(ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA COMPANY FORMATION)
Antigua and Barbuda Company
A Antigua IBC is formed under the International Business Corporations Act. Antigua and Barbuda is a reformed Caribbean IBC domicile where the historic blanket exemption no longer applies, so the tax residence of the company is the question that actually decides the outcome. Wealth Web coordinates direct, licensed Antigua and Barbuda registered office relationships, formation within 3 to 7 days, and optional banking or Cook Islands or Nevis Trust pairing, with pricing available on application.
Specialist jurisdiction
Wealth Web · Antigua and Barbuda Company
Latitude
00.0000° N
Longitude
000.0000° W
(ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA COMPANY OVERVIEW)
A Antigua and Barbuda company structure for caribbean holding with a reformed framework
An Antigua and Barbuda International Business Corporation is formed under the International Business Corporations Act, with a single director and shareholder sufficient and no public register of directors or shareholders.The tax position has changed. IBCs that are tax resident in Antigua, or that maintain a permanent establishment there, are subject to income tax at the standard 25% rate. Capital gains remain untaxed. The historic blanket exemption for IBCs no longer applies.Antigua is a signatory to the OECD Common Reporting Standard and operates under the Eastern Caribbean regional regulatory framework from 2026. Where creditor protection is the primary objective, compare the Cook Islands Company and Nevis Company.
Governing law
International Business Corporations Act, as amended
Entity type
International Business Corporation (IBC)
Minimum directors/shareholders
One director and one shareholder, may be the same person
Public register
No public register of directors or shareholders
Formation time
3–7 days from KYC clearance
Primary use
Caribbean holding and trading structures
General summary only. Antigua and Barbuda has reformed its IBC regime; a 25% standard corporate rate applies to tax-resident IBCs and those with a permanent establishment. Confirm the current position before forming.
(WHAT IS INCLUDED)
A complete Antigua and Barbuda company formation service
Choose a standalone International Business Corporation, Company + banking, or the complete Total Protection Package
Fixed fees, inclusive of all government registration and first-year registered office costs â no hidden costs, no surprise invoices.
Antigua IBC
On application
3–7 days
A standalone Antigua IBC. Antigua and Barbuda is a reformed Caribbean IBC domicile where the historic blanket exemption no longer applies, so the tax residence of the company is the question that actually decides the outcome.
Certificate of Incorporation and constitutional documents
All Antigua and Barbuda government registration fees
First-year Antigua and Barbuda registered office and agent
Apostilled corporate documents
Company + Banking
On application
3–7 days + 4–10 weeks banking
A Antigua IBC bundled with a bank account at one of our partner institutions — offshore banks, private banks, Swiss banks, and institutional custodians.
Antigua IBC — fully registered and operational
Offshore bank account at a partner institution of your choice
All company documents
All government fees and first-year agent costs
Trust + Company + Banking
$12,000
inclusive of all first-year fees · Coordinated formation timeline
The complete structure. A Cook Islands or Nevis Trust, a Cook Islands or Nevis Company (LLC or IBC), and a bank account — the strongest asset protection combination available, built on our two core jurisdictions.
Cook Islands or Nevis Trust — fully registered and operational
Cook Islands or Nevis Company (LLC or IBC) — fully registered and operational
All trust and company formation documents
All government fees and first-year trustee and agent costs
Offshore bank account at a partner institution of your choice
Every package includes drafted formation documents, apostilled copies, and direct coordination with licensed Antigua and Barbuda registered offices and agents.
(ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA COMPANY GUIDE)
Understanding the Antigua IBC structure
How does a Antigua IBC work?
A Antigua IBC is owned by its shareholders, who appoint directors to manage its affairs.
The company is formed under the International Business Corporations Act and registered through a licensed Antigua and Barbuda registered office or agent. It can hold bank accounts and investments directly, own shares in subsidiaries, and conduct international business.
An Antigua and Barbuda International Business Corporation is formed under the International Business Corporations Act, with a single director and shareholder sufficient and no public register of directors or shareholders.
- Shareholders: own the company and hold economic and voting rights.
