British Virgin Islands Ease Regulatory Burden On Smaller Funds

The British Virgin Islands is making it easier for smaller hedge funds to make their home in the offshore financial center.

The British Virgin Islands Financial Services Committee on Monday will begin offering a new investment management license for non-institutional firms running small and medium-sized funds. The new rules streamline the regulatory matters facing such firms, which the BVI say do not pose a systemic risk to the financial system.

The new licenses cover BVI-domiciled funds with at least US$400 million in assets under management for open-ended funds and US$1 billion for closed-ended funds.