Legal Entity Identifiers (LEIs) for Cayman Islands CompaniesHow to obtain an LEI for an entity registered in the Cayman IslandsIf you are transacting in the global financial system, you will more than likely be required to obtain a Legal Entity Identifier (LEI).
Whether your company is based in the KY, or registered in an another offshore destination like the British Virgin Islands, you can obtain an LEI quite easily regardless of your location. Applying for an LEI number is simple, and can be completed in a matter of minutes regardless of the entity type. Having an LEI is recommended especially if you own a company which is incorporated in the Cayman Islands due to increasing transparency regulations. Having an LEI offers increased credibility, legitimacy and trust when conducting business. |
Legal Entity Identifiers in the Cayman Islands
A Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) is a 20 digit code that is unique to a legal entity and provides basic information about the entity such as name, address and entity type e.g Limited Company. This is slightly different to the Cayman Islands company registration number format and function - it serves as a global identifier. We explore this further in our recent post What is the Legal Entity Identifier?
Who needs an LEI in the Cayman Islands?
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The Cayman Islands (KY) is one of the worlds most popular locations to incorporate a company. Recently new laws have been introduced in a bid to encourage transparency in the global financial ecosystem. There are already over 24,000 LEIs registered in the Cayman, with the vast majority of these being registered in response to Mifid II and other global directives mandating their use through reporting in an effort to encourage transparency, such as The US Financial Transparency Act 2019. You can use the LEI Search tool here to do a quick check similar to a Cayman Islands registry search: LEI Entity Search Cayman Islands
Having an LEI adds credibility to your organisations digital identity as the process for obtaining an LEI in Cayman Islands is rigid in relation to data quality controls. Before any LEI is issued, we conduct entity checks against the Cayman Islands company registry and the Cayman Islands Corporate Registry for the applying entity. For this the company registration number will be used. Cayman Islands business laws stipulate that certain entity information is private, therefore we rely on the entity to provide us with certain data during the LEI application such as name of authorised signatory or Director. |
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After we have conducted a Cayman Islands company registry search we will cross match the details contained in the corporate documents provided in the application and public records. An LEi will only be issued once the validation have been successful. The LEI has many uses and is an effective tool for anti-money laundering, KYC and on-boarding processes and adds an extra layer security to over all company identity. With over 100,000 companies incorporated in the Cayman Islands which are internationally owned, many are adopting the LEI as a means to show legitimacy and transparency for which it is an effective tool.
There are many benefits of registering a company in Cayman Islands, however it is important to have an LEI Code for that company as it is cost effective to obtain and serves as an international proof of identity. The process of registering an LEI is also much easier compared to the process for setting up a company in the Cayman Islands.
Post: 5 Reasons your offshore company should have an LEI
Once registered, your entity will have a record on the global LEI index. This record will contain the company name, registered address and date of incorporation, amongst some other business card information. The Directors names or contacts are not disclosed on the LEI record and will remain private in accordance with Cayman Islands corporate law.
There are many benefits of registering a company in Cayman Islands, however it is important to have an LEI Code for that company as it is cost effective to obtain and serves as an international proof of identity. The process of registering an LEI is also much easier compared to the process for setting up a company in the Cayman Islands.
Post: 5 Reasons your offshore company should have an LEI
Once registered, your entity will have a record on the global LEI index. This record will contain the company name, registered address and date of incorporation, amongst some other business card information. The Directors names or contacts are not disclosed on the LEI record and will remain private in accordance with Cayman Islands corporate law.
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If you are currently the owner or legal agent of a KY Company, or simply thinking about setting one up, please feel free to contact our team of experts who can explore the LEI requirements and opportunities in detail.
If you are in financial services you will be required to legally register your entity for an LEI in order to fulfil your reporting obligations. To find out if you fall into this category and require an LEI please see our post discussing Who Needs an LEI? Offshore locations owned by foreign entities may also eventually have to obtain an LEI in a global effort to bring transparency to the financial ecosystem. However, more entities such as Limited Companies and Sole Traders are turning to the LEI even though it is not yet required in their jurisdiction. |
Cayman Islands (KY)
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There are many benefits associated with having an LEI. An LEI provides you with an instant credibility boost, and an internationally recognised identity card. You can also benefit from the added layer of identity security and prevent any such related errors.
How to get a Legal Entity Identifier in the Cayman Islands (KY)
Registering a Legal Entity Identifier code for a Cayman Islands company is simple and can be done by a Cayman Registered Agent on behalf of a client or by the entity owner itself. The LEI application form only takes a few minutes and any representative of the company may apply on behalf of the entity.
1. Click on the 'Register New LEI' button here or visit the homepage of this website. To begin, fill out your contact details as the applicant. This information will be used to contact you in case any additional information is required.
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2. Next, begin filling out the details of the entity which requires an LEI. This will include information such as the address, name of Director or person legally responsible for the entity such as CEO, or Owner.
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3. The next section 'Level 2 Data' gives you the opportunity to report parent company information.
For example, if your company is a branch of a larger organisation, or is owned by another company you may have that information appear on the LEI record. However, this is not a legal obligation. If you wish to report a legal parent company, please note that you will be requested to provide evidence of this relationship by way of Consolidated Accounts (i.e an annual report).
You may only report parent information if the parent company consolidates the accounts and the subsidiary is listed there.
For example, if your company is a branch of a larger organisation, or is owned by another company you may have that information appear on the LEI record. However, this is not a legal obligation. If you wish to report a legal parent company, please note that you will be requested to provide evidence of this relationship by way of Consolidated Accounts (i.e an annual report).
You may only report parent information if the parent company consolidates the accounts and the subsidiary is listed there.
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4. The final section allows you to upload documentation relevant to your application. When an LEI application is submitted, the data is cross matched with what is on the relevant local companies registry.
If however the company cannot be found, or the data does not match the registry, we may request that you provide supporting documentation. Some good examples include a Certificate of Incumbency, Register of Directors, or a companies registry extract which is provided to all Cayman Islands Business Companies upon incorporation.
If however the company cannot be found, or the data does not match the registry, we may request that you provide supporting documentation. Some good examples include a Certificate of Incumbency, Register of Directors, or a companies registry extract which is provided to all Cayman Islands Business Companies upon incorporation.
Once the application is submitted, simply choose your preferred payment method and complete the application. LEI Worldwide use our payments provider STRIPE and PayPal. We also offer the ability to complete a bank transfer or swift payment in any currency including US Dollars.
A member of the LEI Worldwide team will review the submission upon completion and you will receive your LEI code within a few hours.
If you have any questions please contact [email protected]
A member of the LEI Worldwide team will review the submission upon completion and you will receive your LEI code within a few hours.
If you have any questions please contact [email protected]
To apply for your own LEI or on behalf of a legal entity, please select the option from the buttons below.
