You may not need a US company
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Stripe already supports Hong Kong businesses, and a Hong Kong company is simple to run. A US company adds US filings, so it needs a reason.
From Hong Kong · Asia-Pacific
Start a US company from Hong Kong
For Hong Kong founders whose customers, marketplace or investors are American. You already have Stripe, and Mercury and Wise Business both serve founders here. Hong Kong taxes only Hong Kong profits, but a US company run from Hong Kong earns them, so read that section first.
Launch + Wyoming filing; the tax return is separate.Checked by Saais Patel, compliance reviewer.
At a glance
Mercury takes applications from founders living in Hong Kong. Wise Business is the usual second account.
The banks, in detailYou can form a US company while living in Hong Kong, without an SSN or a US visit, and Mercury and Wise Business both open for founders here. Launch starts at $351.40 in Wyoming, including our plan and state filing fee. Stripe already serves Hong Kong, so the reason is usually US customers, marketplaces or investors. Hong Kong taxes only Hong Kong profits, but there's no offshore exemption: work done here earns Hong Kong profits.
Watch
The first year from Hong Kong, in 6 minutes
A US company is often sold to Hong Kong founders as offshore, and offshore as tax-free. Hong Kong does tax only profits that arise in Hong Kong, but the Inland Revenue Department's own FAQ says a company formed outside Hong Kong gets no exemption.
Before you form
Start with whether you need a US company, and where its work is done.
BaseAcross's Wyoming LLC and Delaware C-Corp options for founders in Hong Kong
Wyoming LLC
Owner-run business selling to US customers or on US marketplaces.
- State filing
- $102.40
- Yearly state charge
- From $60
Delaware C-Corp
Raising from US investors.
- State filing
- $110
- Yearly state charge
- $450 for the model shown
Both charges are the state's, before our plan, optional services and your advisers' fees. Wyoming sets a minimum yearly charge, and Delaware's franchise tax depends on how it's calculated. Staff, stock or premises in another state can bring obligations there. An S-corporation isn't an option, because nonresident aliens can't hold its shares.
Prepare the information
Different documents are needed at different stages.
You provide
Before state filing
- Your proposed company name, business activity and chosen structure.
- Owners' names exactly as on their passports, ownership shares, managers and home addresses.
- Where the work that earns the profits will be done, because IRD's source test asks.
- The approved company name and formation details.
- The responsible party. Without an SSN or ITIN, the application goes on Form SS-4.
- Accurate mailing and principal business addresses, and your signed authorization where required.
You confirm; we prepare
After formation, for the EIN
- A passport for each owner the provider asks about.
- Formation documents, the EIN confirmation and the operating agreement.
- A real business address, your website, a description of the business and the source of funds, as each provider asks.
The provider verifies
For bank and payment applications
- A business registration, if the company carries on business in Hong Kong.
- Records of where the work that earns each kind of profit is done.
- Accounts and records kept for at least seven years.
You and your tax adviser
For IRD
You don't need a Hong Kong company to form a US company. The EIN is the US company's tax ID. Send identity documents through a secure request, and only the ones asked for.
How it works
Seven steps from Hong Kong to a maintained US company.
The state approves the company, the IRS issues the EIN and each provider approves its own account. In Hong Kong, your tax adviser handles IRD; we don't file there.
You and your tax adviser
Check the Hong Kong side first
Decide whether you need a US company at all, and where the work that earns its profits will be done.
You leave this stage with: A plan that fits Hong Kong's source rules.
01 / 07
You choose; BaseAcross checks
Choose the name and registered agent
We check the proposed name and provide the registered agent in the formation state. The registered office is for legal papers, not your operating address.
You leave this stage with: Confirmed filing details and a registered agent.
02 / 07
BaseAcross files; the state approves
File the company with the state
We submit the formation filing and send you the state's documents once it's approved. The company exists from that approval.
You leave this stage with: State-approved formation documents.
03 / 07
BaseAcross
Prepare the operating documents
We draft the LLC Operating Agreement or corporate bylaws. Check every name and share against your passport before you sign.
You leave this stage with: Operating documents for your records, your bank and US providers.
04 / 07
BaseAcross prepares; the IRS issues
Apply for the EIN
The EIN is a separate application after formation. Without an SSN or ITIN, it goes on Form SS-4 rather than the IRS's online tool.
You leave this stage with: The IRS's EIN confirmation once it's issued.
05 / 07
You apply; the providers review
Apply for banking and payments
Start with Mercury or Wise Business, which both serve founders living in Hong Kong. Use the same names, addresses and business description everywhere.
You leave this stage with: An approved account, if a provider accepts the application.
