Full Directory of Official Company Registries and Data Sources in Asia-Pacific

04/10/2026 06:16 · 13 min read
Full Directory of Official Company Registries and Data Sources in Asia-Pacific

Why Asia-Pacific Company Data Is So Hard to Access

Asia-Pacific is one of the most complex regions in the world when it comes to accessing verified company information.

Unlike Europe, which uses a network of interconnected business registers under frameworks like BRIS and standardized AML directives, Asia-Pacific has no central system. Each of the 31 jurisdictions operates its own official company register, often in its own language, with different rules, access levels, and data formats.

The result is a fragmented landscape that creates real operational problems for compliance teams, financial institutions, risk analysts, procurement departments, law firms, and investors who need to verify companies across the region.

The Transparency Gap

Some countries — like New Zealand and Thailand — provide fully open company data for free. Others — like Japan, Hong Kong, and Malaysia — charge fees for even basic company profiles. Most registries operate exclusively in local languages with no English interface. And no country in Asia-Pacific operates a fully public beneficial ownership register — a stark contrast to the EU, where every member state is required to maintain one.

The Southeast Asia Challenge

Southeast Asia presents a particularly complex challenge. Despite ASEAN's economic integration efforts, there is no shared company registry framework across the bloc's 10 member states. Singapore's ACRA is widely considered the most advanced registry in the region, but even it restricts beneficial ownership data to law enforcement. Indonesia — the largest economy in Southeast Asia — publishes only basic company data through AHU Online, with director and shareholder information locked behind notarial deeds. Thailand stands out as one of the few countries in the region that publishes financial statements for private companies, for free, through its DBD DataWarehouse. Vietnam, the Philippines, Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, and Brunei each operate under entirely different systems, languages, and access rules.

What This Directory Covers

This article is designed as the most complete, practical directory of official company registries across every major Asia-Pacific country. It covers 31 jurisdictions across five regions:

East Asia — China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Mongolia
Southeast Asia — Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines, Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, Brunei
South Asia — India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives, Afghanistan
Central Asia — Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan
Oceania — Australia, New Zealand

For each country, you will find the official registry name, what data is available (legal information, directors, shareholders, financial statements, beneficial ownership), and the access model — whether the data is free, paid, or restricted.

How Asia-Pacific Registries Differ from Europe

Three structural differences define the region and should shape how you build your verification workflows:

Language is the real access barrier. China, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam all publish substantial registry data — but exclusively in local languages. For global compliance teams, "publicly available" and "practically accessible" are two different things.

Beneficial ownership registers are rare. Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and the Philippines require companies to maintain BO records, but all restrict access to law enforcement. India requires Significant Beneficial Owner filings, but they are buried in paid document downloads. Australia is developing a public register that is not yet operational.

Financial data availability varies enormously. New Zealand, Thailand, and India provide accessible financial data. Singapore, Hong Kong, and Malaysia restrict access behind fees. China, Japan (private companies), Indonesia, Vietnam, and most of Central Asia offer effectively no financial transparency for private companies.

How to Read This Directory

Each country section uses color-coded labels to show data availability at a glance. Use the search bar and region filters below to find specific countries.

Free — publicly accessible, no fee required
Paid / Restricted — fee, registration, or local ID required
Closed — not accessible to the general public
Note — language restriction or special condition
Search by Country

Find registry data, directors, financials, and UBO access for any country below.

Showing all 31 countries
🌏 East Asia
🇨🇳
China
GSXT (gsxt.gov.cn) — China's official national company registry, operated by the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR). Free public access in Chinese only
Registry Data

The following data is available for free through a public search on GSXT (gsxt.gov.cn): Unified Social Credit Code (USCC), company name (in Chinese only), legal form, registered address, business scope, legal representative, registered capital (both subscribed and paid-in since the 2024 reform), establishment date, company status, and historical changes. No account is required for basic searches, but GSXT blocks most non-mainland IP addresses.

