Reference · 2026
Russia vs Kazakhstan vs UAE: where to base your business
A side-by-side of the three jurisdictions foreign companies weigh most when structuring for the Russian and CIS market — on tax, ownership and market access.
Factor
Russia
Kazakhstan
UAE
Corporate income tax
25% (IT 5%)
20%
9% (0% under threshold)
VAT / equivalent
22% (2026)
12%
5%
Dividend WHT (non-treaty)
15%
15%
0%
Personal income tax
13–22%
10%
0%
100% foreign ownership
Yes
Yes
Yes (mainland & free zone)
Access to Russian market
Direct
Via export/EAEU
Via export
Typical use
Operate in-market
Regional CIS hub
Holding / trade routing
Deciding where to structure?
The right answer depends on where you operate and how profit flows. We model the options against your specific plan.
Talk it through →
Headline figures only, indicative for 2026, for orientation — not advice. The right jurisdiction depends on where you operate, where profit is earned and how it is repatriated. Rates and treaty positions change and interact.