Company formation
Incorporation in ten jurisdictions, company secretary, registered office, share issues and transfers, and every statutory filing after.
- Hong Kong in 1–2 working days
- Registers kept in your portal
- Annual returns on time
Practical freedom for international founders
Your company. Your country. Your choice.
Freedom, to us, is practical: fiscal, intellectual, physical. Not dodging taxes — choosing the place whose rules and life fit you best, and building there properly. Company, bank account, books and residency — one team, end to end, and beside you long after setup.
- 15+ yearsTrusted since 2011
- 10Jurisdictions worldwide
- 30+Countries served
- 1 teamSetup to year ten
Jurisdictions
Four places we build most often
Each one is good at something different. Pick a jurisdiction to see what it taxes, how it is governed, and what it is best used for.
Hong Kong · our home base
Gateway to Mainland China and Asia-Pacific trade
Highlights- Territorial tax: profits sourced outside Hong Kong can be non-taxable, with the evidence to support the claim.
- No VAT or GST, no capital gains tax, no withholding tax on dividends paid out.
- 5% withholding on dividends from a Mainland subsidiary under the Mainland–Hong Kong tax arrangement (conditions apply).
- Company secretary from a licensed TCSP — that is us, licence TC000573.
Best for
Trading and invoicing hub, holding company for a Mainland WFOE, regional headquarters, IP licensing.
- Profits tax
- 8.25% / 16.5%8.25% on the first HKD 2 million, 16.5% above
- Legal system
- Common law
- Typical setup
- 1–2 working days to incorporate
- Ownership
- 100% foreign ownership, one director is enough
Singapore · ASEAN headquarters
Southeast Asia’s financial and technology hub
Highlights- Partial and start-up tax exemptions cut the effective rate on the first S$200,000 of profit.
- A wide network of double tax agreements across Asia, Europe and the Gulf.
- Deep banking and wealth-management market, with a strong venture ecosystem.
- At least one director must be ordinarily resident in Singapore — we can arrange a nominee.
Best for
Regional ASEAN headquarters, technology start-ups, fundraising, wealth and treasury functions.
- Corporate tax
- 17%Headline rate, before exemptions
- Legal system
- Common law
- Typical setup
- 1–3 working days to incorporate
- Ownership
- 100% foreign ownership, one local resident director
British Virgin Islands · holding
Tax-neutral holding and investment vehicles
Highlights- No corporate income tax, capital gains tax or withholding tax in the BVI.
- Beneficial owners are recorded with the registered agent on a non-public register, open to authorities.
- Flexible share classes for investment rounds, joint ventures and founder splits.
- No minimum capital; economic substance rules apply to some activities, and we check them.
Best for
Holding companies, special-purpose vehicles, joint ventures and pre-listing structures.
- Local tax
- 0%Tax neutral; your home country’s rules still apply to you
- Legal system
- English common law
- Typical setup
- 1–2 working days to incorporate
- Ownership
- 100% foreign ownership, no local director
Mainland China · WFOE
A wholly foreign-owned enterprise for direct market access
Highlights- Hire locally, sign leases, and issue fapiao — official RMB invoices — to Mainland customers.
- Direct access to Mainland suppliers, manufacturing and R&D talent.
- Owned through a Hong Kong company, dividends home are withheld at 5% instead of 10%.
- Most sectors need no local partner; the foreign investment negative list sets the exceptions.
Best for
Manufacturing, sourcing and quality control, local R&D, and selling to Mainland customers.
- Corporate income tax
- 25%Reduced rates for qualifying small and high-tech enterprises
- Legal system
- PRC civil law
- Typical setup
- 6–8 weeks, depending on city and scope
- Ownership
- 100% foreign owned, local legal representative’s duties apply
General information as of October 2026, not tax advice for your situation. Rates and conditions change; we confirm them for your case before you commit.
Trade structures
Into Mainland China: direct, or through Hong Kong?
Most of our China clients own their WFOE through a Hong Kong company. Here is what that changes compared with owning it straight from home.
