New Developments Regarding Panamanian Entities And High Net Worth Clients

Featured in the Chambers & Partners High Net Worth Guide 2026, this article examines key legal and regulatory developments impacting private wealth structures and high net worth individuals with interests in Panama.

For decades Panama has served as a financial hub for Latin America. Flexible corporate vehicles, qualified fiduciary experience, a developed banking center and a stable, dollarized economy, coupled with a territorial taxation system, have attracted High-Net-Worth Individuals and families from throughout the region.

In recent years, a segment of the international community has increased pressure on international financial centers, such as Panama, to promote transparency and disincentivize tax competition. While Panama has achieved removal from all relevant international blacklists in matters of Anti-Money Laundering and Terror Financing, it remains on the European Union´s list of non-cooperative jurisdictions for tax purposes.