Payment institutions in Liechtenstein are governed solely by the legal provisions and the orders of the Financial Market Authority (FMA) Liechtenstein, which is the supervisory authority.
Key Features
Undertakings wanting to provide payment services on a professional basis in require a licence issued by the FMA to take up their business activities as a payment institution. Payment services include the following services:
- services enabling cash to be placed on a payment account as well as all the operations required for operating a payment account;
- services enabling cash withdrawals from a payment account as well as all the operations required for operating a payment account;
- execution of payment transactions, including transfers of funds on a payment account with the payment service provider of the payment service user or with another payment service provider:
- execution of direct debits, including one-off direct debits;
- execution of payment transactions through a payment card or a similar device;
- execution of credit transfers, including standing orders;
- issuing and/or acquiring of payment instruments;
- money remittance;
- execution of payment transactions where the consent of the payer to execute a payment transaction is given by means of any telecommunication, digital or IT device and the payment is made to the telecommunication, IT system or network operator, acting only as an intermediary between the payment service user and the supplier of the goods and services.
Legal Requirements
|
Requirements |
Description |
|
General |
|
|
Company, Limited partnership |
|
Yes |
|
Share capital or equivalent |
|
|
· Minimum paid up capital |
EUR 37,000 to EUR 230,000 (depending on specific service provided) |
|
Directors |
|
|
1 |
|
Yes |
|
No |
|
Shareholders |
|
|
1 |
|
Yes |
|
No |
|
Service Providers Required |
|
|
Yes |
|
Yes |
Tax Treatment
- Resident legal entities, which are legal entities established in Liechtenstein or whose place of effective management is in Liechtenstein, are generally subject to tax on their worldwide income.
- Non-resident legal entities are generally subject to tax on their Liechtenstein source income.
- The standard corporate income tax rate is 12.5%. A minimum tax of CHF 1,200 generally applies.
Duration to Set Up
About 3 months
Distinctive Benefits of Licence
- Ease and speed of establishment
- Friendly regulatory environment
The Valsen Advantage
- End to end comprehensive service
- Speedy and efficient service
- Expert advice on structuring options
- Dedicated ongoing compliance support
- Extensive network pool of service providers