06 / 07
You, your US preparer and your tax adviser
Keep records and file in both countries
Record where the work is done and every payment between you and the company. Put Form 5472 and any business registration and profits tax return on one calendar.
You leave this stage with: A yearly calendar with someone responsible for each filing.
07 / 07
Plan the wait
Formation, the EIN and banking have separate timelines.
Published service estimates and prerequisites for a Wyoming company from Hong Kong
- Wyoming formationSame day
- Ordinary EINsix to eight weeks
- Expedited EINtwo to three weeks
- Bank and payment accountsProvider review
- US Stripe accountStripe's review
These are service estimates, not promised completion dates. The IRS and each provider set their own processing times. Names or addresses that differ between documents slow every stage.
What it costs
The same price from Hong Kong as from anywhere.
Charged in US dollars, with the Wyoming state fee passed on at cost. Where you live changes which bank we introduce you to, not the price.
The full cost from Hong Kong
What a Wyoming LLC costs from Hong Kong, line by line, and what to budget for outside our plans.
Included in both plans
- State formation filing
- Registered agent and registered office
- EIN application without an SSN
- LLC Operating Agreement or corporate bylaws
- Bank and payment application guidance
- Filing calendar and reminders
The registered agent renews with the plan. Operate adds its published business tools and bookkeeping. Neither plan files your tax returns in either country.
What a Wyoming LLC costs from Hong Kong, on each plan
Launch
To start, before optional extras
$351.40
- Our feeFor the first year; the plan renews each year
- $249
- Wyoming filing feePaid to the state, passed through at cost
- $102.40
- Recurring subtotal, fromPlan renewal + minimum state charge, before extras
- $309
OperateBilled yearly
To start, before optional extras
$2,490.40
- Our feeFor the first year; the plan renews each year
- $2,388
- Wyoming filing feePaid to the state, passed through at cost
- $102.40
- Recurring subtotal, fromPlan renewal + minimum state charge, before extras
- $2,448
Optional extras are priced before you order, such as filing ahead of our next batch for $39. See full pricing.
Budget for the work outside that subtotal
Managed annual state compliance
$149 service fee / year
Optional on both plans. The state's charge is separate, and a reminder alone doesn't file the report.
State filing serviceUS federal return preparation
Arrange separately
You or your accountant handle Form 5472 and any other US returns on Launch and Operate. Ask the preparer for their scope and fee.
Federal filing responsibilitiesHong Kong tax advice
Quote from your tax adviser
Where the profits arise, and what the company registers and files, depend on how and where the work is done.
Optional tools after free periods
Published in full pricing
Check domain renewals and when Launch's email, phone and site trials end. Operate includes its stated tools while subscribed.
Plans, trials and add-onsWhat the totals assume
The $309 Launch renewal example is the $249 plan renewal plus Wyoming's $60 minimum license tax. Wyoming charges the greater of that minimum or 0.0002 of the company's assets located and employed in the state, and paying online can add a processor fee. The Operate example uses the same minimum.
Prices are in US dollars. Paying from Hong Kong, check your card's exchange rate and fees.
Get started from Hong Kong
Use the first-year cost calculator to compare plans and optional tools. Then add your tax adviser's fees and US return preparation to that budget.
Launch
To start
$351.40
$249 our fee + $102.40 Wyoming fee
Renews from $309 a year
OperateBilled yearly
To start
$2,490.40
$2,388 our fee + $102.40 Wyoming fee
Renews from $2,448 a year
Included in both plans
- State formation filing
- Registered agent and registered office
- EIN application without an SSN
- LLC Operating Agreement or corporate bylaws
- Bank and payment application guidance
- Filing calendar and reminders
What changes because you live here
The filing is the same from anywhere. Four things aren't.
Treaty status, payment availability, bank eligibility and time zones. Sources checked 14 October 2026; account approval remains with the provider.
1 of 4: The tax treaty
The tax treaty
The tax treaty: None
There's no US–Hong Kong income tax treaty.
US-source dividends, interest and royalties paid to you are withheld at 30% unless a US exemption applies. Pay for work you do in Hong Kong generally isn't US-source income, so nothing is withheld on it.
What IRD taxes
Only Hong Kong profits are taxed. Work done here makes them.
These come from IRD's own pages and its FAQ on companies formed outside Hong Kong. They run alongside the US steps below.
When you decide where the work is done
You and your tax adviserYou and your tax adviser
IRD looks at what was done to earn each profit and where. Work done in Hong Kong earns Hong Kong profits.
If the company carries on business here
The company, with your tax adviserThe company, with your tax adviser
No offshore exemption. It registers its business, files profits tax returns, and keeps records for seven years.
