Business Accounts · Non-Resident Owned Companies

A Singapore company with foreign owners: local resident, service provider and controllers register.

ACRA requires every Singapore business to have a local resident, has foreigners register through a corporate service provider and requires a register of controllers.

SingaporeNon-Resident Owned CompaniesPrimary-sourced factsProvider coverage expanding
In short

What the primary sources say.

What ACRA requires when a Singapore company's owners are foreign.

What the sources establish

Each fact traced to a primary source.

01 · Ownership

ACRA states that every Singapore business needs at least one local resident; qualifying persons include citizens, permanent residents and holders of certain work passes (Employment Pass, Personalised Employment Pass, Overseas Networks and Expertise Pass).

02 · Ownership

Companies (including foreign companies) must identify and record individuals or entities with significant interest or control (registrable controllers) and file this with ACRA's central register unless exempt.

03 · Ownership

For companies, significant interest means an interest in more than 25 percent of shares or equivalent voting power; significant control covers powers such as appointing or removing a majority of directors or exercising substantial influence.

04 · KYC/KYB

Singapore companies must maintain a register of registrable controllers, file it centrally, and send annual verification notices; controllers have 30 days to respond to a notice.

Sources

Checked against primary sources.

Foreigners registering a business: local residency requirements — ACRA

Register of Registrable Controllers (RORC) — ACRA

Identifying and sending annual notices to registrable controllers — ACRA

Fact sheet last reviewed 2026-09-26. Jurisdiction rules are confirmed against the sources above; a provider's own requirements differ and are confirmed by the provider.

Related pages

Choose where to look next.

Company type

Private Limited Companies

See Private Limited Companies →
Payments

Payment & E-money Institutions

See Payment & E-money Institutions →
How it works

Five steps, one point of contact.

01

Submit your company profile

Tell us about your structure, activity and payment needs — the essentials, not a full application.

02

Latynex reviews the case

We assess the structure and requirements against what providers typically accept before recommending a direction.

03

Provider matching & preliminary eligibility

We identify a suitable regulated provider and explain what is realistically available for your case.

04

Provider onboarding

You complete official KYC/KYB directly with the regulated financial provider — not with Latynex.

05

Account decision & activation

The provider makes the final decision and activates the account. We stay involved if anything needs coordinating.

What Latynex is, and isn't

An introducer, not a bank.

Latynex is not a bank or electronic money institution. Financial accounts and payment services are provided by independent, regulated financial institutions. Final eligibility and approval are determined by the selected provider, following its own KYC/KYB review.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How long do controllers have to respond to a notice?+

Singapore companies must maintain a register of registrable controllers, file it centrally, and send annual verification notices; controllers have 30 days to respond to a notice.

Is a provider already confirmed for this jurisdiction?+

Not yet on a confirmed basis — Latynex is expanding provider coverage here. Your case is still reviewed on submission; where a suitable match exists we make the introduction, and where one doesn't yet, we say so plainly rather than promising one.

Is Latynex a bank?+

No. Latynex is not a bank, EMI or payment institution. We review your case and, where suitable, introduce it to an independent, regulated financial provider who handles the account itself.

Can Latynex guarantee approval?+

No. No introducer can guarantee a banking or payment-account decision. The provider you are introduced to runs its own KYC/KYB review and makes the final call under its own policies.

What documents are normally required?+

Typically: certificate of incorporation, register of directors and shareholders, proof of UBO identity and address, a description of business activity, and evidence of source of funds. Exact requirements vary by provider.

What affects the cost?+

Setup and ongoing fees vary with jurisdiction, ownership structure, business activity, expected turnover and compliance profile. The provider discloses its fees before you proceed, and any Latynex advisory fee is disclosed separately.

Check eligibility

Tell us about your company.

No obligation — we review your case and respond with a straight answer.

Step 1 of 4

Your company

Start with clarity

Find the right account before you apply.

Tell us about your company and payment needs — we review the case and point you to a provider genuinely suited to it.

Check eligibility