British Virgin Islands (BVI)
Why is this normal?:
A classic offshore jurisdiction where nominee services are the foundation of the business model. Over 400,000 registered companies.
Peculiarities:
– Nominee directors and shareholders are used in 90%+ of companies
– Lack of public registers of directors and shareholders (until recently)
– Popular for holdings, yachts, aircraft, investment structures
– No physical presence required
Regulation:
Following the introduction of a register of beneficiaries (available only to regulators), the jurisdiction retained its popularity but became more transparent for authorities.