Since Asia’s economies started opening up to the world, Asian and Chinese businesses have looked to the BVI as a platform to access international capital.
In addition to being eligible to list on worldwide stock exchanges, including the London Stock Exchange (LSE), LSE’s AIM Exchange, the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), NASDAQ, International Securities Exchange, the Toronto Stock Exchange and the Singapore Stock Exchange, BVI companies list on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (SEHK).
BVI companies enjoy access to a streamlined process to list in Hong Kong – they do not need to face burdensome restructuring requirements for their businesses or redomicile their place of incorporation.
Additionally, the BVI does not impose a double layer of tax and regulation on a listed BVI company. For example, there is no BVI takeover code or public filing requirement applicable to listed companies, which ensures that the incorporation and ongoing costs of using a BVI company are low, while high standards are maintained as required by the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO), of which the BVI is a member.
Lastly, BVI companies are extremely flexible in their structure and handling. The constitution of a BVI-listed company can be easily amended to reflect any required shareholder protection provisions so that they suit the client and target investor base. These include disclosure of director interests, authority for issuance of shares, independent valuation for issuance of shares for non-cash consideration, and retirement of directors by rotation.