BVI Companies and M&A
Economic Substance: Practical Advice 3 Years On …
10 Things Lawyers Should Know About BVI Transactions
As outlined in our Q1 2025 review, important amendments to BVI company law came into effect as of 2 January 2025, including a requirement to file beneficial ownership information through the VIRRGIN system maintained by the...more
The BVI is a preferred international jurisdiction for fintech businesses as it is a well-established investment centre with a comprehensive, commercial virtual assets regime, which provides businesses with legal certainty. ...more
Pending completion of its recommended actions under the BVI Mutual Evaluation Report published by the Caribbean FATF in February 2024, the BVI has been included on the FATF's list of "jurisdictions under increased...more
This chapter provides the latest legal information on the British Virgin Islands' fintech market and regulation, including regulatory jurisdiction, sandboxes, AML rules and FATF standards; robo-advisers, online lenders and...more
The Virtual Assets Service Providers Act, 2022 (the “VASP Act”) came into force on 1 February 2023. The VASP Act regulates virtual asset service providers (“VASPs”) and requires that VASPs be registered with the BVI Financial...more
On 2 January 2025, the BVI Business Companies (Amendment) Act, 2024 and the BVI Business Companies and Limited Partnership (Beneficial Ownership) Regulations, 2024 (the “Amendments”) came into effect. The Amendments impact...more
Regulatory clarity in the digital assets and crypto space continues to be a moving target. Yet, the interest among policymakers and regulators worldwide has never been more pronounced. In the United States, 2024 was a pivotal...more
Carey Olsen has contributed to The Legal 500 Country Comparative Guide 2024 for Blockchain. The aim of this guide is to provide its readers with a pragmatic overview of the law and practice of blockchain law across a variety...more
Prior regulatory approval is now required for MLRO appointments – previously it was a notification requirement that had to be submitted within 14 days of the MLRO appointment. Firms in scope will now need to factor in...more
Chris Duncan and Katrina Lindsay have authored the British Virgin Islands (BVI) chapter of Global Legal Insight's sixth edition guide to blockchain and cryptocurrency regulation. The chapter covers the BVI legal requirements...more
The government of the British Virgin Islands (“BVI”) and the BVI Financial Services Commission (“FSC”) – the principal financial services regulator – have progressed important initiatives in recent years that demonstrate the...more
The BVI Virtual Asset Service Providers Act (VASP Act) came into force on 1 February, providing clarity and certainty on the regulatory landscape for virtual asset services (VASPs) operating in or from within the BVI. ...more
FinCEN Proposes the Second Installment to the Corporate Transparency Act - On December 15, 2022, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (“FinCEN”) issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (the "Notice") in relation to the...more
Requirement to appoint a Money Laundering Reporting Officer (“MLRO”) - Under the Anti-Money Laundering Regulations (Revised Edition 2020), as amended by the Anti-Money Laundering (Amendment) Regulations, 2022, and the...more
As widely expected, the British Virgin Islands ("BVI") is shortly bringing into force new legislation to implement the Financial Action Task Force's standards on virtual assets and virtual asset service providers (known as...more
The British Virgin Islands (“BVI”) is a small chain of islands in the Caribbean situated between Puerto Rico and St. Maarten. The BVI has been a top sailing destination since the days of Sir Francis Drake. The BVI is a...more