Europe · 🇱🇮 Liechtenstein

Liechtenstein

A private-wealth and foundation jurisdiction inside the EEA single market, with sophisticated Stiftung, Anstalt, and codified-trust structures on a Swiss-franc economy, coordinated through our partner network with locally admitted counsel.

Legal system Civil law · EEA Regulator FMA Liechtenstein Coordinates 47.14° N · 9.52° E
Discuss a Liechtenstein matter →Call +1 (630) 395-9496

Liechtenstein at a glance

Legal system
Civil law influenced by Austrian and Swiss law; EEA member state
Regulator
Financial Market Authority Liechtenstein (FMA)
Company formation
Core vehicles include the company limited by shares (Aktiengesellschaft / AG), the Anstalt (establishment) and the Stiftung (foundation) under the Persons and Companies Act (PGR). The Anstalt is a flexible hybrid entity, and formation is recorded with the Office of Justice commercial register.
Trust regime
Uniquely among civil-law states, Liechtenstein has codified trusts (Treuhanderschaft) and the trust enterprise (Treuunternehmen) within the PGR, alongside its prominent foundation regime. These structures are central to private wealth, succession and charitable planning.
Funds
Fund structures are available under the UCITS, AIFM and Investment Undertakings frameworks, with FMA authorization and EEA passporting available. Liechtenstein combines fund domiciliation with its foundation and wealth-structuring strengths.
Tax posture
Liechtenstein applies a flat corporate income tax with a notional interest deduction, and the Private Asset Structure (PVS) regime can apply to qualifying passive holding entities. It participates in CRS and FATCA and maintains a growing treaty network.
Region
Europe · Foundations · Trusts
How we act
Coordination by Hart David Carson LLP; local law advice by locally admitted counsel.

Liechtenstein is one of the few jurisdictions that pairs full EEA single-market access with a civil-law wealth-structuring tradition built specifically around the foundation. For families consolidating assets across borders, planning succession, or endowing philanthropy, that combination is rare and deliberate.

The principality runs a Swiss-franc economy and a customs and monetary relationship with Switzerland, so clients gain the stability and discretion long associated with the Alpine financial centers while sitting inside the EEA for market and passporting purposes. Its Persons and Companies Act (Personen- und Gesellschaftsrecht, the PGR) is the engine of this reputation. One statute codifies the foundation (Stiftung), the establishment (Anstalt), the company limited by shares (AG), and, alone among civil-law states, the common-law trust. Few European jurisdictions give a planner this breadth of vehicles under one code.

Liechtenstein is therefore used most heavily for private wealth: multi-generational succession, the separation of ownership from control, charitable and mixed-purpose foundations, and the long-horizon holding of family enterprises. These are educational descriptions of the Liechtenstein framework. The firm coordinates; it does not practice Liechtenstein law. We act as facilitator and project lead alongside locally admitted Rechtsanwalte and licensed trustees who carry the regulated relationship.

What we coordinate here

Liechtenstein's principal vehicles and financial-services capabilities, set out as the structures clients most often ask us to help frame, and delivered in every case through locally admitted counsel and licensed fiduciaries.
01

Company & Entity Formation

We frame the Liechtenstein entity with locally admitted Rechtsanwalte and a licensed trustee, then project-manage its entry in the Office of Justice commercial register, the Handelsregister. One code, the Persons and Companies Act or PGR, supplies the core vehicles: the AG, the Anstalt and the Stiftung. The decision is which form fits the control, liability and succession required.

  • Aktiengesellschaft (AG), the company limited by shares, used for trading, holding, and listing-adjacent structures.
  • Anstalt (establishment), a flexible hybrid that may be set up with or without share-like participation, for commercial or holding use.
  • Stiftung (foundation), an ownerless legal person endowed for defined family, charitable, or mixed purposes (covered below).
  • Treuunternehmen (trust enterprise) and the GmbH for closely held ventures.
02

Trusts & Foundations

This is the work Liechtenstein is chosen for, coordinated with locally admitted counsel and a licensed trustee. Alone among civil-law states, Liechtenstein has codified the trust within the PGR and runs one of Europe's most developed foundation regimes, which lets a family choose a foundation, a codified trust or a trust enterprise under one law and one regulator.

  • Stiftung (foundation), in discretionary, fixed-interest, family, charitable, and mixed-purpose forms, governed by a foundation council with optional protector and audit oversight.
  • Treuhanderschaft, the codified Liechtenstein trust, which gives civil-law families a common-law-style settlement.
  • Treuunternehmen (trust enterprise), a trust with separate legal personality, useful where a vehicle needs to contract in its own name.
  • Used for succession, asset protection, separation of ownership from control, and philanthropy.
03

Banking & Accounts

Liechtenstein private banks offer custody, lending and wealth-management services with strong links to Switzerland and full EEA access, and they expect a well-prepared onboarding file.

