the regulator aims to decide within three months of receiving all relevant information.Three-month aim.
05
Licence and launch
QFCA licensing through the Companies Registration Office, post-authorisation conditions cleared, the firm live in the Centre.CRO licence, conditions cleared.
Quick facts
RegulatorQFCRA
LicenceAuthorisation · FSR Schedule 3
Prudential rulesINMA · BANK
Minimum capitalINMA ch. 3 · in the quote
Application feeUS$10,000
Annual feeUS$10,000 + US$500 per individual
Realistic timeline3 months from complete file (aim)
Corporate tax10% · 0% managers
INMA sets the capital by activity set and prudential class - we read the capital rule with the QFCRA before we put a number in your quote, and never before.
On the ground in Qatar
Run from our Doha office.
Prifinance - Qatar
Doha · Qatar
Doha, Qatar
01
Activity strategy
Managing, advising, arranging, custody or fund operation - the Schedule 3 list and the INMA class fixed before the Regulatory Business Plan is drafted.Schedule 3, INMA class.
02
The QFCRA file
Regulatory Business Plan, Form Q02 and the policy pack complete at submission - the three-month aim only starts on a file with all relevant information.Complete, aim started.
03
Approved individuals
Senior Executive, Finance, Compliance Oversight, MLRO, Risk and Internal Audit functions sourced where gaps exist and filed on Form Q03.Form Q03 bench.
04
QFCA licence and launch
Companies Registration Office licensing after authorisation, post-authorisation conditions cleared, banking live - the firm operating from the Centre.CRO licence, banking.
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 investment firms in Qatar.
A zero rate for the investment manager, 10% for everyone else in the Centre, and nothing on the individual.
10% on local-source profits
The QFC's corporation tax applies at 10% to locally sourced profits under the QFC Tax Regulations - the headline before the concession.The headline.
0% for investment managers
The concessionary rate for investment managers, reinsurers, captive insurers and firms at least 90% Qatari-owned - the manager's authorisation is also the tax case.Concessionary rate.
Fund and holding income exempt
Income derived through investment funds, holding companies and special purpose companies is exempt - the structure above the manager stays clean.Holdings, SPCs too.
No personal income tax
No personal income tax, wealth tax or Zakat - principals and portfolio teams keep their compensation whole.No wealth tax, no Zakat.
Dividends and gains
Exemptions on dividends, public treasury bond returns and capital gains on shareholdings of 10% or more, with reduced withholding on cross-border payments under treaties.Exempt, gains on 10%+.
No VAT in force
Qatar had not implemented VAT as of September 2026 - a position resting on no law being in force rather than a page we can cite, so we re-check it at filing.None in force, re-checked.
Tax summary
Corporate tax10% local-source
Investment managers0% concessionary
Personal income taxNone
Fund and holding incomeExempt
Sector levyQFCRA fees only
*Figures as of 2026 per the QFC Tax Regulations and the QFC Authority. The concessionary rate is confirmed for your activity set with the QFC Authority, not assumed.
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: QFC 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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Qatar · QFCRA
Launch your investment firm in Qatar with expert support.
Full-service assistance - from the activity set and Regulatory Business Plan to QFCRA authorisation, approved individuals and launch - run through our Doha 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.
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Request a free conclusion →FAQ
The Qatar investment licence, answered.
What licence does an investment manager need in Qatar?+
A QFCRA authorisation for the Regulated Activities of FSR Schedule 3 - managing investments, advising on investments, arranging deals, providing custody, operating a collective investment fund - granted under QFC Law No. 7 of 2005 and the Financial Services Regulations, with INMA as the prudential rulebook.
What capital is required?+
The minimum paid-up share capital is set in INMA rule 3.3.3 and the minimum capital requirement in rule 3.3.1, with expenditure-based and risk-based components above them. The figures depend on the activity set and prudential class, so we confirm them with the QFCRA for your file and state them in the quote.
How long does authorisation take?+
The QFCRA aims to process an application within three months of receiving all relevant information; it is a service aim, not a statutory clock. Before that sit the QFCA's assessment, the Financial Sector Office referral, the Regulatory Business Plan and the pre-application meeting - we plan the whole sequence with dates.
What does the QFCRA charge?+
US$10,000 to apply for authorisation, US$10,000 a year plus US$500 per approved individual, US$2,000 to register a fund and US$2,000 a year per registered fund. The QFC Authority's own licence fees for the entity are not in the QFCRA schedule - confirmed with the QFCA before filing.
Who must be approved personally?+
The controlled functions under CTRL 2020: Senior Executive, Finance, Compliance Oversight, MLRO, Risk, Internal Audit and Executive Governance, each filed on Form Q03 and each adding US$500 to the annual fee. An individual cannot be authorised alone - only as an approved individual of an authorised firm.
How are QFC investment firms taxed?+
10% on locally sourced profits, or 0% under the concessionary rate for investment managers, reinsurers, captives and 90% Qatari-owned firms; fund, holding-company and SPC income exempt; no personal income tax, wealth tax or Zakat.
Can a QFC firm serve clients in mainland Qatar?+
Not on the QFC authorisation alone: financial services inside the State of Qatar require prior licensing from the QFMA under Law No. 8 of 2012, and banks and insurers onshore answer to the Qatar Central Bank. The QFC authorisation covers business in or from the Centre - we draw the client map first.
How are funds handled?+
Operating a collective investment fund is a Regulated Activity inside the same authorisation; the fund itself is registered separately - US$2,000 to register, US$2,000 a year - under COLL or the Professional Investors Fund Rules 2022, and income earned through it is tax-exempt.
Qatar or Abu Dhabi for a new firm?+
Qatar wins on tax for a manager - a flat 0% concessionary rate against ADGM's 9% headline with 0% only on qualifying income - and prints a three-month aim; ADGM prints its capital (US$250,000 Category 3C, US$50,000 Category 4), runs English common law and shows 365 licensed entities at Q1 2026 where Qatar publishes no count. Client geography decides - we model both.
Why Prifinance for Qatar?+
Our own office in Dubai, the activity set and INMA class fixed before drafting, and an approved-individuals bench sourced and filed on Form Q03. We read the capital rule with the QFCRA before quoting a number, and we run the QFCA and QFCRA steps in the order the Centre designs.
What licence?+
QFCRA authorisation, INMA.
Capital?+
INMA ch. 3 - in the quote.
How long?+
Three-month aim.
Fees?+
US$10k + US$500 each.
Individuals?+
CTRL functions, Form Q03.
Taxes?+
10% · 0% managers.
Mainland?+
QFMA licence needed.
Funds?+
US$2k to register.
Or Abu Dhabi?+
Zero rate vs printed capital.
Why you?+
Capital read, not guessed.
Client notes
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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 QFC authorisation 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 QFC Regulatory Authority or any other public authority. Authorisations are granted by, and obtained directly from, the competent authorities.