Law Firm

Law Firm

REGISTRATION OF VIRTUAL ASSET SERVICE PROVIDER IN GEORGIAN JURISDICTION

Initial registration of VASP
Capital formation
Registration/authorization of the company as a VASP
License from the National Bank of Georgia

Turnkey price - 47,500 €

INTRODUCTION

Rokhvadze & Partners, a legal firm, provides legal support services for VASPs (Virtual Asset Service Providers). Our goal is to establish a certain infrastructure during project launch. Legal support aimed at eliminating all risks from the moment of project launch, which companies may encounter, becomes an effective tool for planning and control of complex structured tasks. Blockchain technology contributes to the emergence of a large number of enterprises that independently attract financial resources, manage infrastructure, and create value for consumers in radically new ways.

To better understand the fundamentals of virtual assets and the terminological "framework" of the legal entity, it is necessary to reveal the essence of blockchain technology itself and a number of related definitions (token, crypto-asset, identifier, virtual asset, tokenized asset, etc.).

Blockchain is a technological solution in digital space, providing a modern way of accounting for digital data. Essentially, blockchain is an accounting system based on accounting objects in the form of tokens - entries in the digital data accounting system based on distributed ledger technology, representing an identifier of information that may be, but not exclusively, derived from the original asset. Let's examine the definitions determined by Georgian legislation.

Virtual asset - a digital expression of value that is interchangeable and non-unique, subject to transfer or trade in digital form, and used for investment and/or payment purposes. A virtual asset does not include digital representation of money, securities, or other financial instruments.

Convertible virtual asset - a virtual asset with an equivalent market value in national or foreign currency, another virtual asset, and/or financial instrument to which it can be exchanged.

Virtual asset service - exchange of a convertible virtual asset (including through a self-service kiosk) for national or foreign currency, another virtual asset, or financial instrument; transfer and/or storage/management of convertible virtual asset or tool necessary for its use, allowing for control over the virtual asset, management of a portfolio consisting of convertible virtual assets (except for collective portfolio management), and/or administration of a trading platform for convertible virtual assets and/or lending of such virtual assets.

Virtual asset service provider - an individual or entity providing virtual asset services on behalf of another person.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE REGULATION OF VIRTUAL ASSETS IN GEORGIA?

Legal status and functions of VASPs:Services related to virtual assets, due to their nature (high degree of anonymity, transaction speed, transaction tracking complexity, etc.) are associated with increased risks of money laundering and terrorist financing worldwide. To eliminate these risks and maintain the high reputation of the Georgian jurisdiction, the Regulator decided to create a legal basis for the regulation/supervision of virtual asset service providers, which will comply with the recommendations and fundamental principles of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).

At the first stage, the legal framework defined by the law provides supervision of virtual asset service providers in the following directions:

    Mandatory registration with the National Bank of Georgia;
    Verification of administration and supervision suitability criteria in terms of prevention of money laundering and terrorist financing.

Main functions of VASPs:The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) defines a VASP as a business that performs one or more of the following actions on behalf of its clients:

    Exchange between virtual assets and fiat currencies;
    Exchange between one or several forms of virtual assets;
    Transfer of virtual assets;
    Storage and/or management of virtual assets or instruments providing control over virtual assets;
    Participation and provision of financial services related to an issuer's offer and/or sale of virtual assets.

What you need to know about VASP regulation in Georgia: an overview.

    According to the regulations of the National Bank of Georgia, a virtual asset is not considered a legal means of payment¹.
    All issues related to the taxation of operations with virtual assets are regulated by Public Decision No. 201 of July 28, 2019, of the Ministry of Finance of Georgia.
    According to the draft law, the National Bank of Georgia regulates only convertible virtual assets, excluding the regulation of virtual assets that are not subject to transfer or exchange and are not used for payment and/or investment purposes. These include, for example, loyalty program points, game points, and others. The concept of virtual assets also excludes the so-called regulation of non-fungible tokens (NFTs), which are unique, non-interchangeable, and have a collectible nature.

¹Unless otherwise provided by Georgian legislation

PRIMARY REGISTRATION OF AN LLC:

The Georgian Law on Entrepreneurs provides for several types of legal entities, subjects of economic activity. As practice shows, for VASPs, the most suitable forms are either an LLC or a JSC. But before determining the legal form of the company, it is necessary to conduct a preliminary analysis, which will include:
1) Determining the legal structure of the VASP:
This action implies establishing the type of company structure in accordance with both the established AML standards and the company itself.

To determine the company's form, the legal firm Rokhvadze & Partners will be guided by the following criteria:

    company size;
    capital formation;
    the nature of the connection and subordination of the constituent parts of the company (in the case of establishing a subsidiary company, which is a separate economic entity, but dependent on the parent company);
    tax aspects of the parent and subsidiary companies relationship.

2) Formation of the company's equity capital.The main goal of forming the VASP's capital is to attract a sufficient volume of it to finance the acquisition of the necessary virtual assets, as well as to optimize its structure from the standpoint of ensuring the conditions for its subsequent efficient use in the crypto market. The initial stage of managing the company's capital formation is to determine the need for its required volume.
According to Georgian law, the capital of an economic entity can be formed from both internal (own) and external (borrowed) sources (including investments). According to Georgian law, equity capital can include funds placed on the personal bank account of the UBO², movable/immovable property owned by the UBO.

