One of the key innovations of 2026 is the mandatory digital identification of founders and the use of electronic signatures at all stages of company registration in the EU. According to the European Commission, this reduced the average time for remote registration of legal entities by 35–50%, and the number of rejections due to forged documents and nominee structures fell by more than 40% compared to 2022–2023.
The focus has shifted from the question “what has been filed in the register” to questions “who is behind the structure”, “how is governance formed” and “how transparent is the source of capital”.
That is why today the speed of company registration in the EU and the subsequent bank onboarding directly depend not on the jurisdiction as such, but on the quality of digital identification, the consistency of the corporate structure and the readiness of the business for KYC/AML checks at the level of the individual, not the paper.
New requirements for company registration in the EU in 2025
In 2025, company registration in the EU underwent a number of fundamental changes affecting both the documents for company registration in the EU 2025 and the procedure itself. These changes were the result of accumulated problems of previous years: the use of nominee structures, fictitious directors and opaque ownership chains. The EU is consistently closing these loopholes by unifying requirements between countries and reducing opportunities for regulatory arbitrage. COREDO’s practice confirms: now most EU countries require not only the standard set of incorporation documents, but also proof of source of funds, KYC questionnaires, and disclosure of information about ultimate beneficiaries in accordance with the new 2025 beneficiary disclosure requirements.
Comparative table of changes in the EU and Asia
| Criterion | EU (2025) | Asia (2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Key documents | Incorporation deed, articles of association, KYC, AML | Incorporation documents, KYC, AML |
| Registration timelines | 1–5 weeks (depends on the country) | 2–6 weeks (depends on the country) |
| requirements for beneficiaries | Full disclosure, digital identification | Enhanced requirements, KYC, sanctions lists |
| Remote registration | Implemented in many countries | Being implemented gradually, depends on the jurisdiction |
| AML compliance | Strict, integration of digital solutions | Strengthened, automation of procedures |
| Features for high-risk businesses | Increased control, Licensing | Additional checks, restrictions |
Documents for company registration in the EU and Asia in 2025
COREDO’s experience shows that in 2025 the standard package of documents for registering a company in the EU includes:
- founding agreement and articles of association,
- proof of registered address,
- digital identification of the founders (video verification, eIDAS, BankID),
- KYC questionnaires and information about beneficial owners,
- proof of source of funds,
- electronic signatures.
Regulators expect a pre-built AML framework for them, not reactive implementation of procedures after registration.
Recommendations for registration
- Prepare a complete set of incorporation documents taking into account the new requirements for disclosing beneficiaries.
- Complete digital identification of the founders and ensure electronic submission of documents. In practice this means involving lawyers and compliance specialists before filing the documents, not after receiving requests from registrars or banks.
- Appoint a compliance officer and integrate AML services into business processes. In some jurisdictions the presence of a compliance officer is viewed as an indicator of business maturity and directly affects the speed of application review.
- Choose a jurisdiction taking into account industry requirements, tax incentives and the possibility of remote registration.
- Conduct Due Diligence on founders and partners, and check against sanctions lists.
- Prepare a business plan and the documents required to open corporate accounts at European or Asian banks.
- Implement ESG criteria and automate corporate reporting. ESG is increasingly used not only by investors but also by banks as an additional filter when assessing a company’s long-term risks, especially in the EU.
Registration in the EU — it’s no longer about documents, it’s about trust
Companies that continue to approach registration formally face the same problems: lengthy timelines, repeated requests, banks refusing to open accounts and the need to “redo” structures after registration. Those who from the start design their corporate model taking digital and AML requirements into account complete the process 2–3 times faster and without reputational risks.
Why COREDO
The COREDO team has supported international business since 2016 at the intersection of company registration, bank onboarding, licensing and AML compliance. We don’t just register legal entities – we design structures that withstand scrutiny from registrars, banks and regulators.
We:
- choose a jurisdiction based on your business model, not ‘from a list’;
- prepare corporate and beneficial ownership structures to meet 2025 requirements;
- support digital identification, eIDAS and electronic signatures;
- proactively eliminate the risk of refusals from banks and regulators;
- work with the EU, Asia and the CIS as a single ecosystem, not as fragmented markets.
If you are planning to register a company in the EU, access European banks or pursue further licensing, start with the right architecture, not with fixing mistakes.
Contact the COREDO team – we’ll analyse your case, show risks before you submit documents and build a solution that will work not only today but also after the first banking review.