1 Overview

1.1 What are the main trends/significant developments in the lending markets in your jurisdiction?

The British Virgin Islands continues to be a jurisdiction of choice for corporate vehicles entering into secured finance transactions, and remains a markedly creditor-friendly jurisdiction. Recent amendments to the key corporate legislation, the BVI Business Companies Act (as amended) (the "Act") have enhanced the protection of secured creditors including on a continuation of the domicile of a BVI company out of the BVI and into another jurisdiction, and on a liquidation, where the liquidator now has an express statutory obligation to give effect to the rights and priority of the claims of the company's secured creditors. In line with commercial practice, the amendments to the Act have also provided greater flexibility and certainty for the execution of deeds, which from a practical perspective will assist virtual closings. The amendments to the Act also tightened record-keeping obligations on companies. The jurisdiction has implemented the OECD Common Reporting Standards.

1.2 What are some significant lending transactions that have taken place in your jurisdiction in recent years?

British Virgin Islands obligors continue to feature prominently in financed holding structures and joint ventures, notably: in the oil and gas and mining sectors; in development finance and infrastructure projects throughout Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe, CIS, Latin America and elsewhere; in high-end property developments in London; and in shipping, drillships and other asset finance facilities.

2 Guarantees

2.1 Can a company guarantee borrowings of one or more other members of its corporate group (see below for questions relating to fraudulent transfer/financial assistance)?

The giving of a guarantee by a British Virgin Islands company is governed by the Act, and the company's memorandum and articles of association. Subject to its memorandum and articles of association, the powers of a company include (among other things) the power to guarantee a liability or obligation of any person and secure any obligations by mortgage, pledge or other charge of any of its assets for that purpose.

2.2 Are there enforceability or other concerns (such as director liability) if only a disproportionately small (or no) benefit to the guaranteeing/securing company can be shown?

Under the Act, and subject to its memorandum and articles of association, a company has, irrespective of corporate benefit, full capacity to carry on or undertake any business or activity, do any act or enter any transaction and, for those purposes, full rights, powers and privileges.

The directors of a company have fiduciary and statutory duties to act honestly and in good faith and in the best interests of the company. A director who is in breach of his duties may be liable to the company for the resulting loss to the company.

In the event that there is a disproportionately small (or no) benefit to the company, the transaction may be open to challenge, for example as a transaction at an undervalue, in the event of the insolvency of the company (see below).

2.3 Is lack of corporate power an issue?

Under the Act, no act of a company and no transfer of an asset by or to a company is invalid by reason only of the fact the company did not have the capacity, right or power to perform the act or to transfer or receive the asset.

It should be noted that members' remedies have been codified in the Act, and, for example, if a company or a director of a company engages in, proposes to engage in, or has engaged in conduct that contravenes the Act or the memorandum or articles of the company, the British Virgin Islands court may, on the application of a member or a director of the company, make an order directing the company or director to comply with, or restraining the company or director from engaging in conduct that contravenes the Act or the memorandum or articles.

2.4 Are any governmental or other consents or filings, or other formalities (such as shareholder approval), required?

It is not necessary to ensure the legality, validity, enforceability or admissibility in evidence of a guarantee that any document be filed, recorded or enrolled with any governmental authority or agency or any official body in the British Virgin Islands. Shareholder approval would be required only in the event the company's memorandum and articles of association require it.

2.5 Are net worth, solvency or similar limitations imposed on the amount of a guarantee?

To the extent that, under the applicable governing law, the guarantee is characterised as a debt incurred on behalf of a member of the company, it may be deemed to be a distribution and accordingly be subject to the requirement of the directors to determine that the company will pass the basic solvency test immediately after the deemed distribution. Under the solvency test, the company's assets must exceed its liabilities and the company must be able to pay its debts as they fall due. For former International Business Companies that still have a share capital, the requirements for satisfying the solvency test differ.

2.6 Are there any exchange control or similar obstacles to enforcement of a guarantee?

There is no exchange control legislation under British Virgin Islands law and accordingly there are no exchange control regulations imposed under British Virgin Islands law.

3 Collateral Security

3.1 What types of collateral are available to secure lending obligations?

There are no limits under British Virgin Islands law on the types of collateral that a company may give.

3.2 Is it possible to give asset security by means of a general security agreement or is an agreement required in relation to each type of asset? Briefly, what is the procedure?

