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Middle East Common Law

Start your company in Bahrain

Formation, registered office and bookkeeping — ready to operate from day one.

I'm in 4 min · no card required
Live in 19-21 days
  1. 1
    MOIC Application Day 1-7
    • Reserve commercial name with Sijilat
    • Draft Memorandum of Association
    • File CR application with MOIC
  2. 2
    Regulatory Approvals Day 8-18
    • Secure CBB license if financial activity
    • Obtain LMRA workforce approval
    • Lease registered office address
  3. 3
    Activation Day 19-28
    • Open corporate bank account
    • Issue Commercial Registration certificate
    • Register VAT with NBR
Starts from
BHD 2,690 first year, all-in
≈ $7,154 ≈ €6,079
What's included
  • Company formation BHD 810
  • Virtual office BHD 280 /year
  • Investor visa BHD 450
  • Bookkeeping BHD 80 /month
    See pricing tiers by revenue
    • ≤ BHD25K revenue BHD 80 /month
    • BHD25K–100K BHD 134 /month
    • BHD100K–250K BHD 224 /month
    • BHD250K–500K BHD 448 /month
  • Corporate tax registration BHD 190
Still comparing? See alternatives →

Why Bahrain?

Fintech founders relocating to the Gulf

Bahrain offers 0% corporate tax and the CBB FinTech Regulatory Sandbox, the first dedicated sandbox in the GCC. Setup runs 2 weeks and total annual costs land at BHD 5-10K, materially below Dubai or Qatar.

0% CITCBB FinTech Sandbox2 weeks

Crypto and VASP (virtual asset service provider) operators needing a clear framework

The CBB Crypto Asset Module is one of the few principles based VASP (virtual asset service provider) regimes in the region, and crypto friendly local banking is genuinely available. Bahrain currently sits clear of both EU tax and FATF lists.

CBB Crypto Asset ModuleCrypto bankingFATF clear

Founders building a GCC regional HQ on a budget

100% foreign ownership, no personal income tax, English language admin and 45 DTAs including the UK, France, Singapore and China. Bahrain is the lowest cost foothold in the GCC for accessing Saudi and broader Gulf demand.

100% ownership45 DTAsEnglish admin

Considerations

If your founders or shareholders are EU or US tax residents

Bahrain triggers high CFC risk from France, Germany, the UK and the US, and is not on standard US VC term sheets. If you cannot relocate personally:

CFC trap EU/USNot on US VC sheets
→ Ireland 12.5% CIT, EU, accepted by US VCs→ Cyprus EU member, 12.5% CIT, no CFC trap→ Delaware (USA) Default for US VC term sheets

If you need maximum regional brand and ecosystem density

Bahrain is smaller than the UAE and carries less international brand recognition for hiring or fundraising. If ecosystem depth outweighs cost:

Smaller than UAELighter brand
→ Dubai (UAE) Larger Free Zone ecosystem, deeper talent pool→ Qatar QFC (Qatar Financial Centre) backed by sovereign wealth, 80 DTAs→ Saudi Arabia Largest MENA economy, RHQ 0% for 30 years
Available services

Everything you need to run a company in Bahrain

Filing, compliance, accounting, handled by certified local partners

Ready to incorporate

Start your company in Bahrain

From formation to compliance, we handle every filing in Bahrain.

Start setup in Bahrain Talk to a specialist