The BVI and the New Era of Trusted Global Finance

2024 was described as a year of 'exceptional transactions' and resilience for the BVI. What were the primary drivers of this growth, and how has the BVI maintained this momentum amidst global geopolitical volatility?

We are seeing growth across all categories, including continuations, foreign companies, funds and private trust companies, and this is reflected in real transaction flow. These transactions span Latin America, Asia, the United States, Europe and the Middle East, and almost invariably include a suite of BVI entities, whether as holding companies, financing vehicles, joint ventures or fund structures. Our expertise continues to underpin private equity, venture capital, sustainable finance, digital assets and IPOs on major exchanges.
This activity underlines what we set out in our Beyond Globalisation report, which shows the BVI facilitates cross-border business worth some US$1.4 trillion. In a world of trade tensions, sanctions and rising protectionism, investors and corporates are seeking neutral, well-regulated and reliable hubs. The BVI meets that need by offering robustly regulated structures, jurisdictional neutrality, legal and commercial certainty, and political and economic stability.
We continue to strengthen our legal framework, including annual company law reforms. The Government recently adopted a legitimate-interest approach to beneficial ownership transparency, ensuring competent authorities have appropriate access to information, while respecting the constitutional right to privacy and commercial confidentiality. The Caribbean Financial Action Task Force recently assessed the BVI as fully/largely compliant with technical standards. The Territory has already implemented around 80% of the more than 40 recommended measures and is working toward full alignment over the next two years. These factors help explain why investor confidence in BVI structures remains strong. Since the introduction of international business companies in 1984, the jurisdiction has continually strengthened its systems and regulatory framework to meet real-world market needs and sustain a trusted ecosystem for global business.

You have spoken about a global 'flight to quality,' where investors are prioritising jurisdictions with strong regulatory frameworks and stability. How is BVI Finance actively leveraging this trend to attract institutional investors who might be reconsidering other, less regulated international financial centres?

When I speak about a “flight to quality”, I mean that global investors are increasingly seeking jurisdictions that demonstrate real resilience and integrity, particularly after the scandals in areas such as cryptocurrency, digital assets, sanctions breaches, pyramid schemes and money laundering. Against that backdrop, there are three points I want to emphasise.
The first is robust regulation. By this, I do not mean cosmetic rules, but genuine alignment with international standards backed by a strong, credible regulatory regime. The second is meaningful transparency. As I have noted, our competent authorities can access information quickly and effectively, while we still uphold the constitutional right to privacy and commercial confidentiality.
The third point is global connectivity. This is an essential marker of a quality jurisdiction. The major global law firms operating here all have corresponding offices across Europe, Asia and Latin America. Many of our clients choose the BVI because we can support cross-border business in real time. If someone in China calls, they expect an immediate response; you cannot wait until the BVI working day begins. You need professionals who can operate across time zones and have the cultural and linguistic capacity to engage effectively.
That is the quality the BVI offers: global expertise, delivered in your own language, with real-time connectivity and the professional infrastructure expected of a modern, cross-border financial centre.

BVI Finance was a key participant at AFSIC in London this year. Reflecting on your engagement with African business leaders and investors at the conference, what key synergies did you identify between the BVI’s financial services offer and the capital requirements of the African market, particularly in facilitating cross-border trade?

Africa’s growth story and the BVI’s strengths are increasingly complementary. Across the continent, there is a powerful convergence of factors: one of the world’s youngest and fastest-growing populations, a dynamic FinTech and digital ecosystem, and significant infrastructure and energy needs. In many areas, African FinTech businesses are global leaders. Kenya, for example, pioneered mobile payment technology through M-Pesa almost two decades ago, long before many developed markets adopted similar systems. That capacity to leapfrog is now shaping the continent’s broader digital economy.
The African Continental Free Trade Area is designed to facilitate easier cross-border business within the region. As I have emphasised, this aligns closely with what the BVI provides: a trusted, neutral and efficient platform for cross-border investment and corporate structuring. Much of the investment flowing into Africa over the past decade has originated from China, and the BVI has long played a significant role in enabling those flows. Earlier editions of the World Investment Report showed the BVI as the second-largest foreign direct investor in China after Hong Kong, underscoring the importance of our jurisdiction in channelling capital flows into and out of the world’s major economies.

The full BVI Report will be published in Global Investor 2026.