# Liechtenstein

 Country code: LI · Currency: CHF · Language: German

**Pros**
- Low flat corporate tax rate and absence of capital gains or inheritance taxes
- Exceptional political stability with minimal corruption and high levels of personal safety
- Strong legal protection for private property and a tradition of financial privacy

**Cons**
- Extremely high cost of living and expensive labor market for small businesses
- Severe scarcity of land and very high commercial real estate prices
- Restrictive residency permits and complex immigration rules for non-EEA entrepreneurs

Long story short: Liechtenstein caps corporate tax at 12.5%, among the lowest in Europe, and the administration leaves you be as long as your paperwork is straight.

The catch: settling here is next to impossible. Residency quotas are tiny, waiting lists endless, unless you're rich enough to negotiate a lump-sum tax deal with the authorities.

Beyond that: banks are rock-solid but wary after past laundering scandals, corruption is basically nonexistent, infrastructure rides on Switzerland's coattails, security is near total, food is decent but pricey, and the alpine scenery is stunning.

## Will your income be taxed?

Long story short: YES, BUT LIGHTLY.
**Liechtenstein** taxes income lightly (top rate **8%**), and the residency test won't jump you in a dark alley.

The pressure is readable, the rules play fair, and nobody's hunting for an excuse to claim you.

**01.1 Income tax**

| Metric | Value | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Personal income tax | 1 → 8% | progressive · 8 brackets |

| Bracket (USD) | Rate |
| --- | --- |
| 0 – 26,084 | 1% |
| 26,085 – 52,168 | 3% |
| 52,169 – 91,294 | 4% |
| 91,295 – 130,420 | 5% |
| 130,421 – 169,546 | 6% |
| 169,547 – 208,672 | 6.5% |
| 208,673 – 260,840 | 7% |
| 260,841 + | 8% |

**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 | exists here |  |
| Extended-stay test | does not exist here |  |

## Will your wealth be taxed?

Long story short: YES, BUT LIGHTLY.
Capital gains get off easy in **Liechtenstein** (**8%**); the *annual wealth tax* doesn't (top rate **4%**). It nibbles your pile every year, sold or not, and over a long hold the nibbling out-eats the sale tax entirely.

Watch the stock, not just the flow.

**02.1 Investment income**

| Metric | Value | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Capital gains | 8% | progressive · +150% Communal tax surcharge (minimum) · +180% Communal tax surcharge (maximum) |

| Bracket (USD) | Rate |
| --- | --- |
| 0 – 26,084 | 1% |
| 26,085 – 52,168 | 3% |
| 52,169 – 91,294 | 4% |
| 91,295 – 130,420 | 5% |
| 130,421 – 169,546 | 6% |
| 169,547 – 208,672 | 6.5% |
| 208,673 – 260,840 | 7% |
| 260,841 + | 8% |

| Metric | Value | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Dividend tax | 8% | progressive · +150% Communal tax surcharge (minimum) · +180% Communal tax surcharge (maximum) |

| Bracket (USD) | Rate |
| --- | --- |
| 0 – 26,084 | 1% |
| 26,085 – 52,168 | 3% |
| 52,169 – 91,294 | 4% |
| 91,295 – 130,420 | 5% |
| 130,421 – 169,546 | 6% |
| 169,547 – 208,672 | 6.5% |
| 208,673 – 260,840 | 7% |
| 260,841 + | 8% |

| Metric | Value | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Interest income | 8% | progressive |

| Bracket (USD) | Rate |
| --- | --- |
| 0 – 26,084 | 1% |
| 26,085 – 52,168 | 3% |
| 52,169 – 91,294 | 4% |
| 91,295 – 130,420 | 5% |
| 130,421 – 169,546 | 6% |
| 169,547 – 208,672 | 6.5% |
| 208,673 – 260,840 | 7% |
| 260,841 + | 8% |

**02.2 Wealth & estate**

| Metric | Value | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Wealth tax | 4% | progressive |
| 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 | ZERO TAX | Rate: 0% · Liechtenstein does not levy capital gains tax on private movable assets, including crypto-assets. However, individuals are subject to an annual wealth tax (Vermögenssteuer). The total value of crypto holdings at year-end is added to net wealth; a 'notional income' (Sollertrag, currently 4%) is then calculated on this wealth and taxed at progressive income tax rates. Professional trading is classified as commercial activity and taxed as business income at rates up to approximately 24%. |
| Crypto-to-crypto | NEUTRAL | a swap is not a taxable realisation event |
| FATF travel rule | NOT SIGNED | no information-sharing obligation on VASP transfers |

## Easy to run a company there?

Long story short: YES.
Corporate tax in **Liechtenstein** sits at a *low* **12.5%**, VAT included in the good mood. Setting up and running a company is cheap; whatever ends up killing your venture here, it won't be the tax bill.