  • Custody, discretionary and advisory mandates, and Lombard lending in Swiss francs and major currencies.
  • Rigorous AML/CFT, beneficial-ownership, source-of-wealth and source-of-funds diligence under the Due Diligence Act.
  • Account opening typically coordinated through the licensed trustee acting for the structure.
  • Standards aligned with EEA requirements and the FMA's supervisory expectations.
04

Funds & Asset Management

For a family office or manager adding a fund beside its foundation, we coordinate the fund leg with Liechtenstein counsel and an FMA-authorized manager. UCITS, AIFM-framework funds and investment undertakings are all available, the FMA authorizes the manager, and EEA passporting lets a regulated product be marketed across the EEA from the same domicile that holds the family's wealth structures.

  • UCITS for retail-eligible collective investment, with EEA distribution.
  • Alternative investment funds under the AIFM framework, for professional and qualified investors.
  • Investment undertakings (Investmentunternehmen) for non-passported, investor-specific structures.
  • Natural pairing with foundation and family-office structures for consolidated wealth.
05

Regulatory & Licensing

The Financial Market Authority Liechtenstein (FMA) licenses and supervises the regulated sector, applying EEA prudential and conduct standards.

  • FMA authorization and supervision of banks, fund managers, trustees and professional fiduciaries.
  • AML/CFT obligations under the Due Diligence Act (Sorgfaltspflichtgesetz).
  • A beneficial-ownership register recording ultimate beneficial owners.
  • Matters before the FMA and the Office of Justice are run by locally admitted counsel; we coordinate and do not appear before the regulator ourselves.
06

Tax & Treaty Posture

Tax is settled with Liechtenstein tax counsel before formation, because the vehicle's design decides its regime. A flat corporate income tax with a notional interest deduction applies generally, while a purely passive holding entity may qualify as a Private Asset Structure, the PVS. CRS and FATCA participation and a growing treaty network mean the structure is reported to home-country authorities.

  • A flat corporate income tax with a notional interest deduction on modified equity.
  • The Private Asset Structure (PVS / Privatvermogensstruktur) regime for qualifying purely passive holding entities.
  • Participation in the OECD Common Reporting Standard and FATCA.
  • A growing double-tax treaty network supporting cross-border planning.

Government affairs & facilitators on the ground

How we coordinate registry agents, licensed trustees, foundation councils, banks, and regulator engagement, with locally admitted counsel carrying the regulated mandate.
01

Engagement is through licensed professionals

Engagement with the FMA and the Office of Justice is conducted through licensed Liechtenstein professionals. Matters are coordinated with Liechtenstein Rechtsanwalte and licensed trustees (Treuhander), who hold the regulated relationship and provide the substantive advice.

02

A vetted partner network

Our facilitation and partner network includes Liechtenstein Rechtsanwalte, licensed trustees and fiduciaries, foundation councils and private banks. Locally admitted counsel and licensed trustees carry the regulated and substantive roles; we introduce, vet and coordinate.

03

Registry & formation, project-managed

We project-manage incorporation and foundation establishment with the commercial register through the licensed trustee, keeping documents, beneficial-ownership filings and timelines aligned so the structure is complete and clean from the start.

04

Banking introductions, properly prepared

We help assemble the source-of-wealth and beneficial-ownership file the bank and the FMA-regulated trustee will expect, then coordinate the introduction, so the onboarding diligence has been anticipated before the bank asks.

05

Regulator-facing matters, handled locally

Where a matter touches the FMA, it is run by locally admitted counsel before that regulator. We do not speak for the agency; we coordinate the client's advisers and serve as the single point of contact across time zones.

06

Transparent and on the record

Government-affairs and registry work is conducted transparently and through the proper channels, consistent with Liechtenstein's standing on international transparency, exchange-of-information and beneficial-ownership measures.

Facilitation & partner network only. We have no office of our own in Liechtenstein, and the regulated mandate stays with locally admitted counsel.

How we coordinate a matter here

One partner,
the right people on the ground.

Hart David Carson can help frame a Liechtenstein foundation, establishment, or trust, introduce licensed trustees and banks, and coordinate delivery from scoping to completion. We act as facilitator and project lead alongside Liechtenstein-admitted counsel, who hold the regulated relationship and give the substantive legal advice.

Scope the structure (foundation, Anstalt, trust, or AG) against your objectives Assemble locally admitted Rechtsanwalte and licensed trustees Project-manage formation, registry filings and banking introductions One point of contact across Chicago, London, Dubai and the Alps
Speak to a partner →

Prepared by Hart David Carson LLP · Reviewed by Jonathan D. Herpy, Sr. · Last updated October 2026 · Educational overview · Not legal advice · Local law advice comes from locally admitted counsel.

Frequently asked

Common questions on structuring and coordinating a matter in Liechtenstein.
Why do clients structure private wealth in Liechtenstein?

