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Are you planning to invest in Turkish real estate with a budget of $400,000 or more? If so, purchasing an apartment or house can offer you more than just a property. Provided specific conditions are met, an investment of $400,000 can serve as the basis for obtaining Turkish citizenship, while the right choice of property and deal structure can help minimize acquisition costs.

For international financial business, jurisdiction is not just the country of registration of a company. Access to payment infrastructure, the ability to work with clients in different countries, capital requirements, regulatory burden and further scaling of the business depend on it. That is why, before launching a fintech project, payment service, money transfer or e-wallet, it is important to determine not just “where is it cheaper to open a company”, but where a specific business model will receive the best conditions for work. Among the popular options for international financial business, Lithuania, Hong Kong and Canada are often considered. But these jurisdictions provide fundamentally different opportunities.

Starting a payment or fintech business in the EU is not just about creating a company and developing your own product. An entrepreneur also needs to address the issues of accepting payments, transferring funds, working with banks, card systems, IBAN, KYC/AML and other financial infrastructure. That is why for many companies, an alternative to creating an entire payment system from scratch is a ready-made Payment Provider - a payment provider with an already configured infrastructure and the necessary regulatory capabilities.

In 2026, Turkey significantly expanded tax incentives for international businesses, technology companies and the financial sector. The new rules may be of particular interest to IT and FinTech projects, international groups of companies, service centers and businesses that receive the bulk of their income outside of Turkey. One of the key changes was the entry into force in June 2026 of Law No. 7582, which provides new tax opportunities for international companies, investors and special corporate structures. In particular, the Qualified Service Center regime was introduced, incentives for the Istanbul Financial Center and international trade were expanded.

An EMI license in Lithuania is one of the options for fintech companies that plan to operate with electronic money, payments and money transfers on the European market. The license is issued by the Bank of Lithuania, and after obtaining a standard EMI license, the institution can carry out relevant activities not only in Lithuania, but also in the territory of the European Union within the framework of the mechanism provided for by law.

Turkish citizenship by investment remains a popular option for foreigners seeking citizenship through investment in real estate, business, or financial assets. Through 2026, the program's basic investment thresholds remain at USD 400,000 for real estate and USD 500,000 for most other investment options.

Purchasing a ready-made licensed business can be an alternative to creating a company and going through all the procedures from scratch. Along with the legal structure, the buyer can receive an already formed client base, history of activity, established business processes, infrastructure and, depending on the specific project, a valid financial or other regulatory license.

EMI, AEMI, MSO and MSB are some of the most common designations of financial licenses and regulatory statuses that entrepreneurs encounter when starting a payment, fintech or money transfer business, but it is fundamentally important to understand: behind each of these abbreviations there is its own regulatory regime, list of permitted operations and requirements for the company.

Small businesses in the UAE can benefit from additional tax relief through the Small Business Relief regime. However, it is important to understand that a small turnover alone does not automatically mean that a company is eligible for relief.

Good news for small business owners in the UAE: Small Business Relief has been extended for another few years. Now, companies that qualify for the program and have an annual revenue of up to AED 3 million will be able to benefit from the preferential treatment for tax periods ending before December 31, 2029.