New Volume of Statistical Bulletin Published by the Commission

The BVI Financial Services Commission has issued the fifty-fourth volume of its Statistical Quarterly Bulletin, providing information about the financial services activities in the jurisdiction in the first quarter of 2019.

According to the Registry of Corporate Affairs, 7,214 new companies were incorporated in BVI in the first quarter of the year, which is 19.09% decrease compared to 8,916 in the fourth quarter of 2018 and 26.37% decrease compared to 9,798 in the first quarter of 2018. Total cumulative number of registered BCs as at 31 March 2019 was 408,838. Also, in the first quarter of 2019 there were 12 new Private Trust Companies, 1 Segregated Portfolio Company, 1 Foreign Company registered, along with 80 continuations. 

There were 56 new Limited Partnerships (LPs) formed in Q1 2019, which is a 80.65% increase when compared to 31 formed Q1 2018, and a 51.35% increase in the number of LPs formed in Q1 2019 when compared to 37 LPs formed in Q4 2018. Total cumulative number of active Limited Partnerships was 977 as at 31st March 2019.

In the first quarter of 2019, there were 57 new applications to register new Trade Mark, which is an increase by 21.28% when compared to Q1 2018, and a decrease by 1.72% when compared to Q4 2018. According to Banking, Insolvency and Fiduciary Services statistics, there were 6 new General Banking Licences and 1 Restricted Class 1 Banking Licence issued in the first quarter of 2019. The banking sector’s total asset size in this quarter at approximately US$2.43 billion is comparable to Q4 2018’s performance of US$2.37 billion. 

International Cooperation statistics records the number of incoming and outgoing requests for information, classified as formal or informal. In the first quarter of 2019, there were 15 formal and 5 informal incoming and no outgoing requests. Further information and statistics is available at the website of the Financial Services Commission.

New Media Release on Financial Services Business Issued by BVI Finance

BVI Finance has reported the considerable increase in the quantity and quality of business in the financial services sector of the territory in 2018. Besides the highest level of overall new incorporations in three years, there was an increase in the number of higher-end limited partnerships; BVI keeps its leading position in mergers and acquisitions, public listings, and innovative areas such as Initial Coin Offerings.

Chief Executive Officer of BVI Finance Elise Donovan stated in the media release: “More than 400,000 organisations recognise that our strong legal system, business-friendly laws and world-class corporate services sector means we are an indispensable hub for global trade… We are delighted to see that 2018 was a strong year for incorporations as more businesses and individuals chose to take advantage of the strategic and administrative benefits that our global financial centre offers. The noted increase in the quality business happening on-island is a reflection of the type of businesses and professionals making the BVI stronger.”

The release mentioned recent activity of the BVI-based law firms which added to the strength of territory’s financial sector: law firm Ogier provided a counsel on a US$350mln biopharmaceutical merger, Appleby acted as advisers on a private token sale, raising about US$1bln, and earlier in 2018 Harneys represented an Information Technology services provider on a US$2bln merger acquisition. The last transaction is a new BVI record for the largest takeover of a publicly-listed BVI company by transaction value.