# Jordan

 Country code: JO · Currency: JOD · Language: Arabic

**Pros**
- Strategic trade access through numerous free trade agreements with major global markets
- Stable security environment and robust internal safety despite regional geopolitical volatility
- Tax incentives and reduced regulatory burdens within Special Economic Zones like Aqaba

**Cons**
- Significant bureaucratic red tape and corruption risks within the public administration and licensing processes
- High operational costs driven by expensive energy imports and chronic water scarcity issues
- Heavy state involvement in the economy and high public debt limiting private sector growth

Long story short: The real entry visa for business here isn't a permit, it's wasta: the address book that opens doors faster than any official paperwork.

Past that detail, taxes stay light and the dinar, pegged to the dollar for decades, never rattles the banks. Amman's wealthy side runs smoothly: decent roads, occasional water cuts.

Other things worth knowing: excellent Levantine food, jaw-dropping landscapes (Petra, Wadi Rum, the Dead Sea), solid security in the upscale neighborhoods, and a local market too small to get rich on alone.

## Will your income be taxed?

Long story short: YES, A LOT.
On paper, **Jordan** shears you at up to **30%**. In practice, the *territorial* regime only bites income sourced locally: foreign salary, foreign dividends, foreign gains walk through untouched. The sticker is there to scare; the machinery doesn't reach that far.

Earn your living abroad and the local taxman mostly waves at you from a distance.

**01.1 Income tax**

| Metric | Value | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Personal income tax | 5 → 30% | progressive · 6 brackets |

| Bracket (USD) | Rate |
| --- | --- |
| 0 – 7,052 | 5% |
| 7,052 – 14,104 | 10% |
| 14,104 – 21,157 | 15% |
| 21,157 – 28,209 | 20% |
| 28,209 – 1,410,437 | 25% |
| 1,410,437 + | 30% |

**01.2 Tax residence test**

_A single active rule is enough to make you tax-resident._

| Metric | Value | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 183-day rule | exists here |  |
| Economic interest | does not exist here |  |
| Family centre | does not exist here |  |
| Habitual abode | does not exist here |  |
| Extended-stay test | does not exist here |  |

## Will your wealth be taxed?

Long story short: NO.
**Jordan** keeps its hands off what you hold. *No capital gains tax*, no annual wealth grab, no inheritance regime.

Your portfolio compounds in peace and leaves the way it came in; nobody's standing at the door with their palm out.

**02.1 Investment income**

| Metric | Value | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Capital gains | 0% | flat |
| Dividend tax | 0% | flat |
| Interest income | 30% | progressive |

| Bracket (USD) | Rate |
| --- | --- |
| 0 – 7,052 | 5% |
| 7,052 – 14,104 | 10% |
| 14,104 – 21,157 | 15% |
| 21,157 – 28,209 | 20% |
| 28,209 – 1,410,437 | 25% |
| 1,410,437 + | 30% |

**02.2 Wealth & estate**

| Metric | Value | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Wealth tax | NONE | no annual wealth tax · no real-estate wealth tax · no net-worth assessment |
| Inheritance system | NONE | no estate tax · no heir-based duties · no succession tax framework. Wealth transfers across heir-classes are not taxed in this jurisdiction. Only standard probate / registration fees may apply. |

**02.3 Crypto**

| Metric | Value | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Crypto · tax regime | UNREGULATED | Fallback rate: 30% · Jordan transitioned from a ban to a regulated framework under the Virtual Assets Dealing Law No. 14 of 2025 (effective Sept 14, 2025). While the law regulates licensing and AML, it does not provide specific tax exemptions for individuals. Consequently, crypto gains are subject to the general progressive income tax rates (5% to 30%) plus a 1% national contribution for income exceeding JOD 200,000. |
| Crypto-to-crypto | TAXABLE | each swap counts as a disposal — gains realised at every trade |
| FATF travel rule | NOT SIGNED | no information-sharing obligation on VASP transfers |

## Easy to run a company there?

Long story short: NO.
**Jordan** runs the full pressure stack: corporate tax at **35%**, *criminal liability* for misuse of corporate assets (spend company money on yourself and you're prosecutable, sole shareholder or not; your consent is worthless), and *public registries* (your name in the shop window for anyone with a browser).

Heavy rate, real jail risk, zero discretion. If you set out to design a worse frame for an owner-operator, you'd struggle.

