For AI / SaaS / solo founders
The corporate secretary built by AI founders, for AI founders.
If you're a solo founder shipping a SaaS, agent platform, or AI agency from anywhere in the world — and you're considering Malaysia for your legal home — this page is for you. We've done it ourselves. Here's how it works.
Why Malaysia
Why a solo AI founder might pick Malaysia over Singapore, Delaware, or Estonia.
There's no perfect jurisdiction for an AI startup. There's only the right trade-off for your specific situation. Here's the honest version of where Malaysia genuinely wins, and where it doesn't.
30-50% cheaper than Singapore.
Total all-in incorporation + first-year compliance + bank intro: typically RM 4,500-7,000 (~USD 1,000-1,600). Singapore equivalent: USD 2,500-4,000.
Foreign-sourced revenue can be tax-favourable.
Income earned from foreign customers, structured properly, can fall outside Malaysian taxable income. We'll walk you through the rules — and the limits — before you decide.
Real bank accounts. Stripe-friendly.
Most of our AI/SaaS clients open accounts with Maybank, CIMB, or Hong Leong within two weeks. All Stripe-compatible. USDC handling possible through the right partners.
Live where you work — visa-friendly.
Employment Pass for company directors, MM2H for medium-term residency, DE Rantau for digital nomads. Coordinated by the same team handling your incorporation.
We've done this ourselves
We incorporated our own AI ventures through this firm in early 2026.
The founder of Robo Company Secretary, AK, incorporated Roboflorist (an agent-first global florist platform) and other AI ventures in Jan-Mar 2026 — all through AK Secretarial Companies Sdn Bhd, the parent firm we recommend to you. We went through every step you'll go through: SSM filing, statutory drafting, bank intro, tax registration, the lot. The cost calculator on this site is calibrated against what we paid. The compliance checklists are the ones we use for our own companies.
Our own structure — disclosed
- Vehicle
- Sdn Bhd (100% foreign-owned)
- Filed
- Jan-Mar 2026
- Bank
- Opened within 14 days
- Compliance
- Managed by the same firm offered to you
- Cost
- Within the quoted range on /pricing
What you'll need
What a solo AI founder actually needs to incorporate in Malaysia.
There's a long list of theoretical requirements. There's also the short list of what most AI founders actually use. Here's the short list.
Required (no exceptions)
- A Sdn Bhd (private limited company)
- At least one director (Malaysian-resident — we provide nominee if you're not based here)
- At least one shareholder (you, foreign, that's fine)
- A registered office address in Malaysia (we provide ours)
- A licensed company secretary (us)
- Annual returns and tax filings
Strongly recommended (for AI / SaaS)
- Corporate bank account (Stripe-payable)
- SST registration if revenue exceeds RM 500k/year
- Tax structure review — especially for foreign-sourced revenue
- Employment Pass (if you intend to live in Malaysia)
- Trademark registration (we coordinate, not file)
- A clean compliance calendar from day one
What it typically costs
What a solo AI founder typically pays.
These are our actual ranges, not marketing brackets. Your exact quote depends on structure and licensing — get a precise number from the calculator.
Solo AI founder — minimum viable
RM 3,500-4,500
Best for
Single foreign founder, single shareholder, no Malaysian residency yet, basic SaaS or AI agency.
Includes
Sdn Bhd registration, statutory drafting, nominee director (if needed), registered office, year-1 sec services.
Solo AI founder — full setup
RM 6,500-8,500
Best for
Solo founder ready to bank locally and accept Stripe.
Includes
Everything in Minimum, plus bank intro to 2-3 banks, SST advisory, tax structure review for foreign-sourced revenue.
Solo AI founder — relocating
Custom
Best for
Founder planning to live in Malaysia or transition team.
Includes
Everything in Full, plus Employment Pass coordination, ongoing advisory, ESOP structuring if relevant.
Questions we get a lot
What AI / SaaS founders actually ask us.
Yes — for technology, SaaS, AI services, agency work, and most digital businesses, 100% foreign ownership is fully permitted. There are restricted sectors (telecoms, finance, certain regulated areas) where ownership caps apply, but standard AI / SaaS work isn't one of them.
It's nuanced. Foreign-sourced income received in Malaysia is generally exempt from tax for resident companies, with conditions and exceptions. The rules changed in 2022 and were further clarified in 2024. We'll walk you through your specific situation before you incorporate — not after.
Yes, with the right preparation. Most of our AI / SaaS clients open accounts at Maybank, CIMB, or Hong Leong within two weeks. We pre-prepare the documents banks actually want and introduce you to the right relationship managers.
Yes. Stripe is available to Malaysian Sdn Bhds and accepts the standard incorporation documents. We've onboarded our own ventures and a number of client AI / SaaS companies through it.
No. The entire process can be done remotely. We courier signed documents internationally if needed. Bank account opening sometimes requires one in-person visit — but we coordinate that around your travel.
Doable, but with caveats. Bank Negara has clear rules on virtual asset service providers. If your revenue is largely USDC-denominated, we'll structure your entity and banking around the actual flows you use, not the textbook pattern.
Ready to incorporate?
Let's build the corporate structure you actually need.
WhatsApp us with what you're building. We'll send you a clear incorporation plan within one business hour — written by someone who's done it for their own AI ventures this year.