Liechtenstein sits inside the EEA single market while running a Swiss-franc economy, and it offers one of the most developed civil-law frameworks for foundations and trusts anywhere. The Stiftung (foundation), the Anstalt (establishment), and the codified trust under the Persons and Companies Act (PGR) give families a precise toolkit for succession, philanthropy, and the long-term consolidation of family wealth, with EEA market access that few comparable jurisdictions offer.

What is the difference between a Liechtenstein foundation, an Anstalt and a trust?

A Stiftung, the foundation, is an ownerless legal person endowed for defined purposes under a council. An Anstalt, the establishment, is a flexible hybrid, with or without share-like participation, for commercial or holding use. Alone among civil-law states, Liechtenstein codified the trust, the Treuhanderschaft, and the trust enterprise, the Treuunternehmen, in the PGR. The choice decides whether a council or a trustee runs it, and the governance cost; locally admitted counsel and licensed trustees weigh control, beneficiary and tax objectives.

Does Hart David Carson LLP have an office in Liechtenstein?

No. Hart David Carson LLP does not maintain an office in Liechtenstein and does not practice Liechtenstein law. We act as facilitator and project lead, coordinating a partner network of locally admitted Rechtsanwalte, licensed trustees (Treuhander), foundation councils and private banks who carry the regulated relationship and provide the substantive Liechtenstein-law advice.

How is a Liechtenstein vehicle taxed?

Under a flat corporate income tax with a notional interest deduction, unless the vehicle qualifies as a Private Asset Structure, the PVS or Privatvermogensstruktur, a regime reserved for purely passive holding entities. PVS status depends on it staying passive, so the permitted activities of a foundation or Anstalt are defined with that line in mind. Liechtenstein participates in the OECD Common Reporting Standard and FATCA and maintains a growing double-tax treaty network. Liechtenstein tax counsel confirm the treatment before formation.

What due diligence applies when opening a Liechtenstein bank account?

Liechtenstein private banks apply rigorous anti-money-laundering and counter-terrorist-financing checks under the Due Diligence Act, including beneficial-ownership identification, source-of-wealth and source-of-funds verification, and recording of ultimate beneficial owners in the beneficial-ownership register. Onboarding standards are aligned with EEA requirements, and we help clients assemble the file the bank and the FMA-regulated trustee will expect.

How does Hart David Carson coordinate a Liechtenstein matter?

We scope the structure with the client, identify the appropriate Liechtenstein Rechtsanwalte and licensed trustees, and project-manage formation, banking introductions, and any matters before the FMA and the Office of Justice. The locally admitted counsel and licensed fiduciaries carry the regulated mandate; we coordinate the moving parts and serve as the client's one point of contact across time zones.

The structuring toolkit we bring

The capabilities the firm brings to Liechtenstein work from its own side, each with one partner coordinating U.S. counsel and locally admitted advisers.

Offshore trust & asset-protection counsel

Alone among civil-law states, Liechtenstein has codified trusts (Treuhanderschaft) and the trust enterprise (Treuunternehmen) within the PGR, alongside its prominent foundation regime.

Offshore trust & asset-protection counsel →

Estate planning

Liechtenstein is a private-wealth and foundation jurisdiction inside the EEA single market, distinguished by its sophisticated foundation and trust framework and its Swiss-franc economy.

Estate planning →

Foundations & private-client structures

In Liechtenstein, core vehicles include the company limited by shares (Aktiengesellschaft / AG), the Anstalt (establishment) and the Stiftung (foundation) under the Persons and Companies Act (PGR).

Foundations & private-client structures →

International tax

Liechtenstein applies a flat corporate income tax with a notional interest deduction, and the Private Asset Structure (PVS) regime can apply to qualifying passive holding entities.

International tax →

International corporate structuring

In Liechtenstein, the Anstalt is a flexible hybrid entity, and formation is recorded with the Office of Justice commercial register.

International corporate structuring →

Related jurisdictions in Europe

Neighboring private-wealth and structuring venues we coordinate across the region.

🇨🇭 Switzerland

A global center for private banking, wealth management and the administration of foreign-law trusts, with the Swiss foundation for philanthropy and family purposes.

Explore →

🇱🇺 Luxembourg

Europe's main cross-border fund domicile and a widely used EU holding jurisdiction, with the SOPARFI, the SPF, and a deep private-banking sector.

Explore →

🇯🇪 Jersey

A Crown Dependency finance center for private wealth and trusts, with one of the most influential offshore trust statutes and the Jersey foundation.

Explore →

🇬🇧 United Kingdom

A principal venue for cross-border finance, dispute resolution, and English-law structuring, with a mature trust framework and global enforceability.

Explore →

All Europe →  ·  ← Back to Global Reach

Start with the free Structure Diagnostic  →

Start a conversation

Planning a structure in Liechtenstein?

One partner is accountable for the whole matter, and you have that partner's direct line. We coordinate locally admitted counsel and licensed trustees on the ground, to one standard across three time zones.

Speak to a partner All jurisdictions