Cross-border comparison
Singapore vs United States: Where Should You Incorporate in 2026?
A side-by-side analysis of cost, tax, banking, privacy, and remote formation for Singapore (Private Limited (Pte Ltd)) vs United States (LLC (state-level)).
The numbers, side by side
| Singapore | United States | |
|---|---|---|
| Entity type | Private Limited (Pte Ltd) | LLC (state-level) |
| Region | Asia | Americas |
| Filing fee (one-off) | $235 | $100 |
| Annual fee | $60 | $62 |
| Registered agent / corp sec | ~$600/yr | ~$50/yr |
| Headline corporate tax | 17% | 21% |
| Effective tax note | First S$200k of chargeable income gets 75% exemption on first S$10k and 50% on next S$190k; effective rate often 5-8% for SMEs. | Pass-through default for LLCs; members pay personal tax. C-Corp election = 21% federal. |
| VAT / GST | 9% | 0% |
| Minimum paid-up capital | Nominal | $0 |
| Processing time | 1 days | 1 days |
| Remote formation | ||
| Banking accessibility | 9/10 | 10/10 |
| Privacy score | 5/10 | 7/10 |
| UBO register public | ||
| Stripe available | ||
| PayPal Business | ||
| Wise Business |
Singapore: when it wins
- Effective low tax for SMEs
- World-class banking
- Stable rule of law
Trade-offs
- Local resident director required
- Mandatory corporate secretary
- Annual audit (unless small company exempt)
Must appoint local director (nominee ~$1.5-3k/yr) and corporate secretary ($600+/yr).
United States: when it wins
- Strongest banking and payment rails
- Pass-through taxation
- Wyoming/Delaware anonymous LLCs
Trade-offs
- State-by-state compliance
- BOI federal report required
Costs shown are Wyoming baseline. CTA BOI mandatory federally.
Decision framework
- Want the cheapest setup? Compare year-1 totals: Singapore $295 vs United States $162.
- Want the lowest tax? Look at effective rate, not headline. 17% in Singapore vs 21% in United States; check both effective-tax notes above for exemptions.
- Need Stripe + Wise + Mercury? Singapore payments stack: Stripe ✅, Wise ✅. United States: Stripe ✅, Wise ✅.
- Privacy is critical? Singapore (5/10, UBO private) vs United States (7/10, UBO private).
- Forming remotely? Singapore: fully remote. United States: fully remote.
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper to form, Singapore or United States?
United States is cheaper: ~$162 year-1 vs ~$295 for Singapore.
Which has lower corporate tax, Singapore or United States?
Singapore has the lower headline rate at 17% vs 21% in United States. First S$200k of chargeable income gets 75% exemption on first S$10k and 50% on next S$190k; effective rate often 5-8% for SMEs.
Can I open a Stripe account in both Singapore and United States?
Stripe in Singapore: ✅ supported. Stripe in United States: ✅ supported.
Is remote formation possible?
Singapore: Yes, fully remote. United States: Yes, fully remote.
What about privacy of beneficial owners?
Singapore's UBO register is private and privacy scored 5/10. United States's UBO register is private and privacy scored 7/10.