Registers of beneficiaries: what is it and who can find out information about you

Information about business owners is becoming more accessible and transparent, and beneficial ownership registries are an important element in ensuring this international trend. In this article, Antwort Law will explain what beneficiary registries are and who can access the information inside.

Beneficiary registers are official lists that contain information about the ultimate owners of companies who directly or indirectly own a significant stake (usually 25% shares or more) in the company. There are two main types of registries:

1. General registers most often include basic information about the company: name, registration number, address, date of incorporation, and sometimes the names of directors and shareholders.
2. Beneficiary registers already contain information about the ultimate owners of the company.

Despite the global trend towards increased transparency and availability of information about business owners, the level of availability of this information and the rules for its provision vary significantly between jurisdictions. Let's look at this using the examples of three popular jurisdictions among our clients: UAE, Singapore and Hong Kong.

Registers of beneficiaries in the UAE

• there is no central register of beneficiaries maintained by one government agency for all companies;
• information can only be provided at the request of the competent authorities;
• for local companies (mainland) there is a closed register that does not show the names of the owners, but provides the name and registration number; available at the following link
• for companies registered in free zones (free zones), there is no obligation to publish data about the companies, however, you can contact the free zone administration to obtain limited information such as company name, number, license start and end date, address and possibly email.

Registers of beneficiaries in Singapore

• There is a general paid register of companies, the cost of one request is 5.50 Singapore dollars; available at 
• There is a central register of beneficiaries, but it is closed and accessible only upon request.

Registers of beneficiaries in Hong Kong

• there is a general paid register of companies, available at the link
• there is a central register of beneficiaries, but it is closed and accessible only upon request.

Thus, we see that each country has its own unique rules for maintaining registers regarding company data and beneficial ownership data. Antwort Law offers a full range of advisory services on a variety of legal documents, including  registers of beneficiaries in various jurisdictions.

We will help you:

1. gain access to the necessary information about companies and their owners in different countries;
2. ensure your business complies with local laws and disclosure requirements;
3. develop strategies to protect confidential information about your customers and business;
4. understand complex issues of international tax planning and corporate law.

Lidia Ivanova

International lawyer
Antwort Law