A company may enter into a general security agreement such as a debenture.

3.3 Can collateral security be taken over real property (land), plant, machinery and equipment? Briefly, what is the procedure?

It should be noted that assets would typically be held outside the British Virgin Islands and collateral instruments would typically be governed by a governing law relevant to the jurisdiction in which the asset is sited. In the event that the company holds an interest in real estate or other assets physically located in the British Virgin Islands, there are certain licensing, registration and stamp duty considerations.

3.4 Can collateral security be taken over receivables? Briefly, what is the procedure? Are debtors required to be notified of the security?

British Virgin Islands law does not make statutory provision for an assignment by way of security. An assignment of receivables governed by British Virgin Islands law would require the written agreement of the debtor in order to take effect as a legal assignment, failing which the assignee would likely take an equitable assignment only.

3.5 Can collateral security be taken over cash deposited in bank accounts? Briefly, what is the procedure?

A company may give security over cash held in its bank accounts in any jurisdiction. British Virgin Islands law does not make statutory provision for collateral security over cash deposited in bank accounts located in the British Virgin Islands, and the cooperation of the account holding branch would be required.

3.6 Can collateral security be taken over shares in companies incorporated in your jurisdiction? Are the shares in certificated form? Can such security validly be granted under a New York or English law-governed document? Briefly, what is the procedure?

Collateral security may be taken over shares in companies incorporated in the British Virgin Islands and this is a popular and frequently used type of security. Such security can validly be granted under a foreign law-governed document, and New York or English law-governed security is common. In the case of an English law-governed document, the application of the Financial Collateral Arrangements (No 2) Regulations 2003 to shares in a British Virgin Islands company has been confirmed by the Privy Council in Cukurova Finance International Limited and Cukurova Holdings A.S (Appellants) v Alfa Telecom Turkey Ltd (Respondent) [2013] UKPC 2. Shares are in registered form and share security is typically taken by way of an equitable mortgage. The Act provides a mechanism for particulars of a charge over shares to be noted on the register of members, a copy of which the company may file publicly at the Registry of Corporate Affairs in order for a person carrying out a company search to be on notice of the equitable security. The Act now enables a chargee to enforce immediately upon an event of default. The Act also provides for the powers of the chargee or a receiver which may be modified or supplemented by the security instrument.

3.7 Can security be taken over inventory? Briefly, what is the procedure?

A company may give security over inventory. The applicable procedure would be driven by the jurisdiction in which the inventory is located.

3.8 Can a company grant a security interest in order to secure its obligations (i) as a borrower under a credit facility, and (ii) as a guarantor of the obligations of other borrowers and/or guarantors of obligations under a credit facility (see below for questions relating to the giving of guarantees and financial assistance)?

Subject to its memorandum and articles of association, a company may grant a security interest to secure its obligations as a borrower, or the obligations of others.

3.9 What are the notarisation, registration, stamp duty and other fees (whether related to property value or otherwise) in relation to security over different types of assets?

No steps are required as a matter of British Virgin Islands law to perfect a security interest where assets are not located in the British Virgin Islands. It is a requirement of the Act that a company keep a register of all relevant charges created by the company, either at the company's registered office, or at the office of the company's registered agent. For the purposes of priority, an application may be made to the Registrar to register the charges created, providing an advantage to secured creditors that is not available in some offshore jurisdictions. Subject to such registration, and any prior security interests registered on the applicable register, the security interest will, as a matter of British Virgin Islands law, have priority over any claims by third parties (other than those preferred by law) including any liquidator or a creditor of the company, subject in the case of a winding up of the company in a jurisdiction other than the British Virgin Islands to any provisions of the laws of that jurisdiction as to priority of claims in a winding up. A floating charge will rank behind a subsequently registered fixed charge unless the floating charge contains a prohibition or restriction on the power of the company to create any future security interest ranking ahead in priority to or equally with the floating charge.

No taxes, fees or charges (including stamp duty) are payable (either by direct assessment or withholding) to the government or other taxing authority in the British Virgin Islands under the laws of the British Virgin Islands in respect of the execution or delivery, or the enforcement, of security documentation. In the event that the company holds an interest in real estate or other assets physically located in the British Virgin Islands, there are certain perfection, licensing, registration and stamp duty considerations.

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Originally Published by International Comparative Legal Guides 20 April, 2020

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.