- Directors: manage the company’s affairs and banking relationships.
- Registered office: maintains the company’s registration and statutory records in Antigua and Barbuda.
- Constitutional documents: set out share structure, governance, and shareholder rights.
Wealth Web coordinates entity formation, registered office, due diligence, and banking.
Discuss your structureWho controls a Antigua and Barbuda company?
A Antigua and Barbuda company can generally be structured so you retain direct control over its banking and investment decisions.
Most Antigua and Barbuda companies used for holding or investment purposes have the beneficial owner closely involved in governance, meaning day-to-day banking, investment and operating decisions remain in your hands.
Where a trust is added above the company, day-to-day control does not change — what changes is who legally holds the shares a creditor would need to reach.
- Director authority: covers routine banking, investment, and operational decisions.
- Shareholder rights: include dividends, voting, and amendment of governing documents.
- Trustee ownership: where a trust holds the shares, adds a jurisdictional barrier without changing daily management.
- Governance: the International Business Corporations Act supports board and committee structures where a more formal arrangement is needed.
What can be placed in a Antigua and Barbuda company?
A company becomes operational once accepted assets are properly transferred and recorded as company property.
Common uses include cash and bank deposits, investment portfolios, intellectual property, and shares in operating subsidiaries. Wealth Web coordinates the bank or custodian introduction, with every institution reviewing the proposed assets, source of funds, and supporting documentation.
The tax position has changed. IBCs that are tax resident in Antigua, or that maintain a permanent establishment there, are subject to income tax at the standard 25% rate. Capital gains remain untaxed. The historic blanket exemption for IBCs no longer applies.
- Cash and deposits: held through approved offshore or institutional banking arrangements.
- Investment portfolios: held through approved custodian or brokerage arrangements.
- Subsidiary shares: consolidated under a single holding layer.
- Caribbean holding and trading structures with no Antigua permanent establishment: the jurisdiction’s most common application.
Why pair a Antigua and Barbuda company with a Cook Islands or Nevis Trust?
Antigua and Barbuda gives you the strengths set out on this page; a Cook Islands or Nevis Trust adds the dedicated creditor-protection statute it does not have.
A Antigua and Barbuda company alone has no dedicated charging-order or creditor-bond statute of the kind Cook Islands and Nevis provide. Placing a Cook Islands Trust above the Antigua and Barbuda company relocates the shares a creditor would need to reach to an independent, licensed trustee operating entirely outside US jurisdiction.
Day-to-day control does not change: you continue managing the Antigua and Barbuda company’s banking and investment activity exactly as before. What changes is what happens under genuine legal pressure, when the trust deed’s anti-duress provisions direct the trustee to decline any instruction given under compulsion.
- Practical control preserved: day-to-day management continues exactly as before formation.
- Shares relocated: held by an independent trustee, not by you personally.
- Dedicated statute added: the trust brings the purpose-built creditor protection Antigua and Barbuda itself lacks.
- Jurisdictional strengths retained: the Antigua and Barbuda entity still does what you formed it to do.
Wealth Web coordinates Antigua and Barbuda companies with Cook Islands and Nevis Trusts as a single engagement.
See the Cook Islands TrustWhat are the limits of Antigua and Barbuda company protection?
A Antigua and Barbuda company is a structuring vehicle, not a purpose-built creditor-protection statute.
Transfers made after a claim has already arisen, while the transferor is insolvent, or with an improper purpose can be challenged — there is no criminal burden of proof or short statutory limitation period of the kind Cook Islands and Nevis provide.
Antigua participates in the OECD Common Reporting Standard, and the registered agent completes beneficial-ownership and source-of-funds review. Whether the company is tax resident in Antigua is a facts-and-circumstances question.
- No dedicated creditor statute: protection relies on general common law, not purpose-built legislation.
- No secrecy from authorities: home-country tax and reporting duties continue in full regardless of structure.
- No guaranteed outcome: facts, timing, and applicable law remain decisive in any dispute.
- Strongest when paired: a Cook Islands or Nevis Trust adds the statutory protection Antigua and Barbuda alone lacks.
When should a Antigua and Barbuda company be established?