**03.1 Rates**

| Metric | Value | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Corporate tax | 20 → 35% | progressive · +3% Banks and companies engaged in electricity generation/distribution · +7% Companies involved in mining raw materials · +4% Financial intermediation and brokerage firms, currency exchange companies, and legal entities engaged in financial leasing activities · +2% Major telecommunications companies, insurance, and reinsurance companies · +1% Other companies not listed above |

| Bracket (USD) | Rate |
| --- | --- |
| 0 + | 20% |
| 0 + | 24% |
| 0 + | 35% |

| Metric | Value | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| VAT standard rate | 16% | 2 distinct tiers in force |

| VAT family | Category | Rate |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Transport | air | 0% |
| Energy | electricity | 0% |

**03.2 Regime & registry**

| Metric | Value | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| IP Box · Patent Box | NONE | no IP regime · IP income taxed under standard corporate rules |
| Misuse of corporate assets | CRIMINAL | criminal liability · Article 278(a)(3) of the Companies Law No. 22 of 1997 · Jordanian law strictly adheres to the principle of the 'Independent Legal Personality' of the company (Article 51 of the Civil Code). Under Article 278(a)(3) of the Companies Law No. 22 of 1997, any person in a management or employment capacity who exploits company funds or assets for their personal interest is subject to criminal penalties, including imprisonment (6 months to 3 years) and fines. This applies even to a sole shareholder-manager because the company's assets are legally distinct from the individual's personal patrimony; taking company funds for personal use without a legal basis (such as a formal dividend distribution) is treated as a criminal breach of trust or misuse of corporate authority, regardless of the company's solvency. |
| Shareholders privacy | PUBLIC | Companies Control Department (CCD) |
| Directors privacy | PUBLIC | Companies Control Department (CCD) |

**03.3 Incorporation cost**

_In this country, the most standard company form is called شركة ذات مسؤولية محدودة (Limited Liability Company (LLC)). The costs below are for incorporating a company in its simplest form, for reference only._

| Metric | Value | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Government Registration Fee (Minimum) | USD 353 |  |
| Professional Incorporation & Legal Service Fees | USD 1,410 |  |
| Lawyer Power of Attorney & Bar Association Fees | USD 52 |  |
| Publication and Administrative Fees (Registry, Bank, Articles) | USD 63 |  |
| Capital Stamps (0.3% of minimum capital) | USD 4 |  |
| Total | USD 1,883 |  |

## A good fit for a holding?

Long story short: NOT REALLY.
**Jordan** has a *moderate* **18**-treaty network, but no participation exemption: dividends from subsidiaries land straight in the corporate schedule (**35%**).

Fine for operational subsidiaries; as a pure holding base, you're feeding the local taxman at every distribution.

**04.1 Substance & exemptions**

| Metric | Value | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Territorial · individuals | TERRITORIAL | territorial — foreign-source income generally untaxed |
| Territorial · corporates | TERRITORIAL | territorial principle — foreign-source profits generally exempt |
| Participation exemption | NONE | no dividend participation exemption regime |
| CFC rules | NONE | no controlled foreign corporation regime · foreign-source corporate income out of scope |

**04.2 Withholding tax · non-resident**

| Metric | Value | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| WHT · dividends | 0% | non-resident outbound |
| WHT · interest | 7% | non-resident outbound |
| WHT · royalties | 10% | non-resident outbound |
| Tax-haven WHT | NONE | no punitive rate on record |

**04.3 Treaty network**

| Metric | Value | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Treaties signed | 16 | active |
| Treaties pending | 2 | in negotiation |

## Easy to come and go?

Long story short: LITTLE.
Coming and going from **Jordan** costs you nothing worth mentioning. *Territorial* regime (foreign income stays foreign), *no exit tax* at the door.

You show up with your stuff, you leave with your stuff, plus whatever you earned abroad in between. Borders the way they should all work.

**05.1 Exit & dual nationality**

| Metric | Value | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Exit tax | NONE | no triggers active · residence change tax-free · no deemed-disposal mechanism |
| Dual citizenship | ALLOWED | naturalised citizens may keep their existing nationality |

**05.2 Citizenship paths**

| Metric | Value | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Residence | 4 years | available path to naturalisation |
| Marriage | — | not available |
| Birth | — | not available |
| Descent | — | not available |
| Investment | available | available path to naturalisation |

## Is your money watched?

Long story short: PARTLY.
**Jordan** has signed *most* of the standard exchange frameworks *and* runs a public corporate registry. Your accounts get reported to your home tax office, and your shareholdings sit in the shop window.

