What is the difference between the Cook Islands LLC and the Cook Islands trust?

The LLC is a fixed-price formation you buy and control yourself, at $4,699 all-in (Year 1; $1,799/yr renewal), filed under the International LLC Act 2008. The trust is the famous one: an independent licensed trustee holds your assets under the International Trusts Act 1984, the underwriting is bespoke, and it is sized for large asset bases. We sell the LLC and refer the trust to a tier-1 trustee.

Should I just use a Nevis LLC instead?

For most people, yes. The Nevis LLC at $1,799 all-in gives you a genuine charging-order moat at a fraction of the cost, and you stay in control as manager. The Cook Islands LLC earns its premium when you want the Pacific jurisdiction's deeper protective case law; the full Cook Islands trust is for genuinely large asset bases. If you are unsure, start with Nevis.

Does a Cook Islands LLC reduce my taxes?

No. This is asset protection, not tax avoidance. A US person who owns a Cook Islands LLC still reports and is still taxed: FBAR, Form 8938, and CFC rules where they apply, plus foreign trust filings (Forms 3520 and 3520-A) if a trust is involved. We collect a beneficial-owner declaration at formation regardless. The structure shields assets from civil creditors, not from the IRS. General information, not legal or tax advice.

Can I pay in Bitcoin, and how long does it take?

Yes. The $4,699 all-in price is settled in BTC (on-chain and Lightning) or USDT via BitSettle; government fees are included. This is a GRAY-tier offshore vehicle: the Cook Islands International LLC files in about 14 days, but banking is separate, Cook Islands entities do not bank with US rails, and offshore onboarding typically runs 30 to 90 days.

SKU #39 · Cook Islands · GRAY

Cook Islands LLC for asset protection

Cook Islands LLC filed under the International LLC Act 2008. Same hostile-creditor charging-order doctrine that makes Cook Islands trusts the HNW asset-protection standard, applied at the operating-entity layer. Lower entry point than a standalone Cook Islands trust; pairs naturally with a Nevis-style protection posture.

Tier: GRAY
Formation: up to 14 business days
KYC: Tier 1
Renewal: $1799/yr

Quick answer

What is the Cook Islands LLC for asset protection and what does it cost?

Asset-protection LLC, Pacific charging-order moat. It is $4,699 all-in / ₿0.05903266 / 5,903,266 sats, paid in Bitcoin or USDT, and formation takes 14 business days.

Tier: GRAY
All-in price: $4,699 all-in / ₿0.05903266 / 5,903,266 sats
Year-2 renewal: $1,799/yr
KYC tier: Tier 1
Formation time: 14 business days
EU / FATF status: off both EU lists, off the FATF lists

Who this is wrong for:The trust is the top-of-band structure in the catalog and it is sized for large asset bases. It is referral-based and priced case-by-case, not a flat formation fee, because doing it properly requires a tier-1 trustee and real underwriting. For most people who want practical asset protection, the Nevis LLC at $1,799 all-in is the cheaper, self-serve alternative, and a full Cook Islands trust is overkill unless the protected asset base is genuinely large.

What's included

Cook Islands government registration fee: we file and pay it on your behalf
Articles of Organization (Cook Islands International LLC, filed under the International LLC Act 2008)
Operating Agreement (charging-order optimized)
Member Resolution
Beneficial Owner Declaration (per the Cook Islands Financial Supervisory Commission framework)
First-year licensed Cook Islands registered-agent service
Sanctions screen on the order + Tier 1 KYC

What's NOT included

Apostille (sold separately at $189)
Year-2+ registered-agent renewal ($1,799/yr)
Cook Islands trust formation (referral to a tier-1 Cook Islands trustee; bespoke underwriting, not a flat fee)
Bank account opening (separate post-formation flow; Cook Islands entities do not bank with US rails, and offshore onboarding runs 30 to 90 days)
Any tax return or tax filing (asset protection is not tax avoidance; we refer US persons to a US Enrolled Agent and recommend cross-border counsel)
Mail forwarding (we don't sell this)

We list what's not included on every product page so there are no checkout surprises.