Directors & Shareholders

Legal representative, directors, supervisors, senior management listed. Shareholder names, contribution %, subscribed/paid-in capital visible. 2024 Company Law (Article 47): capital must be fully paid within 5 years. First-layer only — corporate chains require manual entity-by-entity lookups.

Financial Statements

Companies self-report total assets, revenue, and employee count through GSXT annual reports. Full balance sheets and profit-and-loss statements are not publicly available for private companies. Listed companies publish full financial statements through the CSRC portal (cninfo.com.cn), which is free to access.

UBO

No public UBO register. GSXT shows first-layer shareholders only. VIE structures (used by most tech companies for foreign listings) are invisible in registry data. SAMR maintains internal records — no public access.

Language: Chinese only — no English interface. Access: GSXT now blocks most non-mainland IP addresses; registration requires a Chinese +86 mobile number and facial recognition. Annual reports published Jan–Jun. Provincial portals may contain additional filings.
Cost to verify
Free (basic) — no fee for GSXT search
Update frequency
Annual reports (Jan–Jun)
API access
No public API — provincial portals only
Listed company data
CSRC / cninfo.com.cn
🇭🇰
Hong Kong SAR
ICRIS (Integrated Companies Registry Information System) — Hong Kong's official company registry, operated by the Companies Registry. Revamped December 2023 with UBI system
Registry Data

Basic name search is free and shows the company number, name (in English and Chinese), legal form, address, status, and incorporation date. Full company particulars cost HKD 22 (approximately USD 2.80) per document via the ICRIS portal. Since December 2023, the Business Registration Number (BRN) serves as the Unique Business Identifier (UBI), replacing the previous Company Registration Number (CRN).

Directors & Shareholders

Directors and company secretary are listed in the annual return filing. Only correspondence addresses are shown, as residential addresses have been restricted since December 2023 under the revamped ICRIS system. Shareholder names, share amounts, and share class are available in the NAR1 filing. Nominee shareholders are widely used in Hong Kong.

Financial Statements

Accounts filed with annual return. Private: may file abbreviated. Listed: free via HKEX news.

UBO

Significant Controller Register (SCR) mandatory since March 2018. >25% shares/voting rights. Not publicly accessible — law enforcement only.

Language: English + Chinese. Privacy changes Dec 2023 (revamped ICRIS) restricted director residential addresses.
Cost to verify
HKD 22 (~$2.80) per document
Update frequency
Real-time filings
API access
ICRIS e-Services — no public bulk API
Listed company data
HKEX news (free)
🇯🇵
Japan
Commercial Registration System — Japan's official company registry, operated by the Legal Affairs Bureau under the Ministry of Justice. EDINET for listed company disclosures
Registry Data

Available data includes the company name (in Japanese), registration number, legal form (KK, GK, YK), registered address, business objects, capital, and status. An online extract costs ¥332 (approximately USD 2) and a paper extract costs ¥600 (approximately USD 4). The system is available in Japanese only.

Directors & Shareholders

Directors, representative directors, auditors in extract. Shareholder register held privately by the company — not filed. Listed: >5% via EDINET. Private: no public data.

Financial Statements

Listed: full statements free via EDINET (XBRL). Private: no disclosure requirement. Data only via TSR/TDB at significant cost.

UBO

No public register. FATF 2021 evaluation flagged as major gap. No centralized register exists.

Language: Japanese only. One of the most expensive and restrictive registries in the developed world. EDINET is excellent for listed companies only.
Cost to verify
¥332–600 (~$2–4) per extract
Update frequency
Real-time filings
API access
No public API
Listed company data
EDINET (free, XBRL)
🇰🇷
South Korea
IROS (Internet Registry Office System) — South Korea's official company registry. DART provides free financial disclosures for listed companies
Registry Data

A paid search on IROS (Internet Registry Office System) provides the company name (in Korean), registration number, legal form, registered address, capital, and status. Each extract costs ₩700–1,200 (approximately USD 0.50–0.90). The system is available in Korean only, with no English interface.

Directors & Shareholders

Directors in extract. Listed: >5% disclosures via DART (free). Private: held by company — not public.

