Maldives Plans Residency-for-Sale on Artificial Islands, Raising Haven Fears

· Investigations · Maldives

The debt-distressed Maldives is planning to offer residency to the world's ultra rich and build artificial islands from scratch for luxury real estate, according to a report. The scheme would sell residency and high-end property as a way to raise revenue for a country under financial strain. Critics warn it could create a new offshore tax and money-laundering haven, echoing concerns about golden-visa and citizenship-by-investment programs elsewhere. The plan puts the Maldives alongside other jurisdictions that have used residency rights to attract capital, and it will draw scrutiny from anti-money-laundering watchdogs and investigators who track how such programs can be abused by illicit wealth.

Why it matters：Residency-by-investment schemes are a recurring channel for laundering illicit wealth, so the Maldives plan will test how far international AML scrutiny can reach into small, cash-strapped states.

Key points

  • The Maldives is described as debt-distressed.
  • The plan includes selling residency and luxury real estate on artificial islands.
  • Fears center on creating a new offshore tax and money-laundering haven.

Sources (original reporting)

More stories from this day