Dmitri Mihhailov
General Partner
Leads Prifinance's corporate practice and oversees client engagements, with senior expertise in international company structuring and bank-account setup.
Register a company in Cyprus, the EU's business island.
Set up a Cypriot Ltd remotely: an EU company with one of Europe's lowest corporate rates, no withholding on dividends flowing out, a 2.5% IP box for tech, and the non-dom regime that lets relocating founders take dividends tax-free for 17 years. English-speaking lawyers, common-law mechanics, 65+ tax treaties.A Cypriot Ltd set up remotely in 1-2 weeks: an EU company at 12.5%, 0% withholding on dividends out, a 2.5% IP box, and non-dom for relocating founders.
27 yrs
on the international marketon the market
60+
in-house specialistsspecialists
6,000+
companies servedcompanies served
Updated
Cyprus · at a glance
Legal formLtd · Private Limited Company
Time to set up5-10 business days
Corporate tax12.5%
Dividends out0% withholding
IP box2.5% effective
Remote setupYes - fully online
4.7
★★★★★
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Cyprus in brief
Where EU membership meets low-tax engineering.
Cyprus is the European Union's structuring island: a member state with the euro, English-influenced common law, an English-speaking professional class, and a corporate rate of 12.5% that helped build one of the densest holding-company ecosystems in Europe. Incorporation at the Registrar of Companies takes about a week, foreigners own companies outright, and the island's sixty-five-plus tax treaties reach from Europe deep into the CIS, Middle East and Asia.
The engineering goes past the headline rate. Dividend income arriving into a Cypriot holding is generally exempt. Dividends, interest and royalties flow out to non-residents with no withholding. Qualifying IP income lands at an effective 2.5%, and new equity earns a notional interest deduction. For founders who relocate, the non-dom regime removes tax on dividends for seventeen years, which is why so many owners move with their company. The price of admission: real accounting with audited statements, like any serious EU jurisdiction.
Cyprus is the EU's structuring island: euro, English-based common law, 65+ treaties and a 12.5% rate that built one of Europe's densest holding ecosystems. Incorporation takes about a week.
Incoming dividends largely exempt, outgoing payments at 0% withholding, IP income at 2.5%, and non-dom founders taking dividends tax-free for 17 years. The price: real audited accounting.
Packages & pricing
Cyprus company registration - cost & packages.
01 - LTD · PRIVATE LIMITED COMPANY
Company
from€2,900EUR · all-in
Remote incorporation of a Cypriot Ltd: name approval, Registrar filing, government fees and the first year of the registered office and secretary.
✓Company name approval✓Registrar filing & government fees✓Memorandum & articles of association✓Registered office & secretary - first year✓Corporate documents with apostille✓Free pre-incorporation consultation
Optional add-ons: VAT and tax registrations from €350, substance package (director, office) scoped individually, annual renewal from €1,800/year.Add-ons: VAT & tax registrations from €350 · substance package scoped individually · renewal from €1,800/year.
Start with Company →02 - LTD · PRIVATE LIMITED COMPANY
Most popularCompany + Bank Account
from€4,600EUR · all-in
A working Cypriot Ltd with a bank or fintech account: EUR IBAN, multi-currency balances, cards and online banking, arranged with Cypriot banks and EU EMIs.
✓Everything in Company✓Account with a Cypriot bank or EU EMI - SEPA/SWIFT✓Account application & KYC file preparation✓Introduction to 2-3 suitable institutions✓Compliance onboarding support✓Dedicated account manager
Start with Banking →Prices are starting points and get confirmed for your case before any work begins. Registrar fees and the registered office are itemised in your quote; audited accounting is scoped to your expected volume.Starting figures; the quote lands before work. Registrar fees and the registered office are itemised in your quote.
What you can do
Popular uses for a Cyprus company.
Cypriot law welcomes foreign founders, and a Ltd may pursue almost any lawful business across the EU single market. One company can combine several of the uses below; investment services and funds are licensed by CySEC.A Ltd may pursue almost any lawful business across the single market; CySEC licenses investment services.
Holding structures
Incoming dividends largely exempt, outgoing ones free of withholding. The classic EU holding recipe.
IT & IP companies
Software and licensing income at an effective 2.5% under the nexus-compliant IP box.
International trading
EU VAT number and SEPA banking for goods and services across the single market.
Investment firms & fundslicensed
CySEC-licensed brokers, managers and funds. One of Europe's busiest licensing desks.
Shipping
An EU-approved tonnage-tax system run from one of Europe's largest ship-management hubs.
Relocation & non-dom
The company that anchors a founder's move. 17 years of tax-free dividends under non-dom.
Holding structures
The classic EU holding recipe.
IT & IP
2.5% effective under the IP box.
Trading
EU VAT + SEPA banking.
Investment firmslicensed
CySEC brokers and funds.
Shipping
EU tonnage-tax system.
Relocation & non-dom
17 years of tax-free dividends.
Why Cyprus
Key advantages of the jurisdiction.