Financial Statements

Full financial statements, audit reports, and XBRL data are available for free through the DART system. DART is one of the best financial data sources in Asia. Private companies below certain size thresholds have no public disclosure requirement.

UBO

No public register. KoFIU requires CDD on UBOs by obliged entities.

Cost to verify
₩700–1,200 (~$0.50–0.90) per extract
Update frequency
Real-time filings (DART)
API access
DART Open API (free, Korean)
Listed company data
DART (free, XBRL)
🇹🇼
Taiwan
FindBiz (findbiz.nat.gov.tw) — Taiwan's official business registration portal, operated by the Ministry of Economic Affairs. MOPS for listed company disclosures
Registry Data

The following data is available for free through FindBiz (findbiz.nat.gov.tw): Unified Business Number (UBN), company name (in Chinese and English), legal form, registered address, paid-in capital, company status, responsible person, and business scope. No account or fee is required. The portal offers partial English translations for company names and basic fields.

Directors & Shareholders

Directors, supervisors with names, titles, shareholdings. Listed: via MOPS. Relatively transparent by Asian standards.

Financial Statements

Listed companies: full statements free via MOPS. Private: no disclosure requirement.

UBO

Company Act amended 2018 for substantial controllers. No centralized public register.

Cost to verify
Free (FindBiz)
Update frequency
On change events + annual
API access
No public API
Listed company data
MOPS (free)
🇲🇳
Mongolia
General Authority for State Registration (GASR) — Mongolia's official company registry. Limited online access, Mongolian language only
Registry Data

Limited online search is available showing the company name (in Mongolian), registration number, legal form (LLC, JSC), registered address, capital, and status. For a full certified extract — which includes director and shareholder data — a fee and local identification are required. In practice, most foreign parties need a local agent to retrieve documents.

Directors & Shareholders

Director and shareholder data available in certified registration extract. Not freely searchable online — requires local request or agent.

Financial Statements

Financial statements filed with taxation authority — not publicly accessible. Listed companies: disclosures via Mongolia Stock Exchange (MSE).

UBO

No public UBO register. AML framework under development.

Cost to verify
Fee + local ID required
Update frequency
Irregular / annual
API access
No API
Listed company data
Mongolia Stock Exchange
🌏 Southeast Asia
🇸🇬
Singapore
ACRA BizFile+ — Singapore's official company filing and search portal, operated by the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority
Registry Data

Basic company information is available for free, including the Unique Entity Number (UEN), company name, legal form, SSIC industry codes, status, and registration date. For a full Business Profile — which includes all filed documents — the cost is SGD 5.50 (approximately USD 4). The BizFile+ portal was relaunched in December 2024.

Directors & Shareholders

Director names are visible in the free company search. Shareholder details are included in the paid Business Profile (SGD 5.50). Singapore has required nominee disclosure since 2017, but the details of nominee arrangements are not publicly visible.

Financial Statements

Financial accounts are included in the paid Business Profile. XBRL financial highlights are available through the ACRA FIQ API. Small exempt companies are permitted to file abbreviated accounts. Listed companies publish full financial statements for free via the Singapore Exchange (SGX).

UBO

Register of Registrable Controllers mandatory since 2017. >25% shares or significant control. Law enforcement only. ACRA API Marketplace launched May 2024. Corporate Service Providers Act 2024 (effective June 2025) expanded oversight and prohibited nominee director services unless arranged by registered CSPs. Companies must now verify controller information annually.

Language: English. One of Asia's fastest incorporation systems. Despite transparency reputation, UBO data is not publicly accessible.
Cost to verify
SGD 5.50 (~$4) per Business Profile
Update frequency
Real-time filings
API access
ACRA API Marketplace (paid, onboarding required)
Listed company data
SGX (free)
🇮🇩
Indonesia
AHU Online — Indonesia's official company registry, operated by the Ministry of Law and Human Rights
Registry Data

A free basic search on AHU Online (ahu.go.id) provides the company name, registration number, legal form (PT, CV, Firma), registered address, KBLI business classification codes, and company status. No account is required for basic name searches. More detailed company data — including the ministerial approval decree (SK) — requires a fee.

