Singapore or Delaware: where should you start a business?
Singapore ranks higher in the index, 07 against 18. Which suits you depends on where the owners live, what the company is for and how it will be run.
Pillar by pillar
Doing business, side by side
Tax
A start-up exemption applies to the first S$200,000 of income for three years of assessment. Goods and services tax is charged at 9%.
No Delaware income tax is due where no business is done in the state, but annual franchise tax applies. There is no state sales tax.
Set-up
Registration costs S$315 in total and is usually approved within 15 minutes of payment. Share capital can be S$1, and the annual return costs S$60.
A corporation's filing fee starts at US$109. No standard processing time is published, but paid services offer 24-hour, same-day and faster filing.
On the ground
At least one director must be ordinarily resident in Singapore, and the company must appoint a company secretary within six months.
Every company must keep a registered agent with a Delaware address, and no director needs to live in the state. There is no minimum capital.
Ownership
ACRA's central register of controllers is available only to law enforcement agencies, and members of the public cannot access it.
Under FinCEN's final rule, effective 14 August 2026, companies formed in the United States are exempt. Only foreign companies registered there still report.
Residence
The EntrePass is open to an applicant holding at least 30% of a venture-backed or innovative company, who must also meet one of five further criteria.
Owning a company confers no residence. The E-2 visa is limited to treaty nationals, and the EB-5 requires an investment from US$800,000.
Living and working
Currency
Singapore dollar.
US dollar.
Time zone
UTC+8.
UTC-5, and UTC-4 in summer.
Personal tax
Estate duty does not apply to deaths on or after 15 February 2008.
Federal top rate 37% above $640,600 for a single filer in 2026; Delaware charges 6.60% from $60,000 and repealed estate tax in 2018.
Flights
Changi connects Singapore to over 170 cities (January 2026); Singapore Airlines takes about 13 hrs 45 mins to 14 hrs to London and 18 hrs 25 mins to New York.
Wilmington (ILG) has Avelo flights to Florida and San Juan, and an American Airlines coach to Philadelphia, which serves Heathrow.
Language
English, Malay, Mandarin and Tamil are official languages, and all court proceedings are conducted in English.
English is the official language of the United States under an Executive Order of 1 March 2025.
Singapore vs Delaware: common questions
Singapore: A start-up exemption applies to the first S$200,000 of income for three years of assessment. Goods and services tax is charged at 9%. Delaware: No Delaware income tax is due where no business is done in the state, but annual franchise tax applies. There is no state sales tax.
Singapore: Registration costs S$315 in total and is usually approved within 15 minutes of payment. Share capital can be S$1, and the annual return costs S$60. Delaware: A corporation's filing fee starts at US$109. No standard processing time is published, but paid services offer 24-hour, same-day and faster filing.
Singapore: At least one director must be ordinarily resident in Singapore, and the company must appoint a company secretary within six months. Delaware: Every company must keep a registered agent with a Delaware address, and no director needs to live in the state. There is no minimum capital.
Singapore: ACRA's central register of controllers is available only to law enforcement agencies, and members of the public cannot access it. Delaware: Under FinCEN's final rule, effective 14 August 2026, companies formed in the United States are exempt. Only foreign companies registered there still report.
Singapore: The EntrePass is open to an applicant holding at least 30% of a venture-backed or innovative company, who must also meet one of five further criteria. Delaware: Owning a company confers no residence. The E-2 visa is limited to treaty nationals, and the EB-5 requires an investment from US$800,000.
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