If no return has been issued
The companyThe company
Tell IRD in writing within four months of the end of the basis period that it has chargeable profits.
On its Hong Kong profits
The companyThe company
8.25% on the first HK$2 million and 16.5% above, for a corporation. Profits arising abroad aren't taxed.
Worked example
This is an illustration, not advice. Source is a question of fact for IRD and your adviser.
Your Wyoming LLC sells software to US clients. You build it, sell it and support it from Hong Kong.
The operations that earn the profit happen in Hong Kong, so the profit is likely Hong Kong-sourced.
On HK$1.5 million of assessable profit at the 8.25% first-tier rate, that's HK$123,750.
If the corporate rate applies; IRD may treat the LLC differently, so ask your adviser.
What Hong Kong expects
Owning a US company doesn't take you out of Hong Kong's tax system.
Hong Kong taxes only profits arising in or derived from Hong Kong, with no exemption for offshore companies. Where the work that earns the profit is done decides it.
Only Hong Kong profits
Anyone carrying on a business in Hong Kong pays profits tax on profits arising in or derived from Hong Kong, resident or not. Profits arising abroad aren't taxed, even if they're brought into Hong Kong.
Where the work is done
To find a profit's source, IRD looks at what was done to earn it and where it was done. A business you run and serve clients from in Hong Kong earns Hong Kong profits.
No offshore exemption
A company formed outside Hong Kong gets no exemption. It needn't do much here to be carrying on business here, and the activities of its agents in Hong Kong count.
If it does business here
A foreign company carrying on business in Hong Kong registers it with the Business Registration Office and files profits tax returns. With no return issued, it tells IRD within four months of the end of the basis period, and keeps records for seven years.
The rates
Corporations pay 8.25% on the first HK$2 million of assessable profits and 16.5% above it. Unincorporated businesses pay 7.5% and 15%.
On the record
We form US companies. We aren't Hong Kong tax advisers. These are the rules as they're generally published, they change, and how they apply to you depends on details this page can't know. Take this list to a tax adviser in Hong Kong before you order, and we'll tell you what the US forms need.
After formation
Someone has to own each filing, in each country.
US information reporting
A US LLC with one foreign owner is usually a disregarded entity that files Form 5472 with a pro forma Form 1120 when it has reportable transactions with you. Money you put in, take out or are paid for your work can count even in a year without sales. The IRS penalty for not filing starts at $25,000.
For a calendar-year company, the return is usually due 15 April, and Form 7004 requests an extension before then. A C-Corp, or an LLC with more than one owner, files different returns.
Form 5472 and the pro forma 1120State, IRD and ownership checks
Keep the registered agent active and track the state's yearly charge. In Hong Kong, register the business and file profits tax returns if the company carries on business here.
US-created companies are exempt from BOI reporting under FinCEN's current rule, effective 14 August 2026. Banks and payment providers still verify who owns the company.
| Task | Who handles it | Where the responsibility ends |
|---|---|---|
| Formation and EIN application | BaseAcross prepares and submits | The state approves formation; the IRS issues the EIN. |
| Bank and payment applications | You, with our guidance | The provider verifies the information and decides. |
| Business registration and profits tax | You and your tax adviser | We provide the US company records they need. |
| Annual state filing | You, or our optional filing service | Reminders are included; managed filing and the state charge are separate. |
| US federal returns | You and your US tax preparer | Launch and Operate remind you; they don't file the return. |
Prepare the conversation
Take these questions to your tax adviser before you order.
Bring the owners, where each lives, where the work will be done and the business activity. Each question is also in Traditional Chinese.
Download the checklist for your tax adviser (.txt)- 01EN
Would the US company be carrying on a business in Hong Kong?
ZH這家美國公司會被視為在香港經營業務嗎？
- 02EN
Under the operations test, which of its profits arise in or are derived from Hong Kong?
ZH按照「營運測試」，它的哪些利潤屬於在香港產生或得自香港？
- 03EN
Must it register with the Business Registration Office and file profits tax returns?
ZH它是否需要向商業登記署登記並提交利得稅報稅表？
- 04EN
Would IRD charge it at the corporate rate or the unincorporated rate?
ZH稅務局會按法團稅率還是非法團業務稅率徵稅？
- 05EN
How are payments from the company to me treated in Hong Kong?
ZH公司付給我的款項在香港如何處理？
- 06EN
Would a Hong Kong company, with or without a US parent, suit me better?
ZH成立香港公司（不論是否設美國母公司）會否更適合我？
- 07EN
How should I keep records for the US return and IRD?
ZH我應如何保存記錄，以應付美國報稅及稅務局的要求？
Questions
Questions from Hong Kong.
If yours is not here, email us at hello@baseacross.com before you order.
