Cyprus Alternative Investment Fund with Limited Number of Persons (AIFLNP)
General Overview
- Legal Basis: Governed by the Alternative Investment Funds Law of 2018.
- Regulatory Oversight: Supervised by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) but with lighter regulation than a full AIF.
- Target Investors: Restricted to Professional and Well-Informed Investors (maximum 50 investors per fund – look through).
- Setup Timeframe: The setup timeframe ranges from 6 to 8 months, though it can vary depending on the complexity of the structure.
Key Features
- Corporate Flexibility: Can be structured as:
- Common Fund (CF)
- Variable Capital Investment Company (VCIC)
- Fixed Capital Investment Company (FCIC)
- Limited Partnership (LP)
- Investment Scope: No predefined restrictions; full flexibility to invest in any asset class.
- No EU Passporting: Cannot benefit from AIFM marketing passport but can still raise capital within Cyprus and some EU jurisdictions via national private placement regimes (NPPR).
- Lower Regulatory Burden: Lighter reporting and compliance requirements compared to full AIFs.
Taxation
- Corporate Tax: Subject to Cyprus’ standard 12.5% corporate tax rate.
- No Withholding Tax on dividend distributions to non-resident investors.
- No Subscription Tax on net assets.
- Access to Cyprus’ Double Tax Treaty Network for tax efficiency.
Governance & Service Providers
- Self-Managed or External Management: If structured as a company, it can be self-managed by its Board of Directors.
- Depositary Requirement: Exemption possible if:
- Total assets are below €100 million with leverage.
- Total assets are below €500 million without leverage and no redemption for at least five years.
- Central Administration: Must be maintained in Cyprus.
- Auditor: A Cyprus-registered auditor must be appointed.
Advantages of a Cyprus AIFLNP
- Lighter Regulatory Oversight: Lower compliance and reporting obligations than full AIFs.
- Cost-Effective Structure: No need for full AIFM oversight, reducing operational costs.
- Flexibility in Investment Strategies: No predefined investment restrictions.
- Attractive Tax Regime: Competitive tax benefits and access to double tax treaties.
Use Cases
- Private Equity & Venture Capital Funds
- Real Estate Investment Funds
- Hedge Funds & Debt Funds
- Niche Investment Strategies (Crypto, Fintech, etc.)
Setup & Support by KENDRIS Capital
- Assistance with AIFLNP structuring and CySEC registration.
- Drafting of regulatory documents (Fund Prospectus, Limited Partnership Agreement, etc.).
- Ongoing fund management, administration, and compliance services.
Cyprus AIFLNP Factsheet
Key contact
Nikolas Charalambous
Managing Director
MBA, BSc. Accounting
T +357 24 205300