BVI FSC Announced Formation of SIBA Advisory Committee

The BVI FSC announced the formation of the Securities, Investment Business and Mutual Fund Advisory Committee (SIBA Advisory Committee). This is the statutory committee that has the responsibility to review the Securities and Investment Business Act, 2010, which was enacted in the House of Assembly in April, 2010 and came into force in May, 2010, and recommend changes to the regulatory regime that governs securities, investment business and mutual funds in the British Virgin Islands. The Chairman of the SIBA Advisory Committee is Mr. Ross Munro, Partner and Head of Investment Funds and Regulatory at Harneys law firm.

The FSC's Director, Investment Business, Brodrick Penn, commented on the formation of the SIBA Advisory Committee, saying that “The Commission is pleased to continue its partnership with the private sector through the formation of the new advisory committee, which will play a similar role to its predecessor; the Mutual Fund Advisory Committee. We are equally pleased to have a diverse range of professional expertise and personalities working together with the Commission to advise on matters relating to the development of the securities industry”.

BVI Among Most Popular Offshore Destinations for Czech Businessmen

Czech firm SMART Office & Companies stated that in 2010 there was more than double growth in the interest of Czech entrepreneurs in buying foreign ready-made companies, compared to last year.

It was also said that the most popular countries for offshore companies are British Virgin Islands and Seychelles. The interest of entrepreneurs to the British Virgin Islands has grown by 172% in 2010 as compared to the previous year (87 235 companies), and the interest to Seychelles has grown by 94% (119 231 companies).

The BVI, Seychelles and Cyprus are among offshore jurisdictions where tax system is most advantageous for Czech businessmen.

For next year, Smart Companies expects a growth of interest in traditional offshore tax havens, and in Asian jurisdictions – Hong Kong, Singapore and India.

BVI FSC Published Twentieth Statistical Bulletin

The BVI Financial Services Commission has published the twentieth volume of Quarterly Statistical Bulletin, comprising financial statistics and analysis for the third quarter of 2010, the period ended at 30 September 2010. According to the statistics of the Registry of Corporate Affairs, publishing information on incorporations and registrations in the BVI jurisdiction, there were 15,946 business companies newly incorporated in the reported period. This is the growth in the number of registered companies, as compared to 12,815 companies registered in the second quarter of 2010, and to 13,368 companies registered in the third quarter of 2009. Cumulative number of companies incorporated in the British Virgin Islands at 30 September 2010 was 456,547.

According to the statistics published by Banking and Fiduciary Services Sector, in the third quarter of 2010 total assets of commercial banks were $2,189 million, loans and advances were $1,440,6 million, net income was $41,1 million.

In investment business sector, in Q3 2010 6 new licences were granted to functionaries (cumulative total number 577). 31 licences were granted to Mutual Funds (cumulative number 2951).

According to Legal and International Cooperation Statistics, there were 32 enforcement matters in the third quarter of 2010 (29 in the second quarter of 2010 and 39 in the third quarter of 2009).

In the third quarter of 2010, there were 464 matters before the Licensing and Supervisory Committee, 94 of them in Banking and Fiduciary Services sector, 293 in Investment Business sector, 75 in Insurance sector and 2 related to Insolvency services.

BVI among Top Investors in Hong Kong Economy

According to the official data on Foreign Direct Investments by the end of 2009, published by Hong Kong Census and Statistics Department on December 9, 2010, the stock of the city's inward direct investment increased by 14.8 percent from the previous year, and made HK$7,262.1 billion (US$934 billion) at market value.

The major immediate investment source was mainland China, which accounted for the largest share at the end of 2009, at 36.4 percent. The second major source of investment were the British Virgin Islands, with 32.4 percent of total stock of HK FDI at the end of 2009. The Netherlands, with 6.8 percent, were the third.

According to the Hong Kong Statistics Department, Foreign Direct Investment in HK economy, especially that of mainland's China, covers wide range of economic activities, including investment, holding, real estate, professional and business services, import/export, wholesale and retail trades; transportation, storage, postal and courier services.