Panama Foundation vs Liechtenstein Foundation (Stiftung)
Both serve a civil-law foundation, where one is EU-disclosed offshore and the other is EEA-aligned. Here is the published side-by-side: all-in formation, the year-2 renewal, the 3-year true cost, and the honest list status. Paid in USD, Bitcoin, or USDT.
Panama Foundation vs Liechtenstein Foundation (Stiftung): which should you pick?
Panama Foundation is the default pick for most. Pick Panama Foundation if you need a civil-law foundation rather than a trust, for estate planning, succession, or holding assets that should outlive their founder, Panama is the most-mature option in the Americas and the by-laws give you precise control over who benefits and when; pick Liechtenstein Foundation (Stiftung) if you need a civil-law foundation with EEA reach, for estate planning, succession, or holding assets that should outlive their founder, and your counterparties or banking are EU-heavy, Liechtenstein is the structure that does not get flagged the way an Annex I jurisdiction does.
- Panama Foundation
- $2,499 all-in. GRAY, 7-day formation, $999/yr to renew.
- Liechtenstein Foundation (Stiftung)
- $11,599 all-in. REPUTABLE, 5-day formation, $4,999/yr to renew.
| Panama Foundation $2,499 all-in GRAY, 7-day formation, $999/yr to renew | Liechtenstein Foundation (Stiftung) $11,599 all-in REPUTABLE, 5-day formation, $4,999/yr to renew | |
|---|---|---|
| Tier | GRAY | REPUTABLE |
| All-in formation | $2,499 all-in | $11,599 all-in |
| Year-2 renewal | $999 | $4,999 |
| 3-year true cost | $4,497 | $21,597 |
| Formation time | 7 business days | 5 business days |
| EU list status | EU Annex I | Off both EU lists |
| FATF status | Off the FATF lists | Off the FATF lists |
| Public UBO register | No | No |
| Apostille | Supported | Supported |
- Tier
- GRAY
- All-in formation
- $2,499 all-in
- Year-2 renewal
- $999
- 3-year true cost
- $4,497
- Formation time
- 7 business days
- EU list status
- EU Annex I
- FATF status
- Off the FATF lists
- Public UBO register
- No
- Apostille
- Supported
- Tier
- REPUTABLE
- All-in formation
- $11,599 all-in
- Year-2 renewal
- $4,999
- 3-year true cost
- $21,597
- Formation time
- 5 business days
- EU list status
- Off both EU lists
- FATF status
- Off the FATF lists
- Public UBO register
- No
- Apostille
- Supported
Which one is yours?
Choose the Panama Foundation if
If you need a civil-law foundation rather than a trust, for estate planning, succession, or holding assets that should outlive their founder, Panama is the most-mature option in the Americas and the by-laws give you precise control over who benefits and when. Wrong for you if EU Annex I status is real and it bites.
Choose the Liechtenstein Foundation (Stiftung) if
If you need a civil-law foundation with EEA reach, for estate planning, succession, or holding assets that should outlive their founder, and your counterparties or banking are EU-heavy, Liechtenstein is the structure that does not get flagged the way an Annex I jurisdiction does. Wrong for you if this is expensive.
Common questions
- Which is cheaper over three years, the Panama Foundation or the Liechtenstein Foundation (Stiftung)?
- The Panama Foundation. Its 3-year true cost is $4,497 against $21,597 for the Liechtenstein Foundation (Stiftung), counting the all-in formation plus two years of the published renewal. Both are payable in USD, Bitcoin, or USDT.
- Which reads as more reputable to a compliance desk?
- The Liechtenstein Foundation (Stiftung). Liechtenstein is a REPUTABLE-tier jurisdiction, while Panama is GRAY-tier, meaning banking is more selective and a compliance desk reads it as mid-tier. Confirm your banking rail accepts the GRAY option before you file.
- Which forms faster?
- The Liechtenstein Foundation (Stiftung), at 5 business days against 7 for the Panama Foundation. Bank-account opening is a separate step and is not included in these figures.