Starting a business in Myanmar: foreigner's guide (2026)

Under MCL 2017, any company with more than 35% foreign shareholding is classified as a 'foreign company' and subject to additional regulatory requirements, including restricted-sector rules. Foreign investors may hold up to 35% in a Myanmar-incorporated company without triggering that status.

Incorporation is processed fully online through DICA's Myanmar Companies Online (MyCO) platform. Company-name approval takes approximately 1–2 working days; a Certificate of Incorporation is issued within 3–5 working days if documentation is complete. No physical presence is required.

There is no general minimum capital requirement under MCL 2017 for standard company registration. Sector-specific floors apply: service-sector companies require at least USD 50,000 and manufacturing companies at least USD 150,000 in capital.

Most projects no longer require a formal MIC permit, but investments that are strategically significant, involve large capital, use state-owned land, or carry major environmental impact must obtain one. MIC permit processing typically takes approximately two weeks when documentation is in order.

Certain activities are entirely closed to foreign investors (small retail, tour-guide services, ethnic-language media, gem prospecting, shallow oil-well operation). Some sectors require joint ventures with Myanmar citizens, with foreign ownership capped (e.g., 30% in certain natural-resource sectors). Arms manufacturing, national-defence production, and air-traffic-control services are prohibited outright for all private investors.

Following the February 2021 coup, OFAC (US), the EU, UK, Australia, and Canada imposed sanctions on junta-linked individuals and entities, including state-owned banks Myanmar Foreign Trade Bank and Myanmar Investment and Commercial Bank. The EU extended its restrictive measures through April 2026. The World Bank projects GDP to contract 2.5% in FY2025/26, compounded by the 2025 earthquake, making the operating environment among the most difficult in the region.