**03.1 Rates**

| Metric | Value | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Corporate tax | 12.5% | flat |
| VAT standard rate | 8.1% | 3 distinct tiers in force |

| VAT family | Category | Rate |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Food & drink | food | 2.6% |
| Food & drink | non-alcoholic | 2.6% |
| Food & drink | alcohol | 8.1% |
| Print media | books | 2.6% |
| Print media | ebooks | 2.6% |
| Print media | newspapers | 2.6% |
| Culture | cultural events | 8.1% |
| Culture | cinema | 8.1% |
| Culture | theatre | 8.1% |
| Culture | museums | 8.1% |
| Culture | sports | 8.1% |
| Transport | public transit | 8.1% |
| Transport | rail | 8.1% |
| Transport | air | 8.1% |
| Hospitality | hotels | 3.8% |
| Hospitality | restaurants | 8.1% |
| Hospitality | takeaway | 2.6% |
| Health | pharma | 2.6% |
| Health | medical dev. | 8.1% |
| Energy | electricity | 8.1% |
| Energy | natural gas | 8.1% |
| Energy | district heat. | 8.1% |
| Energy | domestic fuel | 8.1% |
| Utilities | water | 8.1% |
| Utilities | waste | 8.1% |
| Clothing | kids clothing | 8.1% |
| Digital & telecom | digital | 8.1% |
| Digital & telecom | telecom | 8.1% |
| Digital & telecom | broadcast | 8.1% |
| Construction | construction | 8.1% |
| Construction | social housing | 8.1% |
| Agriculture | farm inputs | 8.1% |
| Agriculture | animal feed | 8.1% |
| Personal services | funeral | 8.1% |
| Personal services | hairdressing | 8.1% |

**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 | NO CRIMINAL | no criminal liability · In Liechtenstein, the equivalent of 'Misuse of Corporate Assets' is Breach of Trust (Untreue) under § 153 of the Penal Code (StGB). According to established jurisprudence (following the Austrian model), a sole shareholder-director cannot be prosecuted for this crime if they consent to the transaction, as there is no 'abuse of authority' against the beneficial owner's interests. As long as the company remains solvent and the act does not constitute a bankruptcy-related crime (e.g., § 156 StGB), it is treated as a civil breach of capital maintenance rules or a tax issue (hidden profit distribution). |
| Shareholders privacy | PUBLIC PAYWALL | Handelsregister (Amt für Justiz) |
| Directors privacy | PUBLIC PAYWALL | Handelsregister (Amt für Justiz) |

**03.3 Incorporation cost**

_In this country, the most standard company form is called Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung (GmbH) (Limited Liability Company). The costs below are for incorporating a company in its simplest form, for reference only._

| Metric | Value | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Commercial Register (Handelsregister) Registration Fee | USD 864 |  |
| Notary Fees and Public Deed of Incorporation | USD 1,357 |  |
| Professional Legal and CSP Incorporation Services | USD 4,935 |  |
| Total | USD 7,156 |  |

## A good fit for a holding?

Long story short: NO.
**Liechtenstein** has no treaty network at all, which buries the holding question, full stop.

Every dividend in or out eats the statutory withholding at full rate, and no domestic regime can patch a hole that sits on the source side. Don't park a holding here.

**04.1 Substance & exemptions**

| Metric | Value | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Territorial · individuals | WORLDWIDE | worldwide income taxation regardless of source |
| Territorial · corporates | TERRITORIAL | territorial principle — foreign-source profits generally exempt |
| Participation exemption | 100% | no minimum threshold · no holding period |
| 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 | 0% | non-resident outbound |
| WHT · royalties | 0% | non-resident outbound |
| Tax-haven WHT | 0% | penalty rate · blacklisted destinations |

**04.3 Treaty network**

| Metric | Value | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Treaties signed | 0 | active |
| Treaties pending | — | in negotiation |

## Easy to come and go?

Long story short: SOME.
**Liechtenstein** taxes your worldwide income while you're resident, but at least the exit is free: *no exit tax* on the way out.

