Accounting & Bookkeeping
Every Labuan entity has statutory accounting and record-keeping obligations. We can handle bookkeeping, management accounts, financial statements, and tax filings from incorporation onwards.
See accounting servicesLabuan entities, particularly companies incorporated under the Labuan Companies Act 1990, are required to appoint a licensed Labuan trust company as their incorporation agent. Signature Trust may act as your incorporation agent and resident secretary. From choosing the right structure to keeping it in good standing every year, Signature Trust handles every element of your Labuan corporate setup.
Signature Trust handles incorporations, registration and administration of Labuan entities. Our team includes licensed trust officers with more than 21 years of experience establishing and maintaining Labuan entities. You deal with one team, from the first conversation to the annual return, every year after.
Setting up in Labuan IBFC involves more than filing a registration form. The entity type you choose, whether a Labuan company under the Labuan Companies Act 1990, a protected cell company, a partnership or a foreign company branch, affects your tax position under the Labuan Business Activity Tax Act 1990, your compliance obligations and how the structure holds up over time. Getting that first decision right saves significant rework later.
Request a consultationThe right Labuan entity depends on your intended activities, ownership structure and tax position. We work through this with you before anything is filed. The main structures available in Labuan IBFC are:
a) Companies that hold a variety of assets and earn different types of income (e.g. interest, rents, etc.).
b) Companies that hold equity participations and earn only dividends and capital gains.
Comply substance requirements, NIL TAX.
Once the right structure is identified, we handle the full incorporation process with Labuan FSA. This includes name reservation, preparation of constitutional documents, submission of all required filings under the Labuan Companies Act 1990, and coordination of the statutory registry process.
We provide a full KYC checklist at the outset and guide you through every step so there are no surprises and no delays caused by incomplete paperwork.
Certain financial activities in Labuan IBFC require prior approval from Labuan FSA. We assist with the full licence application process: eligibility assessment, business plan preparation, documentation and submission.
A Labuan entity can open multi-currency accounts with banks operating in Labuan IBFC, including international banks with a local branch. Bank account opening is handled separately from incorporation but is a natural next step once your entity is formed.
Signature Trust manages the full bank account opening process on your behalf. We identify the most suitable bank for your business profile, prepare the required documentation, submit the application and follow it through to approval. Where the bank requires the account signatories to attend in person, we coordinate that arrangement as well.
Signature Trust holds a trust company licence issued by Labuan FSA under the Labuan Financial Services and Securities Act 2010. With over 1,000 entities formed, we bring proven regulatory knowledge to every incorporation.
Our directors are approved Labuan Trust Officers with deep experience across entity formation, structuring and ongoing corporate administration for international clients.
A multi-disciplinary team work together on each engagement, ensuring your entity is correctly formed, properly documented and fully compliant from day one.
Every client engagement is handled with strict confidentiality. We act as a trusted intermediary, keeping your corporate affairs private and your interests protected.
We discuss your objectives, ownership structure and intended activities to determine the most suitable Labuan entity type. If a regulated licence is required, we include a preliminary eligibility assessment at this stage.
We prepare a tailored proposal setting out the recommended entity type, required licences, KYC documentation checklist and a fixed-fee engagement letter. No surprises.
We collect KYC and due diligence documentation from all directors, shareholders and beneficial owners, then submit the incorporation application to Labuan FSA.
We prepare constitutional documents, issue share certificates, open statutory registers and support bank account opening. Thereafter we manage all recurring secretarial and compliance obligations: annual returns, statutory filings and structural changes.
Alongside our core corporate services, clients may choose to engage us for additional support depending on their requirements:
Frequently asked questions on Labuan company formation, ownership and annual maintenance.
Yes. Labuan companies can be 100% foreign-owned. There is no requirement for a local Malaysian shareholder. This applies to both trading companies and non-trading investment holding companies. For regulated entities such as banks and fund managers, Labuan FSA will assess the suitability of shareholders as part of the licence application, but foreign ownership is permitted.
A Labuan trading company conducts active business operations such as banking, insurance, management, licensing, or other commercial activities. It is subject to Labuan business activity tax at 3% of audited net profits, provided substance requirements are met. A non-trading company (investment or holding company) holds passive assets such as securities, shares, loans, deposits, or property (located in Labuan) and does not carry on active trading. It may be taxed at 0% when compliant with requirements. The distinction affects both tax treatment and economic substance obligations, so choosing the correct classification at the outset is important.
Under the Labuan Companies Act 1990 (as amended), a Labuan company must appoint at least one director of any nationality, and at least one of them must be a resident director. A resident director may be either a trust officer of a Labuan trust company approved by Labuan FSA, or a natural person who meets the criteria prescribed by the Authority. Every Labuan company is also required to appoint at least one resident secretary, who must be an officer of a Labuan trust company or a wholly owned subsidiary made available for appointment. Signature Trust satisfies the resident secretary requirement through its licensed trust officers and provides full company secretarial services.
Resident Director: any natural person who has attained the age of eighteen years old, has full legal capacity, and has consented to the appointment as a resident director.
Yes. Labuan entities can open multi-currency accounts with banks operating in Labuan, including international banks with a Labuan branch. Account opening is subject to each bank's KYC requirements and internal policies. We assist with introductions and can accompany clients to the bank where required. Note that the bank account opening process is independent of the incorporation and is handled separately.
All Labuan companies must file an annual return with Labuan FSA, maintain a registered office in Labuan, prepare financial statements in accordance with the Act, hold an Annual General Meeting, and file a tax return with the Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia.
Our annual retainer covers all mandatory obligations, ensuring compliance is seamless.
Optional services: clients may choose to engage us for additional support such as preparation of accounts, filing of tax returns, other compliance or advisory services.
This flexible approach ensures that nothing falls through the gaps while allowing clients to tailor the level of support to their needs.
All Labuan companies require a registered office address, which is provided by a licensed Labuan trust company. For companies subject to the economic substance requirements, a physical office with adequate space and full-time employees is also required. A virtual address alone does not satisfy the substance test. We advise on what is needed for your specific entity type and can arrange both registered office and physical office solutions. See our Economic Substance page for full details.
Tell us your objectives and we will identify the right structure and walk you through the full process.