Curaçao’s International Financial Sector
Curaçao
Strategically located between South America, the United States and Europe, Curaçao has an excellent physical and financial infrastructure. Curaçao is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands and is one of five islands that make up the Dutch Caribbean.
The international financial services sector is, along with tourism, the most important pillar of our economy. Curaçao offers a very favorable fiscal environment for businesses and individuals alike. With its infrastructure, highly qualified personnel, friendly fiscal climate, multi-lingual background and strategic location, Curaçao is the ideal jurisdiction for investors and entrepreneurs.
A sophisticated international financial center
Forming part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Curaçao is an associate member of the European Community, with the Supreme Court of the Netherlands serving as the highest legal authority.
Comprising a multicultural and multilingual society, Curaçao is the largest island of the Dutch Caribbean, enjoying substantial professional presence and excellent airline connections and port facilities.
A high-speed telecommunications infrastructure provides reliable state-of-the-art global communications. And, perhaps most importantly, its sophisticated financial and legal infrastructure provides comfort to both investors and financial service providers.
The financial services industry of Curaçao is supervised and regulated by the Central Bank of Curaçao and St. Maarten, in close cooperation with the Dutch Central Bank, thus guaranteeing the reputation of Curaçao as one of the world’s leading international financial services centers and offering unparalleled financial security and stability.
Curaçao is a member of the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force, which forms part of the Financial Action Task Force based in Switzerland. It has enacted up-to-date legislation for combating money laundering, including ‘Know Your Client” (KYC) rules. These initiatives resulted in the broad acceptance of Curaçao by developed countries and global organizations focusing on fair tax practices. General acceptance in many cases offers a reduced withholding tax requirement. In addition, the enactment of a New Fiscal Framework in 2001, in full compliance with the policies of the OECD for fair tax practices, further reduces local tax rates. Our country is hence:
- FATF/OECD compliant
- EU-compliant
- AML compliant
The enactment as per March 1, 2004 of book 2 of the Civil Code ensures that corporate governance conforms to international standards of compliance and Directors’ accountability. Furthermore, the introduction of specific electronic commerce (e-commerce) legislation has placed Curaçao at the forefront of global electronic business.
An integral part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, taxpayers of Curaçao may benefit from a favorable tax arrangement applicable for the Kingdom, the “Belastingregeling voor het Koninkrijk” or “BRK”. Proper structuring may result in taxpayers gaining (further) benefits from existing tax treaties between the Netherlands and other jurisdictions.
More information on Curaçao International Financial Center
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More information on Curaçao
Click here to visit Curaçao Tourist Board website
The Dutch Caribbean Securities Exchange (DCSX)
Click here to know more about the Dutch Caribbean Securities Exchange (DCSX)
Curaçao Chamber of Commerce & Industry
Click here to visit the website of the Curaçao Chamber of Commerce & Industry
Central Bank of Curaçao and Sint Maarten (CBCS)
Click here to visit the website of the Central Bank of Curaçao and Sint Maarten