Directors & Shareholders

Directors listed in ministerial approval decree (SK Kemenkumham). Shareholder data in notarial deed of establishment — not freely searchable online. Changes require notarial deed amendments.

Financial Statements

Private PT: no public financial disclosure requirement. Tax filings confidential. Listed companies: financials free via IDX (Indonesia Stock Exchange).

UBO

Presidential Regulation 13/2018 requires BO identification. Filed with AHU — not publicly accessible. Largest Southeast Asian economy with limited ownership transparency.

Cost to verify
Free basic — SK document: fee
Update frequency
On registration / amendment events
API access
No public API
Listed company data
IDX (free)
🇲🇾
Malaysia
SSM (mydata portal) — Malaysia's official company registry, operated by the Companies Commission (Suruhanjaya Syarikat Malaysia)
Registry Data

A paid search on the SSM mydata portal provides the company number, company name, legal form (Sdn Bhd, Bhd), registered address, MSIC industry codes, company status, and authorized and paid-up capital. Each company profile costs MYR 10–50 (approximately USD 2–11) depending on the document type. Labuan offshore entities are registered separately under a different framework.

Directors & Shareholders

Directors: MYR 10 per company profile. Shareholders in annual return: MYR 10–30 per document. Names, addresses, shareholdings available. Nominee directors common in Labuan.

Financial Statements

Financial statements filed with annual return. MYR 10–50 per document via mydata. Listed companies: financials free via Bursa Malaysia.

UBO

Companies Act 2016 requires BO register maintenance. Access restricted to enforcement agencies only. Labuan has separate disclosure framework under Labuan Companies Act 1990.

Cost to verify
MYR 10–50 (~$2–11) per document
Update frequency
Annual filings
API access
No public API
Listed company data
Bursa Malaysia (free)
🇹🇭
Thailand
DBD DataWarehouse — Thailand's official company registry, operated by the Department of Business Development, Ministry of Commerce
Registry Data

The following data is available for free through the DBD DataWarehouse (datawarehouse.dbd.go.th): registration number, company name (in Thai and English), legal form, registered address, registered capital, company status, business objectives, and director names. No account or fee is required. This is one of the most accessible free registries in Southeast Asia.

Directors & Shareholders

Directors with names and positions: free via DBD DataWarehouse. Shareholder list: paid extract or DBD e-service account required.

Financial Statements

Balance sheet and income statement via DBD DataWarehouse — free for all registered companies. One of the few APAC countries with public private-company financials. Thai language.

UBO

No beneficial ownership register. AMLO (Anti-Money Laundering Office) requires CDD for obliged entities but no centralized public BO registry exists.

Standout: DBD DataWarehouse is one of the most accessible free registries in Southeast Asia. No UBO register — AMLO requires CDD for obliged entities.
Cost to verify
Free (DBD DataWarehouse)
Update frequency
Annual filings
API access
No public bulk API
Listed company data
SET (free)
🇻🇳
Vietnam
National Business Registration Portal — Vietnam's official company registry, operated by the Ministry of Planning and Investment
Registry Data

Tax code, company name (Vietnamese), legal form (LLC, JSC), address, legal representative name and position, business lines, status, registration date. Free via National Business Registration Portal. Vietnamese language only.

Directors & Shareholders

Legal representative name visible in registration data. Board of directors details not systematically published for private companies. Shareholder data not publicly accessible — charter capital in founding documents only.

Financial Statements

Private companies: filed with tax authority — not publicly accessible. Listed companies: file with SSC and HOSE/HNX stock exchanges — available via exchange websites (free).

UBO

No beneficial ownership register. Vietnam acceded to the Hague Apostille Convention on 31 December 2025. Digital Technology Industry Law effective January 2026.