Can a Hong Kong resident own a US LLC?
Yes. US law doesn't require an LLC's owners to be US citizens or residents, and formation, the EIN and the bank applications all happen remotely. Hong Kong doesn't restrict owning a company abroad. The tax question is where the profits arise.
Are a US company's profits tax-free in Hong Kong?
Only if they arise outside Hong Kong. Anyone carrying on a business in Hong Kong pays profits tax on profits arising in or derived from Hong Kong. Profits arising abroad aren't taxed, even if they're brought into Hong Kong.
How does IRD decide where a profit comes from?
By the operations test. IRD looks at what was done to earn the profit and where it was done. If you run the business and serve its clients from Hong Kong, the profits are Hong Kong profits, whichever company invoices.
Is a US company exempt as an offshore company?
No. IRD's own FAQ says there's no exemption for companies formed outside Hong Kong. A company needn't do much here to be carrying on business here, and its agents' activities count.
What does a foreign company doing business in Hong Kong file?
It registers its business with the Business Registration Office and files the profits tax returns IRD issues. With no return issued, it tells IRD within four months of the end of the basis period. It keeps records for seven years.
How much does a US company from Hong Kong cost?
Launch starts at $351.40: $249 for the plan plus $102.40 for the Wyoming filing. The plan and Wyoming's minimum yearly charge then total $309 a year. Your tax adviser's fees, US return preparation and any IRD filing are separate. Wyoming's license tax can be more than its $60 minimum.
Should I form a Wyoming LLC or a Delaware C-Corp from Hong Kong?
A Wyoming LLC usually suits an owner-run business selling to US customers or on US marketplaces. A Delaware C-Corp suits raising from US investors. Nonresident aliens can't hold shares in an S-corporation.
Can I get an EIN without an SSN or ITIN?
Yes. Without an SSN or ITIN, the application goes on Form SS-4 instead of the IRS's online tool. We prepare it after the company is formed, and the IRS issues the number.
How long does it take from Hong Kong?
Each stage has its own clock. Wyoming's published turnaround is same day once a complete filing is accepted. Our ordinary EIN estimate is six to eight weeks after the application, or two to three weeks with the $199 expedited option. Banks, payment providers and Stripe each set their own review times. These are estimates, not promises.
Can I open a Mercury account from Hong Kong?
Usually you can apply. Hong Kong isn't on Mercury's list of countries it doesn't serve, and the list goes by where you live. Mercury still reviews each company and can decline.
Can I use Wise Business for the US company?
Usually, yes. Hong Kong is on Wise's list of places where people can hold money, so a US company run from Hong Kong can get USD account details. Wise reviews each business.
Do I need a US company for Stripe in Hong Kong?
No. Stripe supports businesses in Hong Kong. A US company is for selling as a US vendor, US marketplaces, US contracts or US investors.
Do I pay US tax on work I do from Hong Kong?
Generally not. Pay for work you do in Hong Kong is generally not US-source income, so a single-owner LLC with no US office or staff often owes no US income tax on it. It still files Form 5472 with a pro forma Form 1120 when it has reportable transactions with you.
Is there a US–Hong Kong tax treaty?
No. US-source dividends, interest and royalties paid to you are withheld at 30% unless a US exemption applies.
Does BaseAcross file the US and Hong Kong returns for me?
On Launch and Operate, we add deadlines and reminders; you or your accountant file the federal returns. Managed annual state compliance is an optional $149 service fee a year, with the state's charge separate. Any business registration and profits tax return in Hong Kong are for you and your tax adviser.
Does my new US LLC need a BOI report?
US-created companies are exempt under FinCEN's current BOI rule, effective 14 August 2026. A company formed outside the US and registered to do business there is a different case. Banks still collect ownership details for their own checks.
Sources and editorial scope
Check the published rules behind the explanation.
Prepared by the BaseAcross team and reviewed by Saais Patel, compliance reviewer. Sources checked . This is general formation information, with source links for the tax and banking context. An individual tax or legal review remains with your qualified advisers.
Hong Kong
United States (IRS, Treasury and FinCEN)
Banks and payments
Hong Kong's rules are read from the Inland Revenue Department's own pages, including its FAQ on companies incorporated outside Hong Kong. Confirm the current position with your adviser before acting.
Ready when you are
Answer the questions. We do the filing.
It takes about four minutes. You see the whole order, state fee included, before anything is charged.
Compare the plansYour company's route
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Hong Kong
Hong Kong
To
Wyoming
LLC · Cheyenne, WY
- Plan
- Launch
- First year
- $351.40
- To order
- 10 steps
Launch · $249 + $102.40 Wyoming · Same day