Different Types of Business Entities to Set Up in Hong Kong
Fortunately, there are several types of business entities which can be started in Hong Kong. However, it is extremely important to choose the right business entity which best suits your business requirements. We recommend spending a considerable amount of time picking the right entity for your business as it will help you run your business without facing any issues.
Following are the most common business entities to start in Hong Kong. It is worth noting that both local and foreign entrepreneurs can choose from these business entities.
Sole Proprietorship
This is the most suitable business entity for small-scale businesses. The setup process is comparatively easy and there are very few risks involved. As a result, this is the preferred choice of many startups. In this scenario, there is only a single business owner which means that a single person gets all the profit. Since there are very few risks involved, the decision making to run such a business is fairly easy.
The only drawback of choosing sole proprietorship is the limited life expectancy. There may arise situations when you have to terminate your business venture due to less public engagement.
Limited Liability Company (LLC)
Hong Kong Company incorporation can also be performed by picking Limited Liability Company (LLC) as your business entity. In such a scenario, the business is considered as a separate legal entity which means that the assets of the business owners stay protected from the business risks.
To start a company as LLC, one needs to register it under Companies Ordinance in Hong Kong. Since it is considered as a separate legal entity, there’s a huge scope for investment which means that it is easy to raise capital. Another advantage of picking LLC as your business entity is there are additional tax and incentive benefits.
However, in this case, you’ll have to take care of a lot of paperwork which means that it can get quite hectic to set up your company as Limited Liability Company (LLC).
Partnership Entity
As the name suggests, there’s a partnership between two or more people. It means that the ownership is divided and each owner is liable for their actions. Both the parties need to invest a dedicated share to start the business and the profit generated is split as per the share of investment.
The partnership entity is further categorized into two types, i.e., general partnership and limited partnership. Both these partnerships have benefits and risks of their own. The general partnership is where each partner has an equal contribution in making decisions. Limited partnership, on the other hand, is where some of the partners have no contribution to the decision making whatsoever.
Foreign Company Office
This is a suitable business entity for business owners who already have a well-established business in other corners of the world but want to start a venture in Hong Kong as well. In this scenario, the business owners can register for Hong Kong company incorporation as a foreign company and have a representative office in Hong Kong itself.