The British Virgin Islands By Harney, Westwood & Riegels The British Virgin Islands is a leading jurisdiction for the formation of alternative investment funds, having approximately 2,800 funds registered or recognised under the Mutual Funds Act 1996 (the Act), the primary legislation governing the formation and operation of hedge funds in the British Virgin Islands. These funds are regulated by the Financial Services Commission (the Commission), the financial regulator in the British Virgin Islands, which was established by and whose powers primarily originate from the Financial Services Commission Act 2001. The Act requires all investment funds falling within its definition

British Virgin Islands Fund legislation  Mutual Funds Act 1996 Number of funds

Ireland  By Donnacha O’Connor, Dillon Eustace Answers to frequently asked questions pertaining to setting up investment funds in Ireland 1. What if any are the investor restrictions (number, by category)? Irish Funds are not required to have a minimum number of investors, however, on the whole, Irish regulated tax exempt funds must, depending on the category of fund, and the specific wording of the legislation, be offered directly or indirectly to the public or must be available to the public. The following additional fund categories are not widely used either due to their tax status (non-designated funds) or the narrow

Ireland Fund legislation 

Luxembourg By Chevalier & Sciales Why Luxembourg? The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg became in a few decades one of the leading locations for investment funds, being today the world’s second fund centre, overtaken only by the USA. Since 1959, when the first fund was established, the investment fund industry hugely expanded, counting 3,425 funds at the end of May 2009. This success originated with the authorities’ encouraging attitude to foreign capital and investment, and was considerably strengthened by its prime location in the heart of Europe – close to the main markets targeted by investment funds – by its highly

 Based on information supplied by the Malta Financial Services Authority

Malta Fund legislation:  Investment Services Act, (Cap. 370 – Laws of Malta); Number of funds