In 2025, managing private wealth demands global foresight. Economic and political landscapes are shifting fast across markets. Technology is evolving at breakneck speed. Sustainability is reshaping investment priorities. Wealth migration is accelerating. And compliance regulations are growing more complex. High-net-worth individuals need a strategy that keeps pace with all of it.

Since 2022, global wealth has been rising everyday. The number of millionaires, defined by individuals with 1-5 million assets, reached 55 million globally in 2024. High-Net-Worth individuals are increasingly adopting multi-jurisdictional structures to combat macro-economic developments, incorporating jurisdictions that align to their unique goals, risk appetite and privacy requirements.

A private wealth portfolio is designed to balance capital preservation, growth and succession planning, which often spread across asset classes and jurisdictions. These tend to include equities in public and private market investments, real estate, lifestyle assets, philanthropic investments, and cash reserves.

Benefits of Geographical Diversification

A global portfolio, which can include trusts, holding companies, or residency in more than one jurisdiction, minimises risk against political instability, legal uncertainty or currency fluctuations. Geographical diversification also incorporates favourable regulatory regimes and tax efficiencies in multiple jurisdictions, segregated control for estate and succession planning, and enhanced flexibility with day-to-day management. A client may choose to incorporate both a stable financial centre for strong asset protection and a well-regulated jurisdiction for digital assets.

High-Net-Worth Individuals are also relocating wealth structures to align with their residency. A residency visa can have a direct influence on tax liability and reporting obligations, estate planning, asset protection and investment opportunities.

In this article, we provide a summary of the top jurisdictions for private wealth to provide guidance on multi-jurisdictional structuring.

Favourable Jurisdictions for Multi-Jurisdictional Wealth Structuring

Switzerland

Switzerland would be an ideal choice for clients who prioritise privacy, a politically neutral environment, and established institutions. Switzerland holds a long-standing reputation for wealth management due to its political neutrality and stable economy. It offers strong legal protections, discretion and a world-class banking sector. Popular vehicles for wealth structuring in Switzerland include foundations and holding companies.

Jurisdictions that integrate well with Singapore include the UAE due to its tax neutrality, foundations regime and strategic base for families investing in Asia and Europe. Jurisdictions that work well with Switzerland include the UAE due to investment and banking links and Jersey due to its long-standing trust administration relationship.

Singapore

Singapore is a popular choice amongst Asian and Middle Eastern UHNWIs, particularly for investment management and succession planning. As a leading financial centre in Asia, it boasts a highly regulated environment with a diverse ecosystem of family offices, investment banking, treasury and fintech. It offers favourable tax incentives and progressive trust and fund laws, ideal for trusts and fund trust structures.

Jurisdictions that integrate well with Singapore include the UAE due to its tax neutrality, foundations regime and strategic base for families investing in Asia and Europe, and the Cayman Islands for fund formation and trust layering.

United States

The U.S offers a stable landscape to shield assets and for long-term intergenerational transfers, ideally combined with other jurisdictions that work in harmony with the U.S. Examples include the Cayman Islands, Singapore, Switzerland, and the Isle of Man.

South Dakota integrates well with offshore entities, such as a Cayman Foundation. Singapore is ideal for holding non-U.S. assets for U.S settlors, and the Isle of Man offers favourable trusts for U.S persons.

Top states in the U.S for private wealth structuring include Delaware, South Dakota, Wyoming and Nevada, which offer strong legal frameworks for asset protection and favourable trust laws. Domestic dynasty trusts and privacy-friendly LLCs are some of the most favourable vehicles.

Cayman Islands

The Cayman Islands is globally renowned for its institutional wealth management. The jurisdiction offers complete tax neutrality, a robust legal framework, and efficient investment vehicles. The jurisdiction's foundation structure allows the settlor to retain certain powers without affecting validity and is ideal for dynastic wealth planning, philanthropic purposes, or DAO/crypto governance. Structures can be wholly foreign-owned and controlled, which is particularly useful for multi-jurisdictional holdings.

Favourable jurisdictions for Cayman include Switzerland, an excellent choice for Cayman vehicles to hold investment assets, Singapore, used to administer Cayman-based funds or trusts for Asian families, and the U.S, to hold assets or hedge funds for U.S clients.

Isle of Man

The Isle of Man is another premier jurisdiction for private wealth planning, with an efficient tax regime and globally recognised trust legislation. It offers a variety of trust structures, including discretionary, interest-in-possession, and purpose trusts, in addition to Private Trust Companies (PTCs), ideal for family governance. The jurisdiction also has a non-beneficiary ownership model for foundation structuring, which ideally suits multi-jurisdictional legacy planning.

The Isle of Man holds bilateral treaties with EU countries and works well with several jurisdictions, such as Luxembourg or Mauritius for global investment holding, South Dakota or Jersey for trust structuring, and Switzerland or Singapore for banking and custodian services.

"We have found recently that clients are becoming more interested in structuring their assets across several jurisdictions, and that's due to many reasons, such as residency purposes or for greater privacy or control. Certain jurisdictions hold different advantages, which is why our Global footprint becomes particularly useful if a client wishes to minimise risk by separating their assets or is seeking a particular type of vehicle. The Isle of Man has always been a popular jurisdiction for our clients, and since establishing in South Dakota, and having a presence in the Cayman Islands and Malta, we can offer our clients a broader approach to planning for protection and preservation." – Alex Gardner, Group COO.

Private Wealth Services – Affinity Group

Since 2004, we have been serving High Net Worth clients with an excellent personal service, which has formed our leading reputation in the private wealth sector. With offices in the Isle of Man, Malta, Cayman Islands and the U.S.A., we provide a range of bespoke private wealth services, including luxury asset structuring, trust, foundation, and corporate structuring, and multi-family office services. Learn more about our private wealth services: https://www.affinityco.com/private-wealth.  

If you would like guidance or to discuss your private wealth requirements, contact Alex, who would be delighted to assist you.

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