Cost to verify
Free (basic search)
Update frequency
On registration events only
API access
No public API
Listed company data
HOSE / HNX (free)
🇵🇭
Philippines
SEC Company Search — Philippines' official corporate registry, operated by the Securities and Exchange Commission
Registry Data

SEC registration number, company name, legal form (Corporation, OPC, Partnership), registered address, status, incorporation date, authorized capital stock. Basic name search free via SEC Company Search. Certified documents: PHP 100–500 (~USD 2–9).

Directors & Shareholders

Directors, officers, corporate secretary, and top 20 stockholders all listed in the General Information Sheet (GIS) filed annually. Names, nationalities, addresses, shareholdings, and tax IDs included. Fee: PHP 100–500 per GIS document.

Financial Statements

Annual financial statements filed with SEC. Private companies: fee per document via SEC Express System. Listed companies: financials free via PSE EDGE (Philippine Stock Exchange).

UBO

SEC Memorandum Circular No. 1 (2021) requires BO disclosure in GIS. One of the few APAC jurisdictions with BO in standard filings. 60/40 foreign ownership restrictions drive complex nominee structures.

Cost to verify
PHP 100–500 (~$2–9) per document
Update frequency
Annual GIS filing
API access
No public API
Listed company data
PSE EDGE (free)
🇰🇭
Cambodia
Business Registration Department — Cambodia's official company registry, operated by the Ministry of Commerce
Registry Data

Limited online search is available showing the company name (in Khmer and English), registration number, legal form, registered address, and company status. For certified extracts with detailed filings, a fee and in-person request or local agent are required. The CamDX digital government portal is gradually expanding online access to company records.

Directors & Shareholders

Directors and managers in company registration documents. Shareholder/member details in founding documents filed with Ministry of Commerce. Not freely searchable online.

Financial Statements

No public financial disclosure requirement for private companies. Tax filings with General Department of Taxation are confidential. Listed companies: limited filings via CSX (Cambodia Securities Exchange).

UBO

No beneficial ownership register or reporting mechanism. Cambodia's AML framework is developing. FATF has noted strategic deficiencies in BO transparency.

Cost to verify
Fee + agent required
Update frequency
Irregular
API access
No API
Listed company data
CSX (limited)
🇲🇲
Myanmar
MyCO (Myanmar Companies Online) — Myanmar's official company registry, operated by the Directorate of Investment and Company Administration
Registry Data

Company name, registration number, legal form, registered address, status, incorporation date. Basic search free via MyCO (English interface available). Data quality significantly degraded since February 2021 due to political instability.

Directors & Shareholders

Directors visible in MyCO company profile. Shareholder data filed with DICA but not freely searchable. Filing compliance has been severely disrupted since 2021 — pre-coup data most reliable.

Financial Statements

Financial statements not publicly accessible. Filed with tax authority (IRD). Regulatory enforcement disrupted. Listed companies: limited via YSX (Yangon Stock Exchange).

UBO

No public UBO register. EU/US/UK sanctions on military-linked entities make UBO tracing critical for any Myanmar-related due diligence.

Cost to verify
Free basic (MyCO)
Update frequency
Degraded since 2021
API access
No API
Listed company data
YSX (limited)
🇱🇦
Laos
Enterprise Registration Office — Laos' official company registry, operated by the Ministry of Industry and Commerce
Registry Data

Basic data available includes the enterprise registration number, company name (in Lao), legal form, registered address, and capital. The system is primarily paper-based and is being gradually digitized. For formal verification, an Enterprise Registration Certificate must be obtained from the local registration office.

Directors & Shareholders

Director and shareholder data in registration documents. Local access only — no online search for officer or ownership data.

Financial Statements

No public financial disclosure system. Tax filings with Ministry of Finance are confidential. Listed companies: limited via LSX (Lao Securities Exchange — 11 listed companies as of 2026).

UBO

No beneficial ownership register. FATF grey list country (increased monitoring). AML framework is minimal.

