Georgia: the right place to visit and invest

The Republic of Georgia, recently at the centre of international press articles due to certain political shifts after the latest elections, is one of the most culturally rich countries in Eastern Europe.

The scenery of Georgia. Photo: Veronika Peshkova

Originally populated by hominids 1.8 million years ago, it is one of the most ancient seats of human development and holds a number of records, including the invention of wine-producing techniques (today a UNESCO protected heritage).

Today, Georgia offers, on top of incredible tourism experiences with original, varied, and delicious culinary options, a number of business and lifestyle opportunities that we at dMTV Global, thanks to the active role of our founder, avv. Federico Vasoli, have been successfully introducing to international clients.

For individuals, Georgia offers a competitive tax residency package, with accessible banking options, similar to other jurisdictions like Malta, Singapore, and Hong Kong.

Under this scheme, any personal income generated from sources outside of Georgia is potentially exempt from any taxation even when remitted to a local banking institution.

On the corporate side, local companies already have a relatively favourable tax of 20 per cent of profits. However, for international clients, with our assistance, it is possible to set up corporations within certain special economic zones, which reduce taxation on net profits to zero per cent while applying a 5 per cent tax only when they are extracted as dividends.

We regularly set up these entities with dMTV Global, in particular for, but not limited to, online marketing and software development-focused businesses.

Corporate banking access is relatively easy to achieve using international digital payment institutions, or also locally with brick-and-mortar banks, by proving minimal levels of local economic substance.

The Old Monastery in Georgia. Photo: Veronika Peshkova

Another interesting opportunity offered by the special economic zones is access to particular types of financial licensing fully supported by the central regulator as well. An excellent example is the ‘crypto’ licence, appropriately called a VASP or Virtual Assets Service Provider licence, which is one of the most comprehensive in the entire industry.

It allows custodial and wallet services, fiat-crypto, crypto-fiat, and crypto-crypto exchange capabilities. It also allows certain activities which are considered financial in nature and subject to separate licensing in many other jurisdictions, like crypto derivatives, futures, crypto investment products, crypto trading advisory and launchpads, incubators, and other crypto startup service provision activities.

For some of these activities, despite holding a valid licence, care would have to be taken in assessing any further requirements necessary for serving certain types, especially with international retail customers, but this is a transversal consideration with every licensing, anywhere.

Furthermore, a very popular special economic zone licence is the money business and financial services licence, which allows a broad range of activities, from account opening and payment services, like the European and UK E-money Institution licence, provided the applicant is able to negotiate and secure external partnerships to gain, for instance, access to the SWIFT payment system or the VISA and Mastercard circuits.

dMTV can generally expedite such licences for international clients at competitive prices, ranging from three weeks to three months depending on the specific case.

However, Georgia is not only a country of innovation, crypto, and software opportunities; it is still heavily rooted in tradition and old-world charm.

While currently a republic, Georgia was one of the oldest and longest-standing kingdoms of Europe, and its royal family still enjoys widespread respect from the general population and official recognition from the local government.

The Bagrationi dynasty was openly recognised in 2003 as the royal family of Georgia by local authorities, and in 2009 HRH Crown Prince Davit Bagrationi of Georgia became the head of the line.

After marrying the heir from a secondary royal line, Prince Davit became father to HRH Prince Giorgi, who is now heir apparent of both wings of the family.

Tbilisi, the capital and the largest city of Georgia. Photo: Veronika Peshkova

In 2017, Prince Davit was received in the United Kingdom at Kensington Palace, where Queen Elizabeth II accepted the honour of Dame Grand Collar of the Order of the Eagle of Georgia; and in 2018 Prince Davit was invited to the inauguration of Georgia's first female president, Salome Zourabichvili, which was also held in a former royal palace in Tbilisi, the capital of the country.

The Bagrationi dynasty is recognised internationally by other royal houses as one of the most ancient, distinguished, and honourable houses, and Prince Davit shares familial ties with both the Romanov imperial house of Russia and the Spanish royal house.

dMTV Global, through its executive director, TMH Giacomo Merello, Baron and Lord of Leslie (Fife, UK), works closely with the government of the royal house of Georgia, whose minister is HE Dario Item, Prince of St. Rosalie and Earl of Rothes; together we assist particular international individuals and personalities that have distinguished themselves for outstanding business, sporting, or artistic merits and for supporting entries in the Order of the Eagle of Georgia, and in other dynastic and chivalrous orders awarded by Prince Davit, the Order of Queen Tamara and the Order of the Crown.

In exceptional cases and for truly distinguished petitioners, Prince Davit occasionally may award "motu proprio" certain other higher honours and dignities.

The royal house is very active on an international level and often conjoins diplomatic ties with other houses, the most recent of which, in October 2024, was established with the Italian Royal House of Savoy, with its head, HRH Prince Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy, Duke of Savoy and Prince of Venice.

To explore any of the opportunities of this ancient and reputable jurisdiction, contact dMTV Global through our website https://dmtvglobal.com/

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