Real Estate Innovation

Panama Banking: Is Your Money Safe in a Panama Bank?

Panama City glistens in the daytime sun and is decorated with enough skyscrapers that make it appear like a miniature Manhattan. But what is more important is the way in which banking in Panama in general is enjoying its moment in the sun. The banking industry in Panama has developed quite an allure for businesses and corporations that are engaged as offshore operations.

Panama’s offshore banking success story can be attributed to the fact that the United States removed Panama from the uncooperative tax haven list after Panama overhauled it’s banking standards and regulation to help the international community root out serious criminals such as drug traffickers.

Panama’s banking and financial sectors made the right choices by supporting the FATF and OECD rules which were enacted to root out international criminals who use the allure of financial privacy to perform illicit activities. This stance has helped Panama to get removed from the uncooperative tax haven list and in conjunction with the real estate boom has led to a renewed prosperity in Panama’s banking sector.

Deposits and withdrawals of large amounts of money are now reported under the newer tighter control system but it should be noted that the banking secrecy and privacy laws in Panama are the strongest in the world. So long as you are not wiring in funds from illegal activity you have nothing to fear by banking in Panama.

Panama had a lot riding on making the proper choices in terms of what regulations they needed to accept to continue to draw new banking clients as well as keep capital from leaving the country if they gave up too much privacy which is the big attraction of Panama to many investors.

Panama has climbed to the top of the offshore banking world and is arguably right behind Switzerland in popularity now. Switzerland gets all the spotlight and Panama is just fine with that. Panama continues to enforce it’s banking secrecy laws with vigor as they know their international reputation depends on it.

Banking in Panama provides the offshore banking client of all of these aspects whether it is for their offshore corporation or for personal accounts as well. Additionally, the different government agencies have become very active in the fight against financing organized crime and terrorist activities, as well as the prevention of money laundering for these purposes. This also benefits the offshore clients in knowing that their transactions will always be safe and secure since Panama is known to cooperate with authorities for major crimes.

Panama’s banks and government are doing everything in their power to maintain the good reputation they have built since billions of dollars and over 40,000 Panamanian jobs in the banking industry are at stake. They are not going to break their own rules to deal with a criminal if they can avoid it and happily scrutinize customers more closely when setting up bank accounts.