Lay the “Foundations” for the future

Foundations at the Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) are independent legal entities with no shareholders, governed by a constitution and managed by a Council.

Designed for long-term succession planning, asset protection, wealth structuring, and family governance, Foundations provide a secure and reliable framework to preserve and manage assets.

By separating ownership from control, Foundations enable founders to safeguard assets and ensure they are administered and distributed in accordance with their wishes, both during their lifetime and across generations, while maintaining an appropriate level of control and confidentiality.

Combining elements of common-law and civil-law traditions, QFC Foundations are established under the provisions of the QFC Foundations Regulations.

QFC Foundation Features - Clean Component

Features of establishing a Foundation with QFC:

  • Independent legal personality with full capacity, rights and privileges of a natural person.
  • Established by one or more founders of any nationality acceptable to QFC.
  • No minimum capital requirement.
  • Established solely for the purposes set out in its Constitution.
  • Any benefit to the Founder is permitted only to the extent approved by the QFC Authority.
  • Must appoint an Enforcer to oversee compliance with the Foundation's Constitution and objectives.
  • The Registered Representative of a Foundation must be a QFC Licensed Firm with permission to carry on one or more of the following activities under Part 2 of Schedule 3 of the QFC Law:
    • Professional services limited to auditing, accounting or legal services.
    • Business activities of the administration of trusts and similar arrangements of all kinds.
Partner with confidence. Find out more about Foundations at QFC

Here’s why companies choose to set up a business with QFC:

100% foreign ownership
100% foreign ownership
100% repatriation of profits
100% repatriation of profits
Trading in any currency with no restrictions
Trading in any currency with no restrictions
Competitive 10% corporate tax on locally sourced profits
Competitive 10% corporate tax on locally sourced profits
Legal environment based on Common Law
Legal environment based on Common Law
Access to 80+ double taxation agreements
Access to 80+ double taxation agreements

GET STARTED

Setup Process

Setting up a business at QFC is a transparent, efficient and seamless process. Requirements vary depending on the nature of your activities.

Connect with the QFC team to discuss your plans, proposed activities and eligibility to set up your business at QFC.

A link will be shared with the applicant to complete the form and provide the application requirements.

Your application will be reviewed by QFC team. If your activities are regulated, the QFC Regulatory Authority (QFCRA) will conduct a detailed assessment of your business model, governance arrangements, capital position and risk framework.

You may be asked to provide clarifications or submit additional documentation.

Once approved, your entity will be incorporated and licensed. You will receive your official registration documents and can proceed with post-licensing steps, such as:

  • Commercial Registration Extract

  • License Certificate

  • License Letter

  • Incorporation Certificate

After registration, QFC will facilitate the process of obtaining the computer card and setting up the bank account.

Set up your business in Qatar

Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) is a leading onshore business and financial centre, offering a world-class platform for domestic and international companies to establish and operate in Qatar, supported by a legal and regulatory environment based on international best practices.

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