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Cyprus or Malta: where to set up your company?
Two deliverable jurisdictions, side by side on the facts our profiles carry — company form, tax, capital, timeline, banking, substance and our price. Who each one fits, what really decides between them, and the traps of each.
| Cyprus | Malta | |
|---|---|---|
| Usual company form | Ltd | Ltd |
| Corporate taxation | ≈ 15 % on profits | 35%, with part of the tax refunded to shareholders on distribution |
| Share capital | €1,000 | €1,165 (20% paid up) |
| Incorporation time | 10 days | 3–5 working days |
| Banking access | Accessible | Demanding |
| Substance requirement | Necessary, but not sufficient on its own | Necessary, but not sufficient on its own |
| Our services | from 2,890 € | from 2,990 € |
Cyprus — who it's for
- EU member: intra-Community VAT number and SEPA flows without friction.
- Extensive tax treaty network, useful for a holding company.
- Company law of common-law tradition, familiar to investors.
Malta — who it's for
- Corporate income tax: 35%, with part of the tax refunded to shareholders on distribution (to be checked with the tax authority).
- Companies Act (Cap. 386); the companies register is kept by the Malta Business Registry, set up in 2018.
- Private limited liability company (Ltd), registered at the Malta Business Registry.
What really decides between them
- Corporate tax — Cyprus : ≈ 15 % on profits · Malta : 35%, with part of the tax refunded to shareholders on distribution
- Minimum capital — Cyprus : €1,000 · Malta : €1,165 (20% paid up)
- Registration time — Cyprus : 10 days · Malta : 3–5 working days
- Banking access — Cyprus : Accessible · Malta : Demanding
- Substance — Cyprus : Necessary, but not sufficient on its own · Malta : Necessary, but not sufficient on its own
- Our price — Cyprus : from 2,890 € · Malta : from 2,990 €
Figures from each profile; to be checked there. The right choice depends on where you will really operate and bank.
Traps — Cyprus
- Management-and-control test: without local direction, the company remains taxable where you live.
- Reputation damaged with some banks since the 2013 banking crisis.
Traps — Malta
- Economic substance and filing obligations reinforced by Union law.
- Survey data not verified by on-the-spot counsel: banking access and substance are established case by case.
Cyprus or Malta: frequently asked questions
Cyprus or Malta: which is cheaper to set up?
Cyprus: from 2,890 €; Malta: from 2,990 €. Starting prices, official fees included, excluding tax.
Cyprus or Malta: how does corporate tax compare?
Cyprus: ≈ 15 % on profits; Malta: 35%, with part of the tax refunded to shareholders on distribution. To be checked on each profile.
Cyprus or Malta: which is faster to register?
Cyprus: 10 days; Malta: 3–5 working days. Usual times.