The legal firm Rokhvadze & Partners will provide full support for the process of forming the charter capital of the VASP:

    documentary registration of the UBO's funds' origin;
    documentary registration of the origin of convertible virtual assets;
    documentary registration of property (real estate, equipment, machinery, other material assets);
    support for investment projects;

²UBO (Ultimate Beneficial Owner) - a person who, in fact, owns the company and benefits from its activities.

Stage 1. Primary registration of an economic entity.

A comprehensive package of company registration services includes:

    Preliminary work to determine the type of company;
    Drawing up a charter agreement in accordance with the requirements of the Georgian Investment Funds Law;
    Registration fee;
    Other expenses related to registration.

Terms: 5-7 days.

Stage 2. Opening a fiat account.

(assistance in remote registration through a corporate manager).

Our company will conduct a full analysis to select the appropriate payment solution that meets the VASP requirements.

We offer several solutions for asset diversification.

Stage 3. Registration and connection of additional gateways.

The Binance Broker Program is a brokerage program from the crypto market leader, Binance. Broker partners can fully focus on business development and receive a share of trading commissions using Binance's high liquidity and market depth.

How does working with Binance look like?
This integration is achieved by having users' funds stored on the Binance platform, and order execution is also carried out on the Binance platform, but visually it all takes place on the company's platform.

Advantages of Binance Integration:

Using Binance's trading tools and liquidity directly on your platform;
Offering your users expanded and unique capabilities;
Providing access to Binance crypto products, as well as meeting more complex client needs such as upgraded cryptocurrency trading services, order matching, account management, and API-based settlement systems.

The legal firm Rokhvadze & Partners offers full support in obtaining the status and integration capabilities with Binance.

OBTAINING A NATIONAL BANK LICENSE

As of January 1, 2023, amendments will come into force that relate to the National Bank's obligation to supervise virtual asset service providers.

The main requirements for applicants will be:

    Having the appropriate technical support;
    Having qualified staff;
    Having a real office;
    Having all necessary documentation: KYC, KYB questionnaires, Privacy Policy, AML company policy, Terms of Services, etc.;
    Having an AML officer (no residency requirements for the employee).
  • Notes

When providing services/goods in Georgia or to Georgian counterparties for more than 100,000 GEL in the accounting calendar year, the company is obliged to register as a VAT (18%) taxpayer to avoid fines. However, in the absence of providing services/goods in Georgia, the company is exempt from paying VAT altogether and does not submit VAT reports to the tax office.

According to Georgian tax legislation, the company is obliged to maintain reporting. The company is also required to keep all accounting documents for 4 years. The company must submit reports monthly no later than the 15th of the following reporting month.

Since January 1, 2010, an extract from the Register of Entrepreneurs and Non-Entrepreneurial (Non-Commercial) Legal Entities has the same force as a tax registration certificate. That is, the company's identification number and tax number are unified.

VASP Taxation:
The tax on the company's withdrawn capital with the general tax system is 20% = corporate tax 15% + dividend tax 5%.

All transactions with convertible virtual assets are exempt from VAT. Property tax is 1% - declared in March/April - paid in June. However, usually, the Tax Service indicates new declaration submission dates and tax payment dates each year.

Personal income tax is 20%. In Georgia, the company is obliged to pay this type of tax in case of payment to an individual (except for individual entrepreneurs).

ADDITIONAL SERVICES

Accounting support

Opening a bank account

Legal address

WHY GEORGIA?

Georgian companies have
unique advantages.

  • Loyal tax rates

  • 6th place in the Doing Business ranking

    No problems with European and American counterparties.

    Open access to the state register of legal and non-legal entities.

    Low tax rates, as well as the possibility of reinvesting profits in case of absence of dividend distribution among founders.

    Exemption from VAT.

    Convenient work with the Tax Service: the possibility of postponing tax payments
    for a certain period, conducting electronic work.

    Loyal attitude of foreign banks towards Georgian companies.

  • Low maintenance costs

  • Open registers

    All statutory documentation is stored electronically.

    In Georgia, as in EU countries, an electronic apostille is in force.

    Georgian corporate law underwent the reception of Austrian and German civil law. The best practices of these countries were adopted.

    In Georgia, international accounting standards apply
    for both small and large enterprises (IFRS for SMEs).

    Business support by international audit companies such as BDO, Nexia International, Grand Thornton, KPMG.

    In Georgia, the European Business Association operates, which is actively involved in the development of corporate, tax, and economic bases for foreign business.

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WHY ROKHVADZE & PARTNERS?

  • 8 years of professional support for foreign businesses in Georgia

  • Registration and full support for company launches (including account opening)

  • Legal and accounting support

  • Experience in legally structuring complex corporate structures

Law firm

Atoneli Street 12,
Tbilisi, Georgia

    Georgia: +995 551 317 330
    Ukraine: +38 044 300 25 81