Company Limited By Shares (AG)
The public limited company is internationally recognised, has limited liability and is versatile in its applications
A public limited company is a legal entity whose shares or equity interests are owned by one or more shareholders, who may be natural or legal persons. It offers an independent legal structure with limited liability and is suitable for operational activities as well as for holding and asset structures within a stable legal framework.
The public limited company is particularly well-suited for business, tax and structural purposes in both a national and international context
Operational Activities
Conducting national and international business at competitive tax rates.
Holding structure
Holding and managing subsidiaries within a stable legal framework.
Shareholding structure
A shareholder in a company with a clearly defined ownership structure.
Double taxation agreements
Use of an internationally recognised structure with access to various double taxation agreements.
Asset management
The management of assets within a legal entity with its own legal personality.
Limited liability
Shareholders are not personally liable for the liabilities of the public limited company.
Answers to the most important questions about the Liechtenstein public limited company
What is the background to the public limited company?
In an environment of increasing transparency, locations that comply with international regulations, standards and requirements, whilst offering economic stability and legal certainty, are attractive. A public limited company is a legal entity whose shares are held by one or more shareholders. This structure is recognised internationally and provides a clear corporate framework with limited liability.
For what purposes is a public limited company suitable?
A public limited company is particularly well suited to conducting international business operations, maintaining holding company structures with subsidiaries, making use of double taxation agreements, and managing assets within a separate legal entity.
What are the requirements for setting up a business?
A minimum capital of CHF 50,000, or alternatively EUR/USD 50,000, is required to set up the company. At least a quarter of this must be paid up in cash; the remainder may be contributed in kind. Furthermore, one member of the board of directors must be a Liechtenstein national or a person treated as equivalent under the EEA Agreement and must hold a licence under the Trusteeship Act.
What are the advantages of a public limited company?
The public limited company enjoys an international reputation and is recognised worldwide, particularly in relation to double taxation agreements. It offers straightforward tax arrangements, facilitates compliance with international accounting standards and enables shareholders to retain their influence and transfer shares with relative ease.
How can Kaiser Partner assist with organisation and setting up a business?
In particular, support is provided with the drafting and preparation of articles of association, the registration of the public limited company in the commercial register, and the appointment of a board of directors and, where applicable, a supervisory board. We can also take on the monitoring and administration of shares.
What ongoing activities are involved in running a AG?
Ongoing activities include, amongst other things, holding annual board meetings to approve the annual accounts, appointing the auditors, and making amendments to the company’s constitutional documents and registering them where necessary.
How is a public limited company taxed?
The annual income tax rate is 12.5 per cent, subject to a minimum of CHF 1,800 per annum. If the public limited company does not carry out any economic activity, it is liable only for the minimum income tax, which currently stands at CHF 1,800 per annum. Upon incorporation, an issue duty of 1 per cent is levied if the exemption threshold of CHF 1 million is exceeded.
What you stand to gain, specifically
The public limited company is well established worldwide and is easily understood in a cross-border context.
The shareholders are not personally liable for the company’s liabilities.
The structure is suitable for both active business operations and holding and investment solutions.
Shares can be transferred relatively easily without having to restructure the company.
12.5 per cent income tax, or only the minimum tax where there is no economic activity.
An attractive combination of transparency, legal certainty and international compatibility.
Why Kaiser Partner
Liechtenstein has one of the oldest and most stable sets of company laws in Europe. The Law on Persons and Companies (PGR) of 1926 forms the basis for structures that offer long-term reliability – whether a foundation, trust, public limited company or Anstalt – regardless of political developments in other countries.
Kaiser Partner Wealth Advisors has specialised in the structuring of cross-border assets for decades. Its headquarters in Vaduz, Liechtenstein, is no coincidence, but rather a structural advantage.
Determining whether the company is to be used for operational business, as a holding company or for asset management.
Definition of capital, shareholders, the board of directors and, where applicable, other governing bodies.
Drafting of company documents and preparation of the incorporation documents.
Payment of the minimum share capital, any contributions in kind and entry in the Commercial Register.
Annual accounts, board meetings, statutory auditors, and tax and regulatory obligations.
