Bermuda: Finance and Banking

Bermuda is not considered an international banking center and only banks licensed by the Bermuda Monetary Authority (BMA) under the Banks and Deposit Companies Act 1999 (BDCA) are entitled to undertake banking businesses in or from Bermuda.

This report provides a summary of important legislative and regulatory developments in Bermuda for the quarter ended 30 June 2022.

This report provides a summary of important legislative and regulatory developments in Bermuda for the quarter ended 31 March 2022.

The Bermuda Stock Exchange has introduced a streamlined listing process for securities issued under previously approved debt or insurance-linked securities programmes, reducing approval timelines and administrative requirements. The updates include expedited next-business-day approvals and new abridged application forms designed to minimize duplication of information already contained in approved programme documentation.

Global M&A activity surged to a five-year high in the first half of 2026 while IPO markets remained highly selective, with Bermuda companies demonstrating continued strength through strategic redomiciliations, major acquisitions, and sustained capital markets activity across shipping, financial services, and energy sectors.

In considering the type of security it will take, a lender will want to ensure that its security has not only been validly created and perfected but also that such security ranks as expected against other competing interests.

The Bermuda Monetary Authority has introduced new sustainability disclosure requirements for investment funds and launched a streamlined Approval in Principle process to accelerate fund registrations. These regulatory developments aim to enhance investor protection while maintaining Bermuda's competitive position in the global investment funds market.

The Bermuda Monetary Authority has released a consultation paper on artificial intelligence regulation in financial services, proposing a risk-based framework that extends existing regulatory requirements rather than creating new licensing regimes. Financial institutions now face critical decisions about how to classify AI use cases, implement governance controls, and prepare for heightened scrutiny of generative and agentic AI systems before the October 30 feedback deadline.

Bermuda's Digital Asset Business Act framework offers DeFi platforms and DAOs a structured regulatory pathway that bridges decentralised governance with institutional-grade compliance. Through tiered licensing and foundation company structures, projects can evolve from testing to full authorisation while maintaining token-holder governance and meeting institutional investor requirements.

The Bermuda Monetary Authority has introduced new sustainability disclosure requirements for investment funds and launched a streamlined Approval in Principle process to accelerate fund registrations. These regulatory developments aim to enhance investor protection while maintaining Bermuda's competitive position in the global investment funds market.

Bermuda's private equity funds face mounting pressure as net asset values concentrate in fewer, larger portfolios while traditional exit routes remain constrained. With merger and acquisition markets uncertain and distribution droughts complicating fundraising, sponsors must navigate continuation vehicles and NAV financing as alternative liquidity solutions, each carrying distinct structural complexities and contractual implications under Bermuda's flexible partnership framework.

Bermuda's investment funds regime provides sponsors with a sophisticated regulatory framework that balances flexibility with investor protection. From registered private funds to authorised retail vehicles, the jurisdiction accommodates diverse strategies through multiple structural options including SACs, ISACs, and traditional partnerships. Understanding the classification system, ongoing compliance requirements, and the interplay between fund regulation and investment business licensing is essential for