When to choose this product

Operator-grade use case

The Pacific charging-order moat at the operating-entity layer, GRAY tier. Use the Cook Islands International LLC when you want the same hostile-to-foreign-creditor doctrine that makes Cook Islands trusts the high-net-worth gold standard, at a fixed price you can buy today and a structure you stay in control of as manager. It applies the protective posture without handing fiduciary control of your assets to a trustee, and it pairs naturally with a Nevis-style protection stance.

Most appropriate for: asset-protection-motivated holders in litigious jurisdictions (the United States above all) who are protecting a meaningful asset base, and for non-US Bitcoiners holding appreciating crypto reserves who want a non-US, foreign-creditor-hostile vehicle with Bitcoin-tolerant offshore banking. The classic high-end build pairs a Cook Islands trust over a Cook Islands or Nevis LLC; we form the LLC and refer the trust to a tier-1 trustee.

Less ideal for: operators who want practical asset protection at a lower entry point. The Nevis LLC at $1,799 all-in delivers a genuine charging-order moat at a fraction of the cost, also self-serve, also with you in control as manager. It is also the wrong tool for anyone needing US banking or US-treaty access (Cook Islands entities do not touch US rails) and for anyone treating offshore structure as a tax play: a US person who owns a Cook Islands LLC still files (Forms 3520 and 3520-A, FBAR, Form 8938, and CFC rules where applicable). Buy it for the protection, not for convenience or tax.

KYC document checklist

What you'll need to hand us

Tier 0

Applies

Email address
Country of residence
Intended use statement (free-text)

Tier 1

Required

Government-issued photo ID (passport or national ID)
Proof of address (utility bill, bank statement, or government letter, dated within 90 days)
Source-of-funds attestation (drop-down + free text)
Optional: PEP and adverse-media screening consent

Tier 2

Not required

Everything in Tier 1
Beneficial owner declaration for every party with 25%+ ownership
Source-of-wealth documentation (tax return, employment letter, salary, asset proof)
Manual enhanced-due-diligence reviewer notes from our KYC partner

FAQ

Common questions

What is the difference between the Cook Islands LLC and the Cook Islands trust?: The LLC is a fixed-price formation you buy and control yourself, at $4,699 all-in (Year 1; $1,799/yr renewal), filed under the International LLC Act 2008. The trust is the famous one: an independent licensed trustee holds your assets under the International Trusts Act 1984, the underwriting is bespoke, and it is sized for large asset bases. We sell the LLC and refer the trust to a tier-1 trustee.
Should I just use a Nevis LLC instead?: For most people, yes. The Nevis LLC at $1,799 all-in gives you a genuine charging-order moat at a fraction of the cost, and you stay in control as manager. The Cook Islands LLC earns its premium when you want the Pacific jurisdiction's deeper protective case law; the full Cook Islands trust is for genuinely large asset bases. If you are unsure, start with Nevis.
Does a Cook Islands LLC reduce my taxes?: No. This is asset protection, not tax avoidance. A US person who owns a Cook Islands LLC still reports and is still taxed: FBAR, Form 8938, and CFC rules where they apply, plus foreign trust filings (Forms 3520 and 3520-A) if a trust is involved. We collect a beneficial-owner declaration at formation regardless. The structure shields assets from civil creditors, not from the IRS. General information, not legal or tax advice.
Can I pay in Bitcoin, and how long does it take?: Yes. The $4,699 all-in price is settled in BTC (on-chain and Lightning) or USDT via BitSettle; government fees are included. This is a GRAY-tier offshore vehicle: the Cook Islands International LLC files in about 14 days, but banking is separate, Cook Islands entities do not bank with US rails, and offshore onboarding typically runs 30 to 90 days.