Capital Markets – Why Offshore

Companies incorporated in offshore finance centres make up a significant portion of the companies listed on many international securities exchanges around the world. Looking at the most commonly used jurisdictions of Guernsey, Jersey, Cayman Islands and the BVI, they presently contribute over 270 companies to the London Stock Exchange and have significant presences on exchanges including New York, Toronto, Hong Kong, Frankfurt and Singapore.

When considering the place to establish your company for raising capital on the international markets, offshore financial centres can provide a number of advantages.

For any company looking to list shares on a securities exchange, it can often be a quick and easy decision to list the existing company's own shares or the shares in a newly established 'onshore' company. However, it is often the case that both the company looking to raise capital and its targeted investors can benefit from establishing a new listing vehicle in an