International best practice and a cost-effective structure – together with the backdrop of Barbados’ comprehensive investment & tax treaty network – combine to position the International Securities Market (ISM) as the global exchange of the future in the Western Hemisphere.

The ISM is based in Barbados, a caliber holiday destination and a trusted financial center for international business. The island offers a treaty network of double taxation agreements (DTAs) that is unmatched – in scale and scope – in the Caribbean. For the global business community, this is particularly attractive: use of a Barbadian corporate vehicle grants tax-efficient investment protection when conducting business in a treaty partner jurisdiction.

The ISM is complemented by the ancillary support of Barbados’ International Business and Financial Services (IBFS) sector. The IBFS sector is comprised of internationally recognized law firms, Big 4 accounting firms, chartered banks and trust companies that support subsidiaries of several leading international corporations. Further, professionals within the sector are internationally certified, well-educated and well-traveled – appreciable features that ensure continuity in the levels of technical, administrative and professional support that international companies have come to expect.

The combination of right-sized regulation, quality service providers, a cost-effective and tax-efficient market structure and Barbados’ world-class reputation coalesce to position the ISM as an ideal market for the future’s most innovative and forward-thinking companies.

International Recognition

The Barbados Stock Exchange Inc. (BSE) is designated as a Recognised Stock Exchange in the United Kingdom (UK) by Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs (HMRC). HMRC’s recognition means that products listed on the BSE may be able to avail of the Quoted Eurobond Exemption (QEE) – a key prerequisite for many companies using the debt capital markets.

Further, HMRC recognition paves the way for:

  • investment by UK pension schemes, giving companies and funds listed on BSE(ISM) access to a larger market of sophisticated, well-capitalized investors
  • securities listed on the BSE(ISM) to be held in tax advantaged Individual Savings Accounts (ISA’s)
  • key inheritance tax allowances that can accrue to UK holders of securities listed on the BSE(ISM)