Dublin serves as a key hub for fund servicing operations within the global asset management industry. Dublin has over €2 trillion in assets under management in over 13,000 funds. Irish domiciled ETFs represent approximately 50% of the total European ETF market and over 40% of global hedge fund assets are serviced here. Net assets of UCITS stand at € 1.5 bn. There are 14,000 people employed in the Irish funds industry, with 39 international fund administrators, 19 custodians and 11 fund auditors. Also, the country is a world leader in aircraft leasing. Its combination of European Union membership, strategic location and business-friendly laws make Ireland one of the most popular offshore options.

Malta possesses sound legislation, a highly skilled workforce, solid infrastructure, excellent international links, a favourable taxation system as well as numerous Government grants and exemptions. Malta is fast becoming the go-to country for setting up a business in the Mediterranean. Malta is economically and politically very stable, and so it is a highly attractive prospect for anyone wishing to invest in or set up business. The number of foreign investors and residents is growing year on year, thanks in no small part to the island’s strong property market. There is €9.8 billion in assets under management in nearly 650 funds in the country. There are 30 international administrators, 11 custodians, 19 fund auditors and 15 law firms in Malta.

Luxembourg is the largest European Union fund domicile. That's due in part to the country's top S&P rating. Luxembourg revels in the highest ratings from leading agencies such as Moody's and Fitch, and remains the clear financial sector leader in the Eurozone. Luxembourg has over €3.6 trillion in assets under management in over 13,000 funds. Luxembourg domiciled UCITS represent approximately 37% of the total European UCITS market. Investors appreciate the country’s extreme stability in regards to its politics, economy, and tax policies. Luxembourg is also gaining attention for its creation of low-tax, high-security storage facilities for the housing of assets such as fine art, precious metals, classic cars, and even wine.

Switzerland, as an important financial center, has always been very attractive for the asset management industry and in particular investment funds. Since Switzerland's decision not to access the European Economic Area (EEA) in 1992, the market for investment funds in Switzerland has been separated into two types of activities: the distribution of foreign collective investment schemes in Switzerland and the production of Swiss collective investment schemes. Switzerland has become a very important market for the distribution of foreign funds but also has a very important domestic market for Swiss funds. The distribution of foreign investment funds in Switzerland has grown significantly, particularly in the last decade. For retail investors, due to the fact that Switzerland is not a member of the European Union (EU) or of the EEA, Swiss funds cannot be marketed with the UCITS passport within the EU countries. Therefore, in order to have access to the European market, several Swiss actors have established fund management companies in the EU and set-up UCITS platforms. Such UCITS funds are then not duplicated for the Swiss market, but are distributed in Switzerland. The Swiss market is also very attractive for foreign fund management players who want to access the Swiss market and raise money in Switzerland for their products.

Jersey is long established as a strong financial center. It is the larger of the two islands in terms of services, specializing in a variety of fund categories. Jersey also offers a number of low-tax business formats. Jersey has over £300 billion in assets under management in 1,195 funds.

London is one of the most important financial centers of the world and the largest urban zone of the European Union. It is the major financial center also for international business and commerce. It is also the 5th largest city economy in the entire world after cities such as Tokyo, New York, Los Angeles and Chicago. One of the key areas worth investing in London is in the manufacturing of green products. Apart from this, there are also lots of opportunities for investors to invest in the largest sector of London, financial exports. There also lots of opportunities in media and professional services which is considered to be the second largest sector in London. The government offers lots of incentives to foreign investors who wish to invest in London. The UK trade and investment agency which is established by the UK government to assist investors with their decisions of investing in London sees that investors get all the tax incentives and tax benefits that are applied to the whole of the United Kingdom. The UK tax policy is in fact benign for foreign investors and hence many investors are attracted to invest in cities such as London.

New York City remains the largest centre for trading in public equity and debt capital markets, driven in part by the size and financial development of the U.S. economy. The NYSE and NASDAQ are the two largest stock exchanges in the world. New York City is not only home to a number of billion dollar hedge funds, including Och-Ziff Capital Management and Renaissance Technologies; it is also the area with the highest concentration of hedge fund managers of any city worldwide with more than 1,000 firms. The state's tax policies allow new businesses to operate tax-free for 10 years. Investors who want to give seed money to New York businesses are able to observe start-ups through the city's many incubators, which foster business growth. Larger tech companies are creating strong pools of tech talent, while the city's wonderland of activities lend themselves toward enticing the younger workforce.

Among the many aspects which make Monaco a strategic location for doing business in Europe are its unique political and economic environment, the presence of efficient administrative infrastructures, the density of financial activities and the security for residents and their property. With 37 banks, and more than 42 portfolio and mutual fund management companies, the banking sector constitutes a large part of Monaco's financial activity. The Monegasque government actively combats money-laundering and numbered bank accounts are illegal. However, bank confidentiality is one of the main principals of Monegasque banking. Monegasque banking establishments are not only capable of managing international assets, but also offer comprehensive services to companies in the Principality (including helping companies to obtain financial resources from a special government fund).

Cyprus' status as an offshore area of note was given a boost by its admittance into the European Union in 2004. The country benefits from the EU's single market directives and its own emerging body of jurisprudence.There is €2.9 billion in assets under management with over 80 funds located in the country. Cyprus has 37 promotors of administered funds, 7 fund custodians and over 100 law firms and auditors. Advantages of incorporating in Cyprus include a low corporation tax, no capital gains or dividend tax for non-residents of Cyprus, a strong business infrastructure, and a legal system based primarily on English law.

The Isle of Man's low tax status, political and economic stability and proximity to the key markets of Europe make it a compelling and cost-effective alternative for the domicile of investment funds. With a wide range of fund service providers and a sophisticated professional and banking infrastructure, the Island offers a solution for all fund promoters. The Isle of Man has a well-founded reputation as a premier jurisdiction in terms of regulation and achieves a balance between, on the one hand, providing a business-friendly environment and, on the other hand, meeting international standards of financial supervision. As you would expect of a common law jurisdiction, the Isle of Man offers a full range of vehicles for use as fund structures, including open-ended investment companies, protected cell companies, limited partnerships and unit trusts.

Gaining attention as an international financial centre on the rise, Mauritius is an attractive domicile for investment funds in emerging markets, particularly in India. It offers excellent access to Asia, South Africa, the Middle East and Europe. With a reputation for being well established, this small island has both a regulated—and pragmatic—environment, and an extensive double-tax treaty network. There are over 1,000 funds located in Mauritius.