✓
EU at 12.5%
A full member state with the euro and single-market access at one of the lowest headline rates in the Union.Full member state, euro, single market.
✓
0% withholding out
Dividends, interest and royalties leave Cyprus to non-residents without withholding. Rare even among low-tax states.Dividends and royalties leave clean.
✓
IP box at 2.5%
Qualifying IP profits are taxed at an effective 2.5%. Among the best compliant regimes in Europe.Top compliant regime in Europe.
✓
Non-dom for founders
Relocating owners pay no tax on dividends for 17 years. The company and the founder optimise together.17 years without dividend tax.
✓
65+ tax treaties
A network reaching the CIS, Middle East and Asia that offshore jurisdictions simply do not have.CIS, Middle East and Asia coverage.
✓
Common-law comfort
English-based company law, English-speaking lawyers and courts investors already understand.English-based law and lawyers.
How it compares
Cyprus next to the usual shortlist.
Malta undercuts on effective rate but adds refund mechanics; Estonia defers tax until distribution; the UAE tempts outside the EU. Cyprus balances rate, treaties and simplicity. Figures current as of 2026.Malta is cheaper but heavier; Estonia defers; UAE tempts outside the EU. Figures as of 2026.
| Country | Headline corporate tax | EU membership | Fully remote incorporation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cyprus | 12.5% | Yes - euro, single market | Yes - 5-10 days |
| Malta | 35% · ~5% effective | Yes - refund system adds admin | Yes |
| Estonia | 0% until distribution | Yes - e-Residency | Yes - fastest |
| Ireland | 12.5% trading | Yes - higher running costs | Yes |
| UAE | 9% | No - outside EU | Yes - free zones |
CyprusRemote ✓
Corporate tax12.5%
EUyes - euro
MaltaRefunds
Corporate tax~5% effective
EUyes
EstoniaDeferred
Corporate tax0% until payout
EUyes
IrelandCostly
Corporate tax12.5% trading
EUyes
UAENon-EU
Corporate tax9%
EUno
Requirements
What Cypriot law actually demands.
01
Shareholders - One or more shareholders, individuals or companies of any nationality; nominee holdings are permitted.
02
Director & secretary - At least one director and a company secretary; Cypriot-resident directors support tax residency and treaty access. We provide them.
03
Share capital - No minimum - €1,000 authorised is customary, paid or unpaid.
04
Registered office - A registered office address in Cyprus is mandatory. We provide it as part of the package.
05
Name - A name approved by the Registrar ending in Ltd or Limited; sensitive words such as bank or insurance need consent.
06
Accounts & audit - Full accounting with audited financial statements and an annual return. The discipline that keeps Cyprus credible.
How it works
From application to a live company in weeks.
Everything runs through our lawyers and the Registrar of Companies - you sign remotely, and most files complete within two weeks including tax registrations.Filed by our lawyers with the Registrar; most files complete in 1-2 weeks including tax and VAT numbers.
01Same day
Free consultation
We confirm that Cyprus fits your case. Trading, holding or IP. And fix the full cost.
021-2 days
KYC & documents
Passports, proof of address and a short description of the business; we prepare the incorporation pack.
032-4 days
Name approval
The Registrar approves and reserves the company name.
043-5 days
Registrar filing
Memorandum and articles are filed and the certificate of incorporation issued.
053-5 days
Tax & VAT numbers
Tax identification and, where needed, EU VAT registration; apostilled documents follow.
061-3 weeks
Banking
We introduce the company to suitable banks or EMIs and support the account opening.
Quick facts
Legal formLtd
Min. share capitalNo minimum
Corporate tax12.5%
Standard timeline1-2 weeks
Local directorRecommended
Annual filingsAudited accounts
EU VAT numberAvailable
Name approval is the pacing step, so we file it on day one and let the rest of the file run in parallel.
On the ground
On the ground in Cyprus.
Prifinance - Cyprus
Limassol
Limassol, Cyprus
01
EU structuring specialists
Your setup is run by a team that files Cypriot holdings and trading companies every week.
02
Office & secretary included
A registered office and company secretary keep the Ltd in good standing while you operate remotely.
03
Substance on demand
Resident directors, real offices and payroll when treaty access or banking asks for it.
04
Also in Tallinn, London, Dubai & more
A network of offices across Europe, the Gulf and the Americas. One team for your whole international structure.
We also have offices in
Tallinn
Estonia
Roseni 13
Hong Kong
Hong Kong
5/F, Yau Lee Centre, 45 Hoi Yuen Road, Kwun Tong
Vilnius
Lithuania
Gedimino pr. 2
London
United Kingdom
7 Bell Yard
Prague
Czech Republic
Vlkova 532/8, Žižkov
Berlin
Germany
Rankestraße 26
Madeira
Portugal
Rua da Alegria 31, 1F
Budapest
Hungary
Korányi Sándor u. 4
Istanbul
Türkiye
Perpa Ticaret Merkezi, A Blok
Dubai
UAE
33 Level, Al Saqr Business Tower
Toronto
Canada
1110 Finch Avenue West, suite 406
Singapore
Singapore
3 Church Street, #29-68 Samsung Hub
Bangkok
Thailand
Unit P01, Penthouse, VASU1, 1 Sukhumvit 25 Alley
Foshan
China
A-Tower, Yuneng Digital Plaza, 46 Lishui Avenue South
Almaty
Kazakhstan
Republic Square 13
Bishkek
Kyrgyzstan
32 Razzakov Street
Taxation 2026
A 12.5% system built for structuring.
