Look to offshore investments to diversify wealth in uncertain times
Business Day Dialogues event explores the benefit of dual citizenship for an investor profile
25 August 2021 - 07:29
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
The island of St Kitts and Nevis in the Caribbean offers citizenship via an investment programme. Picture: CS GLOBAL PARTNERS
The global pandemic has made many people nervous about investing in the stock market, and even more nervous about keeping their savings in a bank account where they lose value every year due to inflation.
As a result, many SA investors have turned to offshore investments as a way of protecting themselves against these risks. The St Kitts and Nevis Citizenship by Investment Programme is one of the best options for this kind of investment because it offers both citizenship with visa-free travel to nearly 160 countries around the world, and diversification opportunities for your investment portfolio.
A recent Business Day Dialogues, in partnership with CS Global Partners and moderated by Alishia Seckam, discussed why dual citizenship is an essential feature of a diversified investor profile in 2021 and why South Africans really need a plan B — call it a type of insurance — for their future.
SA constitutes only a small fraction of the global economy and its stock market is concentrated in a few very specific sectors. Offshore investments are therefore required to externalise wealth in different markets and to ensure exposure to a global investment landscape, said Maarten Ackerman, advisory partner and the chief economist at Citadel.
The concept of global citizenship has taken centre stage in recent years, and its value has been highlighted by the Covid-19 pandemic, said Micha Emmett, CS Global Partners CEO, a legal advisory specialising in residency and citizenship by investment solutions. The business offers advice to investors looking for second citizenship.
Emmett said there are now a number of different active golden visa programmes that an investor can choose from — some which offer only a residency option while others offer citizenship — and that it is important to understand the differences. Residence does not always lead to citizenship, and nor is residency always guaranteed in the long term. Citizenship, on the other hand, confers significantly more benefits and security.
The St Kitts and Nevis Citizenship by Investment Programme is one of the oldest and most established programmes of its kind, which allows individuals and their families to legally obtain citizenship of one of the Caribbean’s most idyllic locations. Citizenship by Investment Unit CEO Les Khan said the country has many commonalities with SA, including a similar legal system, which makes it easy for South Africans to adapt to.
The most direct ways of investing in St Kitts and Nevis is through the country’s Sustainable Growth Fund with a minimum investment of US$150,000 (R2.26m). This allows a family of up to four to gain citizenship of St Kitts and Nevis.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Look to offshore investments to diversify wealth in uncertain times
Business Day Dialogues event explores the benefit of dual citizenship for an investor profile
The global pandemic has made many people nervous about investing in the stock market, and even more nervous about keeping their savings in a bank account where they lose value every year due to inflation.
As a result, many SA investors have turned to offshore investments as a way of protecting themselves against these risks. The St Kitts and Nevis Citizenship by Investment Programme is one of the best options for this kind of investment because it offers both citizenship with visa-free travel to nearly 160 countries around the world, and diversification opportunities for your investment portfolio.
A recent Business Day Dialogues, in partnership with CS Global Partners and moderated by Alishia Seckam, discussed why dual citizenship is an essential feature of a diversified investor profile in 2021 and why South Africans really need a plan B — call it a type of insurance — for their future.
SA constitutes only a small fraction of the global economy and its stock market is concentrated in a few very specific sectors. Offshore investments are therefore required to externalise wealth in different markets and to ensure exposure to a global investment landscape, said Maarten Ackerman, advisory partner and the chief economist at Citadel.
The concept of global citizenship has taken centre stage in recent years, and its value has been highlighted by the Covid-19 pandemic, said Micha Emmett, CS Global Partners CEO, a legal advisory specialising in residency and citizenship by investment solutions. The business offers advice to investors looking for second citizenship.
Emmett said there are now a number of different active golden visa programmes that an investor can choose from — some which offer only a residency option while others offer citizenship — and that it is important to understand the differences. Residence does not always lead to citizenship, and nor is residency always guaranteed in the long term. Citizenship, on the other hand, confers significantly more benefits and security.
The St Kitts and Nevis Citizenship by Investment Programme is one of the oldest and most established programmes of its kind, which allows individuals and their families to legally obtain citizenship of one of the Caribbean’s most idyllic locations. Citizenship by Investment Unit CEO Les Khan said the country has many commonalities with SA, including a similar legal system, which makes it easy for South Africans to adapt to.
The most direct ways of investing in St Kitts and Nevis is through the country’s Sustainable Growth Fund with a minimum investment of US$150,000 (R2.26m). This allows a family of up to four to gain citizenship of St Kitts and Nevis.
If you have any questions, visit the St Kitts and Nevis Citizenship by Investment website or contact info@csglobalpartners.com.
WATCH THE FULL DISCUSSION:
WATCH LIVE | Why South Africans look to offshore investments to diversify wealth
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Most Read
Published by Arena Holdings and distributed with the Financial Mail on the last Thursday of every month except December and January.