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Hong Kong Ltd · via Osome (Singapore)·🇮🇳Founder profile

HK Ltd via Osome SG — Indian SaaS Founders

VerifiedOct 2026
EligibilityEligible
Setup timeline10–24days
Year-1 total$1,650

Indian SaaS founders scaling into Asia-Pacific pick HK Ltd for territorial taxation and regional banking access. Osome operates the HK Ltd end-to-end for HKD 9,800+/year including company secretary, IRD filings, and annual audit.

Under HK's territorial system, IRD taxes only HK-source profits at two-tier 8.25% (first HKD 2M) / 16.5% above. Offshore-source claims possible with operational substance evidence — servers outside HK, contracts negotiated outside HK, key staff outside HK.

India side: RBI Overseas Direct Investment (ODI) rules kick in above USD 250,000 aggregate capital contribution; Schedule FA on ITR-2 mandatory.

§ 01Cost of ownership

Model the full outlay, not just the setup fee

Renewal costs sneak up on non-resident founders. Compare year-1 filing against a 3-year total to see the real bill.
Currency · USD (live FX)
2-year cost of ownership
$2,730
≈ $113.75/month amortized·USD @ live FX
Time horizon
Line items
Amount
  • SetupOsome (Singapore) setup
    $1,650
  • AnnualYear 2 renewal
    $1,080
Total$2,730
§ 02Tax residency · Indian SaaS Founders

What the tax authority sees

US federal / local status

Hong Kong Ltd applies territorial taxation: IRD taxes only HK-source profits at two-tier 8.25% (first HKD 2M) / 16.5%; offshore claims possible with substance.

Home-country rule

ODI (Overseas Direct Investment) RBI approval required for equity

Editorial verdict

HK Ltd suits Indian SaaS founders billing Asia-Pacific customers; RBI ODI still governs equity above USD 250,000 aggregate.

Key compliance risks
  • 01RBI ODI filing required above USD 250,000 aggregate capital contribution
  • 02HK IRD two-tier 8.25%/16.5% on HK-source profits
  • 03Schedule FA disclosure on Indian ITR-2 mandatory; Black Money Act INR 10 lakh penalty
  • 04IRD BEPS 2.0 enhanced substance rules from 2024
§ 03Setup timeline

From filing to funded bank account

Setup timeline
10–24days total, 3 phases
Milestone check
Filing · Tax ID · Banking
d0
d6
d12
d18
d24
01FilingOsome (Singapore) submits formation docs
d0–d8
02Tax ID / EINLocal tax authority registration
d7–d18
03BankingBusiness account approved & funded
d14–d24
§ 04Head-to-head

Hong Kong Ltd vs UAE Free Zone (MEYDAN)

Hong Kong Ltd
Ltd
UAE Free Zone (MEYDAN)
Free Zone LLC
Entity
Ltd
Free Zone LLC
Setup cost
$500.00
$1,307
Annual
$3,000
$1,307
Local director
Remote OK
Remote OK
Physical presence
Remote OK
Remote OK
Tax regime
8.25% first HKD 2M profit; territorial system
9% CT above AED 375k; 0% VAT for out-of-UAE trade
§ 05Questions founders actually ask

FAQ

HK Ltd: no local director required, faster formation (10-14 days), two-tier 8.25%/16.5%. Singapore Pte: local resident director required, 17% flat CIT with startup exemptions (75% exemption on first SGD 100k), better global brand. For solo Indian founders without an SG resident on hand, HK is easier.

Next step

Start filing with Osome (Singapore)

Formation typically completes in 2–3 weeks. Use the promo below, then click through to begin the checklist directly on the platform.