View
| Topic | Direct foreign entry | Via 818HI HK Gateway Hub |
|---|---|---|
| Dividends out of the WFOE | 10%Standard withholding tax, unless your home country’s own treaty with China lowers it. | 5%Under the Mainland–Hong Kong double taxation arrangement. |
| Tax on those dividends at holding level | Home rulesTaxed wherever the owning company or person is resident. | NoneHong Kong does not tax dividends received. Reinvest from there, or pay out later. |
| Invoicing foreign customers | From the WFOEExport paperwork and currency conversion on every payment; profit taxed at 25%. | 8.25% / 16.5%The Hong Kong company invoices in USD, EUR or CNH; offshore profit may be non-taxable with evidence. |
| Moving money | ControlledProfit leaves China after audit and tax clearance, through bank procedures under SAFE rules. | Free once in HKThe same exit from the WFOE — then no exchange controls, and multi-currency accounts. |
| Contracts and disputes | PRC lawMainland courts or Mainland arbitration. | Common lawHong Kong courts or arbitration; Hong Kong awards are enforceable in the Mainland. |
| Selling or restructuring | Onshore transferA change of WFOE investor goes through Mainland registration. | At HK levelShares change hands in Hong Kong; the Mainland can still tax indirect transfers, so we plan for it. |
| What it needs to hold up | —Nothing beyond the WFOE itself. | SubstanceReal decisions, people or premises in Hong Kong. The 5% rate depends on it — pillar 04 below. |
End to end
One team, beside you long after setup
Many formation agents disappear once the certificate arrives. We stay for the bank, the books, the audit, the visa — year after year.
Commercial banking
We prepare a file a bank can say yes to, and introduce you to banks and payment platforms that fit your business. The bank decides; we make the case properly.
- Multi-currency accounts
- Account-opening file and KYC
- Help with bank reviews later
Accounting and statutory audit
Bookkeeping on Certanta, profits tax returns and offshore claims, with the statutory audit by an independent CPA firm that we coordinate.
- Monthly or yearly books
- Audit-ready ledgers
- Profits tax and offshore claims
Residency and substance
Visas for you and your family, office space, and the real presence that tax treaties and banks now expect to see.
- Hong Kong work visas
- Second residency options
- Office and substance set up
Why 818HI
Practical freedom is built properly.
Sovereignty is not about hiding. It is about choosing the places whose laws, banks and way of life fit what you are building — and then doing the paperwork well enough that the choice holds up.
Since 2011 we have done that remotely for founders in more than 30 countries: fully online, transparent prices, and the same team from the first call to the tenth annual return.
About us →“We’ve been working together for around 12 years — a consistently positive experience.”
“A customer since 2012, consistently impressed by their service quality, responsiveness, and professionalism.”
“Extremely knowledgeable and reliable — from company registration to accounting.”
“They helped us set up two companies in Hong Kong and handle our ongoing admin.”
“Excellent business management provider in HK, with great responsiveness and personalised service.”
“Professional and quality business services in HK.”
Your business, managed online
The 818HI client portal
Run the admin side of your company in one secure place — no email back-and-forth.
Pay invoices online
See what is outstanding and pay securely by card, any time.
Your documents
Certificates, statutory registers and filings — always at hand, each with a Bitcoin timestamp.
Requests & support
Send the files we ask for, order services, and track every support ticket.
From the blog
Notes from the registry desk
Short, precise guides on the rules our clients actually run into. All articles →
- China Ends Its Tax Exemption on Dividends to Foreign Individuals
0% until 31 August, 20% from 1 September — while a Hong Kong holding company pays 5% on the same dividend.
- Every Document in Your Portal Now Carries a Bitcoin Timestamp
Prove a company document is unaltered, and when it existed, without calling us. Free, and nothing about your company leaves our systems.
- Transferring Shares in a Hong Kong Company
0.1% on each of the bought and sold notes — charged on the value of the shares, not the price you write down.
- Issuing New Shares in a Hong Kong Company
Directors who allot without the members' approval face a level 5 fine and six months — while the allotment stays valid.
- Appointing or Removing a Director
Fifteen days each way — and a director's change of address counts just as much as a change of director.
- Changing a Hong Kong Company's Name
The new name takes effect when the certificate issues, not when you pass the resolution.
- Closing a Hong Kong Company: Deregistration or Winding Up
Six conditions, an Inland Revenue clearance, and a three-month wait — and whatever is left in the company goes to the Government.
- The Significant Controllers Register Nobody Files
Required even when you have no significant controller — and nine agencies may ask to see it.
- Registered Office Requirements in Hong Kong
Fifteen days on Form NR1, why the annual return does not count, and the display rule for shared addresses.
- What Is a Company Secretary in Hong Kong?
The residence test, the sole-director rule most guides get wrong, and why an unlicensed provider is committing an offence.
Get started
Book a consultation
Tell us where you are, where you want to build, and what you need. We are reachable seven days a week.
Prefer to talk? Book a video call or chat on WhatsApp.
- [email protected]
- +852 6755 1905
- Licensed TCSP TC000573 · LAULEGA LIMITED
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