Cyprus pairs one of the EU's lowest corporate rates with surgical exemptions: incoming dividends largely exempt, outgoing payments free of withholding, IP income at 2.5%, and no capital-gains tax outside Cypriot real estate. A tax-reform package debated in Nicosia may lift the headline rate to 15%. We track it and structure accordingly.12.5% headline with surgical exemptions; a possible reform to 15% is under debate, and we track it and structure around it.
Corporate tax - 12.5%
On worldwide profits of a Cyprus-resident company, with the notional interest deduction trimming the effective rate for equity-funded businesses.Worldwide profits; NID trims equity-funded businesses.
Dividends & withholding
Incoming dividends are generally exempt; dividends, interest and royalties flow out to non-residents at 0% withholding.In: largely exempt. Out: 0% to non-residents.
IP box - 2.5%
Eighty percent of qualifying IP profit is deemed exempt, landing the effective rate at 2.5% under the OECD nexus rules.80% of qualifying IP profit exempt.
Founders & non-dom
Relocating owners take dividends free of Cypriot tax for 17 years; capital gains outside local real estate stay untaxed.17 years of tax-free dividends after relocation.
Levies in 2026
Corporate income tax12.5%
IP box (effective)2.5%
Withholding on dividends out0%
Capital gains (non-CY property)None
VAT (standard)19%
Annual levyAbolished - €0
Audited financial statements and a tax return are filed annually. We run the accounting calendar for you.
Your team
The specialists who'll handle your case.
Eugeniu Bevziuc
Corporate services advisor
Advises clients on company formation, VAT and ongoing compliance, coordinating each step of the setup across the EU.
Alex Danila
Company formation specialist
Your day-to-day contact - coordinates incorporation, documents and the bank introduction, from the first call through to launch.
Follow Prifinance
Active across our channels.
Watch: opening a company in Cyprus with Prifinance
EU membership, 12.5% and a treaty network that works. Full support for your Cypriot Ltd, start to finish.
Talk to a specialist →FAQ
Company registration in Cyprus, answered.
Can I open a company without visiting Cyprus?+
Yes. The whole process, from KYC to the Registrar filing and tax registrations, is handled remotely by our lawyers. Original documents are couriered to you after incorporation.
How much does it cost to set up a Cypriot company?+
Turnkey incorporation starts from €2,900 including government fees, the registered office and secretary for the first year. With a bank or EMI account arranged, packages start from €4,600.
How long does incorporation take?+
Most files complete within one to two weeks. Name approval takes a few days and the Registrar filing about a week, with tax and VAT numbers in parallel.
What tax will the company pay?+
The headline corporate rate is 12.5%, and the dividend exemptions, the notional interest deduction and the 2.5% IP box often bring the effective burden well below it. A reform package under debate may lift the headline to 15%; we track it and plan around it.
Is there withholding tax on dividends?+
No. Dividends, interest and royalties paid to non-resident owners leave Cyprus at 0% withholding, with narrow exceptions for EU-blacklisted jurisdictions.
What is the non-dom regime?+
Founders who become Cypriot tax residents without a Cypriot domicile pay no Special Defence Contribution on dividends or interest for 17 years, meaning dividends from your own company arrive effectively tax-free while you enjoy EU residency.
What is the IP box?+
A nexus-compliant regime that exempts 80% of qualifying profit from software and other IP developed by the company, producing an effective 2.5% rate, among the strongest lawful IP regimes in the EU.
Does the company need audited accounts?+
Yes. Every Cypriot company files audited financial statements and an annual return. It is the discipline that keeps Cyprus whitelisted, and our accountants handle it end to end.
Do I need substance in Cyprus?+
For treaty benefits and management-and-control residency, a Cypriot-resident director and a real office help; banks increasingly ask too. We scale substance to what your structure actually needs.
Cyprus or Malta - which one?+
Malta's refund system can reach about 5% effective but adds a two-company structure and refund waiting. Cyprus is simpler at 12.5%, with a stronger treaty network toward the CIS and Middle East. We recommend per case.
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
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Start your Cyprus company today.
Tell us about your business and a specialist will reply within one business day with a recommended structure - trading, holding or IP - a timeline and a fixed quote.A Cyprus specialist will reply within one business day with a recommended structure, a timeline and a fixed quote.
✓No obligation; the first consultation is free✓A clear recommendation, not a sales pitch✓Transparent fixed fees, confirmed up front✓EN · RU speaking team