The strongest planning happens while finances are stable and before any specific dispute or claim exists.
Formation typically completes within 3 to 7 days once KYC is cleared. IBCs that are tax resident in Antigua, or have a permanent establishment there, are taxed at the standard 25% rate. Capital gains remain untaxed.
Offshore bank account opening generally takes a further four to ten weeks, particularly where the structure requires additional due diligence.
- Plan before pressure: do not wait until a transfer becomes urgent or contested.
- Prepare documentation early: certified passport, proof of address, and source-of-funds evidence should be current.
- Confirm the tax position: 25% where tax resident — check how that interacts with your own residence.
- Consider a trust pairing: if creditor protection, not just the company itself, is a priority.
What tax and reporting obligations apply?
Offshore does not mean unreported. Obligations depend on the shareholders, assets, and countries involved.
The Antigua and Barbuda registered office or agent and any bank will complete KYC and beneficial-ownership checks as standard practice. Antigua participates in the OECD Common Reporting Standard, and the registered agent completes beneficial-ownership and source-of-funds review. Whether the company is tax resident in Antigua is a facts-and-circumstances question.
US persons typically file Form 5471 annually for the company, alongside FBAR for offshore accounts. These obligations are non-negotiable, and every structure Wealth Web forms is built for full home-country compliance from day one.
- Form 5471: annual US reporting for foreign corporations.
- FBAR: applies to offshore bank and financial accounts held by the company.
- Substance and residence: where the company is managed and controlled can decide its tax outcome.
- Professional advice: should be obtained before formation and before assets are funded.
Who may consider a Antigua and Barbuda company?
Antigua and Barbuda is a reformed Caribbean IBC domicile where the historic blanket exemption no longer applies, so the tax residence of the company is the question that actually decides the outcome.
The reform is the thing to understand. Under the revised legislation an IBC that is tax resident in Antigua, or that has a permanent establishment there, pays income tax at the standard 25% rate on business income, dividends, interest and royalties. Capital gains are not taxed. Whether a particular structure falls inside or outside that net depends on where it is managed and controlled, which makes the residence analysis the central planning question rather than an afterthought.
It is less suitable as a standalone structure where dedicated creditor protection is the primary objective — pairing with a Cook Islands or Nevis Trust addresses that gap directly.
- Best fit: caribbean holding and trading structures with no antigua permanent establishment.
- Also suited to: owners wanting no public register of directors or shareholders.
- And: structures benefiting from antigua’s absence of capital gains tax.
- Clients wanting Total Protection: through a Antigua and Barbuda company paired with a Cook Islands or Nevis Trust.
We compare Antigua and Barbuda against Cook Islands and Nevis honestly before recommending a structure.
Book a consultation(WHY CLIENTS CHOOSE WEALTH WEB)
Antigua and Barbuda company formation with cross-jurisdiction perspective
Wealth Web coordinates Antigua and Barbuda companies and Cook Islands or Nevis Trusts as a single engagement. We are not a referral service â we manage the entire formation process directly and pass on the best available pricing.
Direct Antigua and Barbuda registered office relationships
We work with direct, licensed Antigua and Barbuda registered office and agent relationships — not a referral intermediary — the same team that forms Cook Islands and Nevis structures across 20+ jurisdictions.
First-hand jurisdictional knowledge
Our specialists understand the practical realities of Antigua and Barbuda structuring, not generic offshore formation scripts.
Fixed-fee formation
All government fees and first-year agent costs are included in the price — no hidden costs, no surprise invoices.
Honest jurisdiction guidance
We compare Antigua and Barbuda against Cook Islands and Nevis honestly, so the strengths of a jurisdiction are not confused with adversarial creditor defence.
Full compliance from day one
Optional legal and tax advisory ensures full home-country compliance — every structure is built to be reported correctly, not hidden.
(WHO SHOULD FORM A ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA COMPANY?)
A strong fit for caribbean holding with a reformed framework
Antigua and Barbuda is a reformed Caribbean IBC domicile where the historic blanket exemption no longer applies, so the tax residence of the company is the question that actually decides the outcome. For dedicated creditor protection, pair it with a Cook Islands or Nevis Trust.
