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Hong Kong Ltd · via Sleek (Singapore)·🌐Founder profile

HK Ltd via Sleek SG — Korean E-commerce Sellers

VerifiedJul 2026
EligibilityEligible
Setup timeline10–24days
Year-1 total$1,499

Korean e-commerce sellers pick Sleek over Osome for the ~HKD 900 base cost saving on comparable HK Ltd bundles. Sleek covers formation, company secretary, IRD filings, and annual audit.

Under HK territorial taxation, IRD applies two-tier 8.25% (first HKD 2M) / 16.5% only to HK-source profits. Amazon US and Korean domestic e-commerce revenue can potentially qualify for offshore-source exemption.

Korea side: Income Tax Act Article 3 taxes worldwide personal income once distributions received; Korean CFC rules (Article 17 of Adjustment of International Taxes Act) attribute low-taxed foreign controlled entity income (below 17.5% effective rate) to Korean owners.

§ 01Cost of ownership

Model the full outlay, not just the setup fee

Renewal costs sneak up on non-resident founders. Compare year-1 filing against a 3-year total to see the real bill.
Currency · USD (live FX)
2-year cost of ownership
$2,398
$99.92/month amortized·USD @ live FX
Time horizon
Line items
Amount
  • SetupSleek (Singapore) setup
    $1,499
  • AnnualYear 2 renewal
    $899.00
Total$2,398
§ 02Tax residency · Korean E-commerce Sellers

What the tax authority sees

US federal / local status

Hong Kong Ltd applies territorial taxation: IRD taxes only HK-source profits at two-tier 8.25% (first HKD 2M) / 16.5%; Korean Article 3 taxes distributions.

Home-country rule

National Tax Service; foreign-source income reporting per Income Tax Act Article 3; Korea has US tax treaty (10% treaty rate for royalties).

Editorial verdict

Sleek is HKD 900 cheaper than Osome for identical HK Ltd bundle; Korea CFC rules pass through if HK effective tax below 17.5%.

Key compliance risks
  • 01Korean Income Tax Act Article 3 taxes worldwide personal income once distributed
  • 02HK IRD two-tier 8.25%/16.5% on HK-source profits
  • 03Korea CFC rules attribute if HK effective rate below 17.5%
  • 04IRD BEPS 2.0 enhanced substance rules from 2024
§ 03Setup timeline

From filing to funded bank account

Setup timeline
10–24days total, 3 phases
Milestone check
Filing · Tax ID · Banking
d0
d6
d12
d18
d24
01FilingSleek (Singapore) submits formation docs
d0–d8
02Tax ID / EINLocal tax authority registration
d7–d18
03BankingBusiness account approved & funded
d14–d24
§ 04Head-to-head

Hong Kong Ltd vs UAE Free Zone (MEYDAN)

Hong Kong Ltd
Ltd
UAE Free Zone (MEYDAN)
Free Zone LLC
Entity
Ltd
Free Zone LLC
Setup cost
$64.00
$1,306
Annual
$384.00
$1,306
Local director
Remote OK
Remote OK
Physical presence
Remote OK
Remote OK
Tax regime
8.25% first HKD 2M profit; territorial system
9% CT above AED 375k; 0% VAT for out-of-UAE trade
§ 05Questions founders actually ask

FAQ

Sleek base HKD 8,880/year, Osome HKD 9,800. Same secretary + IRD filings + audit. Sleek slightly cheaper; Osome slightly more established brand. Korean bank documentation is similar on both — both provide standard HK Ltd formation package.

Next step

Start filing with Sleek (Singapore)

Formation typically completes in 2–3 weeks. Use the promo below, then click through to begin the checklist directly on the platform.