Offshore banking has been infamously associated with corrupt executives, drug dealers or other unlawful people avoiding taxation and keeping discreet accounts to hide their criminal deeds. However, this is not generally true. In fact, 80 – 90% of offshore bank accounts are used to protect businesses from lawsuits, scams or other threats.

An offshore bank is typically located in a place with low or no tax jurisdiction. People mostly open an offshore bank account for this reason, for it has legal and financial benefits. However, while there are advantages in offshore banking, there are disadvantages as well.

Pros:

1. Offshore banks can provide stable jurisdictions and regulated banking systems. This is beneficial for people living in politically troubled areas where their assets may freeze, or worse, disappear.

2. There’s not much government interference in offshore banks, so sometimes they offer higher interest rates and lower cost bases than in home countries.

3. Offshore banks sometimes offer services that domestic banks may not be able to provide. Examples of these services are anonymous bank accounts, investment opportunities that cannot be offered anywhere else, and lower of higher rate loans.

4. Offshore banking can provide developing countries opportunities to prosper because offshore finance is an industry that could make remote islands be engaged in source investment, thus creating economical growth.

5. Offshore banks mostly pay interest without having to deduct tax.

Cons:

1. Offshore finance, although a legitimate financial establishment, has been linked with unlawful acts like terrorism, underground economy and money laundering. Along with the events that followed the September 11 attacks, offshore banks were accused of helping terrorist groups and organized crime groups.

2. Offshore bank accounts are mostly available to those who have higher incomes, as the cost of establishing an account is quite high. This leaves the tax burden to the middle-income group in developed countries.

3. Offshore banking has been referred to as the solution to all the financial and legal asset protection issues. However, this is not always the case.