Watched on both axes: not wall-to-wall, but don't come here for discretion.

**Multilateral reporting frameworks — 2/9 active · 2 pending**

| Item | Status | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| CRS | None | — |
| CARF | None | — |
| FATCA | None | — |
| MLI | In force | 2020 |
| BEPS | Signed | — |
| MAAC | In force | 2021 |
| GLOBAL FORUM | Signed | — |
| EOIR | None | — |
| CRYPTO TRAVEL RULE | None | — |

## Is it blacklisted?

Long story short: SOMEWHAT.
**Jordan** is *flagged* by a few national tax administrations (drawn from FR/ES/PT/BR) and sits outside the FATF club.

The friction is selective: anti-abuse rules fire on specific corridors, and counterparties ask more questions than usual. Neither the FATF nor the EU has it on their lists, which keeps the damage contained: a nuisance, not a scarlet letter.

**Blacklist exposure — Listed by 1 authority**

| Item | Status | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| EMBARGO | Clear | un / us / eu sanctions |
| FATF | Clear | grey / black list |
| EU | Clear | non-cooperative list |
| FRANCE | Clear | ETNC list |
| SPAIN | Clear | tax-haven list |
| PORTUGAL | Listed | favourable regimes |
| BRAZIL | Clear | low-tax list |

## Do you feel free there?

Long story short: NO.
Press freedom in **Jordan** is *locked down* (RSF rank **\#147**). Independent media and civic space operate under pressure (when they operate at all), and that kind of grip usually spills over into economic life too.

Small mercy: crypto isn't formally banned.

**08.1 Press freedom**

| Metric | Value | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Press freedom · RSF index | 147/180 | score 35 · ↓ 15 ranks year-on-year |

Central bank digital currency

    Program Status Cross-border Sources     Jordan CBDC

The key reasons for issuing a digital currency are still to be determined. Financial inclusion might be one of the reasons.

Central Bank of Jordan

   RESEARCH   —   [announce →](https://www.unlock-bc.com/84074/central-bank-of-jordan-studying-the-launch-of-cbdc/ "Announcement")

 programs 1

## Connected to the world?

Long story short: POORLY CONNECTED.
The two rails that matter are both dead in **Jordan**. *Stripe* won't onboard you, so card payments mean a foreign structure or a local processor with its own rules. *Amazon* doesn't deliver either.

Some secondary services run (**5/11**), but for an online business this is swimming against the current.

**Accept payments — 3/6 available**

| Item | Status | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Stripe | Not available | card payments |
| PayPal | Available | wallet payments |
| Adyen | Available | enterprise psp |
| Mollie | Not available | eu payments |
| GoCardless | Not available | direct debit |
| Paddle | Available | merchant of record |

**Bank and move money — 1/3 available**

| Item | Status | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Wise | Available | multi-currency |
| Revolut | Not available | personal banking |
| Revolut Business | Not available | business banking |

**Buy and sell on Amazon — 1/2 available**

| Item | Status | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Amazon | Not available | consumer delivery |
| Amazon Seller | Available | marketplace selling |

  SEE ALSO## Other jurisdictions worth comparing

Picked by similarity of strategic profile to Jordan. No editorial ranking — neighbours in the same scoring space.

  PROFILE-ADJACENT Same shape, comparable overall friction.

 [   Jamaica JM  → ](https://stateless.sx/en/country/jm) [   St. Lucia LC  → ](https://stateless.sx/en/country/lc) [   Bolivia BO  → ](https://stateless.sx/en/country/bo)

  NOTABLY MORE FAVORABLE Same family of strategies, higher total score.

 [   Bermuda BM  → ](https://stateless.sx/en/country/bm) [   Brunei BN  → ](https://stateless.sx/en/country/bn) [   Macao SAR China MO  → ](https://stateless.sx/en/country/mo)

  NOTABLY LESS FAVORABLE Same family of strategies, lower total score.

 [   Trinidad & Tobago TT  → ](https://stateless.sx/en/country/tt) [   Papua New Guinea PG  → ](https://stateless.sx/en/country/pg) [   Guyana GY  → ](https://stateless.sx/en/country/gy)