Business accounts: Belgium
An honest assessment before work starts, the quote is fixed in writing.
A business bank account in Belgium is opened for a company entered in the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises, Belgium's single business register, or one that has applied for entry. Since 16 January 2023 such a company has the right to the basic banking service: if banks refuse, a dedicated chamber reviews the application and, if it agrees, designates a bank within 2 months, which then opens the account within 10 working days, according to the Belgian Ministry of Economy.
When the basic banking service helps
Any company established in Belgium and entered in the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises, or one that has applied for entry, has the right to the basic banking service. If banks refuse, the company fills in an application, which goes to the basic banking service chamber, and the chamber decides whether to designate a bank, according to the Ministry of Economy. This is not a way around checks: the designated bank still checks the owners and the source of funds, so we prepare the file as carefully as for a normal opening.
We will calculate online the cost of opening an account for your company and maintaining it for a year.
What the bank will check
- the enterprise number and the company's articles;
- passports and proof of address of directors and beneficial owners;
- what the company does and how it is linked to Belgium;
- expected volumes, payment countries and counterparties;
- the source of the owners' funds and the capital.
How opening works
- Company registration and an enterprise number, if you do not have them yet.
- Choosing a bank for your profile and preparing the file.
- The bank's review and account opening.
- If banks refuse, an application for the basic banking service through the chamber.
A Belgian company, taxes and deposit protection
- The most common form is a private limited company. Since 2019 it has no minimum capital, but the founders must provide sufficient initial equity and prepare a financial plan, and the articles are signed before a notary.
- After registration the company receives a number in the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises, and its beneficial owners are entered in a separate register.
- Corporate income tax is 25%; small companies meeting the conditions pay 20% on the first $120,000 or so of profit.
- Value added tax is 21%.
- Company deposits, like those of individuals, are protected by the state guarantee fund up to about $120,000 per bank.
The dollar amount is converted at the European Central Bank rate of 5 October 2026 and rounded up.
A foreign company's branch and small business
A foreign company's branch in Belgium is registered in the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises and its details are published in the official gazette; without this number the bank will not open an account. Small businesses with annual turnover up to about $28,000 can operate without charging value added tax, but most companies trading within the EU still need to register. We check the rules for your activity before registration.
Who a Belgian account suits
A Belgian account is for a company or branch that operates in Belgium and the EU: selling to European clients, paying value added tax, employing staff. A Belgian account is needed already when the company is formed: the founders pay the initial capital into a special account, and the bank issues a certificate for the notary.
A company registered in another country with no branch or clients in Belgium will be refused: it has no right to the basic banking service. For euro payments without a presence in Belgium, an account with an EU payment institution usually fits better.
Timeline step by step
| Step | Time |
|---|---|
| Financial plan, draft articles and payment of initial capital | 1-2 weeks |
| Signing the articles before a notary and getting the enterprise number | a few business days |
| Value added tax registration and beneficial owner details | 1-2 weeks |
| Bank review and opening the current account | 2 to 6 weeks |
| If banks refused: the chamber's decision and designation of a bank | up to 2 months plus 10 business days to open |
Beneficial owner details are entered in the register within a month of the company's formation and confirmed every year.
Mandatory payments
| Payment | Amount |
|---|---|
| Entry in the enterprise register through an accredited business counter | ~$130 per place of business |
| Notary and publication of the articles in the official gazette | at the notary's tariff, depends on the articles |
| Corporate income tax | 25%; 20% for small companies on the first $120,000 or so of profit |
| Value added tax | 21% |
| Opening and running the account | at the bank's tariff |
Amounts are converted to US dollars at the European Central Bank rate and rounded up. We fix the cost of our support in writing before work starts.
A Belgian bank checks not only documents but what the company actually does in Belgium
The law does not stop you applying to a Belgian bank on your own. But mistakes cost more than the fee: an address but no activity in the country, beneficial owner details missing from the register, an undocumented source of capital, a director who cannot explain who runs the company locally. Murblz support removes these risks: we register the company or branch, prepare the file to the bank's requirements, choose a bank or payment institution and, after refusals, handle the basic banking service application. We guarantee professional work and a transparent process, and in most cases a result on the first filing.
The support fee depends on the bank, the company structure and turnover; a manager will calculate it in the chat.
Common reasons for refusal
- the company has no enterprise number in the Belgian register and no pending application for one;
- no clear link between the business and Belgium: an address, but no clients, staff or spending in the country;
- the source of capital and of the owners' funds is not documented;
- beneficial owner details are missing from the register or do not match the bank's documents;
- the director lives outside the EU and cannot explain who runs the company locally;
- an owner is on an EU sanctions list.
A bank refusal does not close the door entirely: a company in the Belgian register may request the basic banking service, but the designated bank checks it just as strictly.
Restrictions for certain nationalities
EU citizens need no additional permits. A citizen of another country who personally manages a Belgian company and lives in Belgium needs a professional card or a residence permit allowing self-employment.
EU restrictions apply to citizens of Russia and Belarus: banks may not accept deposits from them above about $120,000 per bank unless the owner holds citizenship or a residence permit of an EU, European Economic Area country or Switzerland. A range of services may not be provided to companies established in Russia, and Belgian banks check such owners with particular care. We check whether your profile can proceed before preparing documents.
What the bank monitors after opening
A Belgian bank regularly checks the account against the registers. The company confirms its beneficial owner details in the register every year and updates them within a month of any change of owners: a mismatch between the register and the bank's form is a common trigger for a query. Annual accounts are filed with the National Bank of Belgium no later than seven months after the end of the financial year; late filing carries a surcharge, and a long delay looks to the bank like a dormant company.
Payments must match the declared activity. The bank may hold incoming payments from non-EU countries until it receives the contract and invoice, so we keep documents for large deals ready.
Bank or payment institution
Euro payments are possible without a Belgian bank: EU payment institutions provide account details and transfers within the single euro payments area. Since October 2025 eurozone banks must send instant euro transfers at no extra charge compared with ordinary ones, so settlement speed at a bank and a payment institution is comparable.
The difference lies elsewhere. Money in a payment institution account is not protected by the deposit guarantee fund, loans and overdrafts are unavailable, and paying in the initial capital when forming a company requires a bank. Companies usually start with whatever is easier to open and add a bank once they have turnover and a track record.
What we do
Murblz specialists review the company's and owners' profile before applying, choose a bank in Belgium where the chances are higher, prepare the document file and business description to the bank's requirements and handle the correspondence with the bank until it decides. The quote is fixed in writing before work starts; the decision to open the account is always the bank's, so we assess the chances honestly in advance.
The work goes step by step. First we look at what the company will do in Belgium and who runs it locally. Then we prepare the financial plan, the articles and the capital payment, complete registration with the notary and the enterprise register, and file beneficial owner details. After that we choose a bank or payment institution for your turnover and payment countries, prepare the file and support the review. If banks refuse, we apply for the basic banking service and follow it through until a bank is designated.
What we do
- Corporate account - opening assistance
See also
Company formation · Personal account · Investment property · Country taxes · All country programs
FAQ
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Want to open a company account in Belgium?
We check whether Belgian banks will work with your company and its country of registration, prepare the compliance pack and guide the opening. The catalogue covers every country.
The Murblz consultant replies straight away in the chat on this page. Describe your situation and we will work it out together.
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