Setting up a holding company abroad can be one of the most strategic choices for those seeking to optimise the management and growth of a corporate group on an international scale. A foreign holding company is a parent company, often incorporated in a country that offers greater flexibility and tax benefits compared to the Italian system, allowing you to coordinate assets, dividends and financial flows by taking advantage of competitive tax regimes and double taxation treaties.
The holding company acts as the “director” of the shareholdings: it holds and coordinates the operating companies, facilitating the centralisation of resources and allowing a unified view of investments.
This model is particularly effective for those wishing to expand their business beyond national borders and seeking a solid structure that safeguards the group’s interests. European countries often provide tools that can significantly reduce the tax burden on profits, capital gains and business succession.
One of the main advantages lies in tax optimisation and management flexibility: through the participation exemption, capital gains from the disposal of shareholdings and dividends can be taxed at a reduced rate or, in many cases, exempted altogether.
This frees up liquidity that can be reinvested in the growth of the entire group. It can also facilitate generational transfer and protect entrepreneurs' personal assets from risks related to the business. In our experience, careful planning of every step is what makes these opportunities real and lasting.
Setting up a holding company abroad is not just about benefiting from tax advantages; it requires genuine strategic business planning. Economic substance and real operational activity are key requirements for ensuring the validity and durability of the structure.
A superficial approach can expose the entire group to challenges, which is why we at Enalo guide every client through the analysis of the best jurisdictions, the choice of the most suitable corporate structure, and the building of effective, transparent governance, always in line with current regulations. Our method also incorporates guidance on the best solutions for setting up a company abroad in a compliant and forward-looking way.
At Enalo, we believe every business deserves genuinely personalised advice: we support our clients from the initial design of the holding structure through to the day-to-day management of subsidiaries, paying particular attention to legal, fiscal and operational aspects. We always keep our focus on security, sustainability and long-term growth, in line with the values that define our strategic business advisory.
Choosing Enalo Capital means placing your trust in a partner who, with over twenty-five years of experience, puts the entrepreneur's real needs first, adding value at every stage of the business journey.
Setting up a holding company abroad means incorporating a parent company that holds shareholdings in the group's operating companies. Understanding how a holding company works is the first step: the parent company does not carry out direct commercial activity, but coordinates assets, collects dividends and manages capital gains from the disposal of shareholdings, benefiting, in the right jurisdictions, from regimes such as the participation exemption.
The process unfolds in a few stages: analysis of objectives (tax optimisation, asset protection, generational transfer), choice of jurisdiction, incorporation and definition of governance. For group structures, Luxembourg remains the jurisdiction of choice for its stability and exemptions on dividends and capital gains, while Seychelles and Paraguay rmeet requirements for confidentiality and territorial taxation. At Enalo Capital, we design each holding structure with the economic substance needed to keep it solid and compliant over time.
- Microenterprises with revenue ≤ 60.000 €.
- Activities excluded from specific CAEN codes
- Microenterprises with revenue between €60,000 and €250,000.
- Or carrying out specific activities
- Revenue over €250,000 (corporate income tax).
The lowest in the EU.
Of net turnover.
Of net turnover.
On corporate income.
On the first €50,000 of taxable profit.
On the first €50,000 of taxable profit.
For professionals in technology and scientific fields, with exemptions on foreign income.
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A foreign holding company is a parent company incorporated in a country that offers greater flexibility and tax benefits compared to the Italian system. It acts as the “director” of the shareholdings: it holds and coordinates the group’s operating companies, centralising resources and offering a unified view of investments.
Among the available jurisdictions, Luxembourg is ideal for those seeking a top-tier financial hub with exemption on dividends and capital gains from qualifying shareholdings. Seychelles offers maximum confidentiality and no taxation on foreign income, while Paraguay combines a territorial tax system with a 10% flat tax.
The advantages include tax optimisation through the participation exemption, which allows capital gains and dividends to be taxed at a reduced rate or exempted. This frees up liquidity for reinvestment in the group’s growth, facilitates generational transfer and protects the entrepreneur’s personal assets from risks related to the business.
It is particularly suited to entrepreneurs managing a corporate group who want to coordinate assets, dividends and financial flows efficiently. It is also a strategic solution for those wishing to facilitate generational transfer or protect their personal assets from risks related to business activity.
Taxation of a foreign holding company depends on the jurisdiction, but the key advantage is almost always the participation exemption: in countries such as Luxembourg, dividends and capital gains arising from qualifying shareholdings can be taxed at a reduced rate or exempted, avoiding double taxation thanks to an extensive network of international treaties. Other jurisdictions, such as Paraguay, apply a territorial system that does not tax income generated abroad. However, the structure must be designed with genuine economic substance: at Enalo Capital, we build holding structures that are efficient and fully compliant with Italian and international regulations.
Yes. A family holding company abroad allows you to centralise ownership of family businesses and assets within a single parent company, simplifying generational transfer and protecting personal assets from business-related risks. Incorporating it in a jurisdiction with favourable regimes on dividends, capital gains and succession, such as Luxembourg, can increase the efficiency of the structure, provided there is genuine economic substance. Enalo Capital supports family businesses in designing the holding structure best suited to their objectives of continuity and asset protection.