Caribbean holding with a reformed framework
Antigua and Barbuda is a reformed Caribbean IBC domicile where the historic blanket exemption no longer applies, so the tax residence of the company is the question that actually decides the outcome.
Caribbean holding and trading structures with no Antigua permanent establishment
Owners wanting no public register of directors or shareholders
Structures benefiting from Antigua’s absence of capital gains tax
Businesses already connected to the Eastern Caribbean region
Tax residence decides the outcome
Antigua and Barbuda has real strengths, but it is not built around dedicated creditor-protection statutes.
25% income tax applies where the IBC is tax resident or has a permanent establishment
The historic blanket IBC exemption no longer applies
No dedicated charging-order or creditor-bond statute like Cook Islands or Nevis
Best paired with a trust when creditor protection is the actual priority
For creditor protection specifically, compare the Cook Islands Company and Nevis Company, or the Cook Islands Trust where the exposure is serious. For caribbean holding with a reformed framework, Antigua and Barbuda is frequently the stronger fit.
(TOTAL PROTECTION PACKAGE)
The Antigua and Barbuda Total Protection Package
A company on paper does nothing â the structure only works once funded and operational. We manage the bank introduction process, matching your entity profile to institutions actively onboarding Antigua and Barbuda entities. Account opening typically takes four to ten weeks.
- Antigua and Barbuda registered agent and incorporation coordinated from start to finish
- Government, registration and third-party costs itemised in the written quote
- Antigua and Barbuda-compliant constitutional documents and share structure prepared where required
- Company registered and prepared for banking and asset transfer
(ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA COMPANY EXPERTISE)
Meet our company formation specialists
John Evans
Forbes Business Council Founder & Chief Executive Officer
Rarotonga, Cook Islands
More than two decades of experience across offshore banking, asset protection, international companies and trusts.
Melanie Tetuaiteroi
Sales Assistant
Rarotonga, Cook Islands
Supports client onboarding, communications, documentation and operational coordination, backed by fiduciary administration experience.
(FORMATION PROCESS)
01
Initial consultation
We discuss your objectives, whether a Antigua and Barbuda company or a Cook Islands or Nevis structure best fits your needs, and your home-country tax position.
02
Confirm structure and complete KYC
We confirm the structure, check name availability, and provide a tailored KYC checklist â certified passport, proof of address, and source of funds.
03
Draft, sign, and register
We prepare your constitutional documents, file with the Registrar of Companies, and pay all government fees. Formation completes within 3 to 7 days.
04
Receive documents and open banking
You receive your complete corporate document pack, ready for bank account opening. We manage the bank introduction through to an active, funded offshore account.
(ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA COMPANY INSIGHTS)
Antigua and Barbuda Company Insights
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(ABOUT ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA COMPANYS)
What is a Antigua and Barbuda company?
An Antigua and Barbuda IBC is formed under the International Business Corporations Act. One director and one shareholder are sufficient, neither needs to be resident, and there is no public register of directors or shareholders.
The reform is the thing to understand. Under the revised legislation an IBC that is tax resident in Antigua, or that has a permanent establishment there, pays income tax at the standard 25% rate on business income, dividends, interest and royalties. Capital gains are not taxed. Whether a particular structure falls inside or outside that net depends on where it is managed and controlled, which makes the residence analysis the central planning question rather than an afterthought.
Antigua participates in the Common Reporting Standard and, from 2026, sits within the ECCIRA regional regulatory framework. It is not a creditor-protection jurisdiction in the Cook Islands or Nevis sense. It does not carry the charging-order and creditor-bond statutes that make Cook Islands and Nevis companies so effective against active claims, so pairing a Antigua and Barbuda company with a Cook Islands Trust above it is how the two are usually combined.
(ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA COMPANY QUESTIONS)
Common questions about Antigua and Barbuda companies
(CONTACT US)
Speak to a specialist. Let’s build your structure.
Book a confidential, no-obligation consultation with a senior member of our team to discuss your objectives and the services we have available.
