Hong Kong vs Ireland: which jurisdiction wins?

Hong Kong vs Ireland — both credible, very different trade-offs. Below: side-by-side on the variables that actually move the decision.

	Hong Kong	Ireland
Tax headline	16.5% profits tax, territorial system	12.5% trading, 15% Pillar 2 for large groups
Formation days	7	5
First-year cost	$3,200	$5,500
Treaties	47+	75+
Substance	Offshore claim requires substance and operational evidence	Substance critical (CFC, BEPS)
Banking	HSBC, Standard Chartered, plus VASP-licensed banks since 2024	BOI, AIB, plus US bank branches

Talk to a partner before you incorporate.

Wrong jurisdiction, wrong substance, or wrong bank shortlist is a 12-month problem. A 30-minute briefing fixes 80% of it.