Leaving costs you paperwork, not money; your unrealised gains walk out the door with you, untouched.

**05.1 Exit & dual nationality**

| Metric | Value | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Exit tax | NONE | no triggers active · residence change tax-free · no deemed-disposal mechanism |
| Dual citizenship | FORBIDDEN | naturalisation requires renouncing existing citizenship |

**05.2 Citizenship paths**

| Metric | Value | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Residence | 30 years | available path to naturalisation |
| Marriage | 5 years | available path to naturalisation |
| Birth | — | not available |
| Descent | — | not available |
| Investment | — | not available |

## Is your money watched?

Long story short: YES, CLOSELY.
**Liechtenstein** signed *every exchange framework that matters* and runs a *public corporate registry*. Whatever you do here (earn, hold, structure) is reported, searchable, or both.

Your money is watched from every angle; if discretion is part of your plan, this isn't your jurisdiction.

**Multilateral reporting frameworks — 5/9 active · 3 pending**

| Item | Status | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| CRS | In force | 2017 |
| CARF | Signed | 2024 |
| FATCA | In force | 2014 |
| MLI | In force | 2019 |
| BEPS | Signed | — |
| MAAC | In force | 2016 |
| GLOBAL FORUM | Signed | — |
| EOIR | In force | — |
| CRYPTO TRAVEL RULE | None | — |

## Is it blacklisted?

Long story short: SOMEWHAT.
**Liechtenstein** 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 2 authorities**

| 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 | Listed | low-tax list |

## Do you feel free there?

Long story short: YES.
**Liechtenstein** ranks high on press freedom (rank **\#12**) and crypto rides *untaxed*... for now. But **3** CBDC project(s) are on the workbench.

Today's freedom is real; keep one eye on the rails they're laying.

**08.1 Press freedom**

| Metric | Value | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Press freedom · RSF index | 12/180 | score 83 · ↑ 3 ranks year-on-year |

Central bank digital currency

    Program Status Cross-border Sources     Digital Euro

A digital euro could support the Eurosystem's objectives by providing citizens with access to a safe form of money in the fast-changing digital world.

European Central Bank

   RESEARCH   —   [announce →](https://www.ecb.europa.eu/press/intro/news/html/ecb.mipnews250409.en.html "Announcement")    Wholesale Digital Euro

Main motivations are to (i) consolidate and further develop the ongoing work of Eurosystem central banks in this area, and (ii) gain insight into how different solutions could facilitate interaction between TARGET real-time gross settlement (RTGS) services and DLT platforms.

European Central Bank

   PILOT   —   —    Stella

It explores the opportunity for using DLT to improve financial market infrastructure to support payment and securities settlement.

European Central Bank

   RESEARCH   —   [announce →](https://www.boj.or.jp/en/announcements/release_2020/data/rel201009e1.pdf%0D%0Ahttps://www.boj.or.jp/en/announcements/release_2020/data/rel200212a1.pdf%0D%0Ahttps://www.tbstat.com/wp/uploads/2020/08/KPMG-CBDC-Report.FINAL_.v.1.02.pdf "Announcement")

 programs 3

## Connected to the world?

Long story short: SOMEWHAT CONNECTED.
**Liechtenstein** is only half-plugged in. *Stripe* works, so you can bill the whole planet from here.

But *Amazon* won't deliver: no box on the doorstep, and consumer e-commerce won't arrive the way you're used to. **8/11** of the services we track run. Fine for selling out; frustrating for buying in.

**Accept payments — 4/6 available**

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

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

| Item | Status | Detail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Wise | Available | multi-currency |
| Revolut | Available | personal banking |
| Revolut Business | 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 Liechtenstein. No editorial ranking — neighbours in the same scoring space.

  PROFILE-ADJACENT Same shape, comparable overall friction.

 [   Australia AU  → ](https://stateless.sx/en/country/au) [   New Zealand NZ  → ](https://stateless.sx/en/country/nz) [   Gibraltar GI  → ](https://stateless.sx/en/country/gi)

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

 [   Singapore SG  → ](https://stateless.sx/en/country/sg) [   Switzerland CH  → ](https://stateless.sx/en/country/ch) [   Hong Kong SAR China HK  → ](https://stateless.sx/en/country/hk)

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

 [   Australia AU  → ](https://stateless.sx/en/country/au) [   Lebanon LB  → ](https://stateless.sx/en/country/lb) [   Mexico MX  → ](https://stateless.sx/en/country/mx)