British Virgin Islands: Offshore Company Formation

The British Virgin Islands financial services sector has demonstrated remarkable strength in early 2026, with new company incorporations surging 10% year-over-year to reach the highest first-quarter performance in four years. The jurisdiction's expanding ecosystem now encompasses over 362,000 active companies, growing fintech and virtual asset services, and more than 2,000 registered investment funds, signaling sustained global confidence in BVI structures for cross-border transactions.

If the demand for change was simply being driven by a need to exert additional governance over the offshore business community, I would raise little objection.

This article considers why private trust companies are currently so popular, various structuring issues which those setting up private trust companies should take into consideration.