Cost to verify
Fee-based / paper
Update frequency
Irregular
API access
No API
Listed company data
LSX (minimal)
🇧🇳
Brunei
OnCRS (Online Companies Registry System) — Brunei's official company registry, operated by the Registry of Companies
Registry Data

A paid search on the OnCRS portal provides the company number, company name, legal form (Sdn Bhd, Bhd), registered address, and status. Each search costs BND 5 (approximately USD 4). A full certified extract, which includes director and filing details, costs BND 15–25 (approximately USD 11–19).

Directors & Shareholders

Directors listed in company profile available via OnCRS (BND 5). Shareholder data in annual return — not freely searchable; certified copy via fee request.

Financial Statements

No public financial disclosure requirement for most companies. Annual returns filed with ROC are not publicly accessible.

UBO

Companies required to maintain BO records under AML framework. Not publicly accessible — restricted to competent authorities.

Cost to verify
BND 5–25 (~$4–19)
Update frequency
Annual filings
API access
No API
Listed company data
None
🌏 South Asia
🇮🇳
India
MCA Portal — India's official company registry, operated by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs through 25+ Registrars of Companies (ROC) offices
Registry Data

Basic company information is available for free, including the Corporate Identification Number (CIN), company name, legal form (Pvt Ltd, Ltd, OPC, LLP), registered address, ROC jurisdiction, authorized and paid-up capital, status, activity code, and registration date. All current and past directors with their Director Identification Number (DIN) are freely accessible. India operates 25+ ROC offices, with additional offices established in the bifurcation of February 2026.

Directors & Shareholders

All directors are listed with their DIN, designation, and appointment dates in the free Master Data view. Over 20.5 million directors have completed KYC verification. Shareholding details are available in the MGT-7 annual return, which requires a paid download. Listed company shareholdings are available for free via BSE and NSE.

Financial Statements

Financial statements (Form AOC-4) and annual returns (Form MGT-7) are filed with the ROC and can be downloaded for a nominal fee. These include the balance sheet, profit-and-loss statement, and audit report. XBRL filing is mandatory for larger entities.

UBO

"Significant Beneficial Owners" (>10% shares) declared under Section 90 of Companies Act 2013 (BEN-2 form). Filed with ROC but not freely searchable — paid download only. Largest APAC economy without a public UBO register.

Language: English. Fully migrated to MCA21 V3 portal in 2026. Director KYC shifted from annual to triennial cycle. One of the most comprehensive director tracking systems in Asia via DIN regime. 3 new Regional Directorates and 6 new ROCs established 16 February 2026.
Cost to verify
Free basic — nominal fee per document
Update frequency
Real-time filings (V3 portal)
API access
MCA API (limited access)
Listed company data
BSE / NSE (free)
🇵🇰
Pakistan
SECP eServices — Pakistan's official company registry, operated by the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan
Registry Data

A free basic search on the SECP eServices portal provides the company's unique identification number (CUIN), company name, legal form (Pvt Ltd, Ltd, SMC), registered address, status, and date of incorporation. No account or fee is required for the basic search. The portal is available in English.

Directors & Shareholders

Directors with names, CNIC (partial), designation — free in basic search. Shareholders in annual return — certified copy with fee from SECP.

Financial Statements

Listed companies: financials free via PSX (Pakistan Stock Exchange). Private companies: annual returns filed with SECP — certified copies available with fee.

UBO

BO disclosure required (Form A) under Companies (General Provisions and Forms) Rules. Not in free public search — accessible via SECP on request. Pakistan removed from FATF grey list October 2022.

Cost to verify
Free basic search
Update frequency
Annual filings
API access
No public API
Listed company data
PSX (free)
🇧🇩
Bangladesh
RJSC Portal — Bangladesh's official company registry, operated by the Registrar of Joint Stock Companies and Firms
Registry Data

Company name (Bengali and English), registration number, legal form (Ltd, Pvt Ltd), registered address, authorized capital, company status. Free basic search via RJSC portal (app.roc.gov.bd). Certified documents: BDT 100–500 (~USD 0.85–4.25).

Directors & Shareholders

Directors listed via Form XII. Shareholders in Schedule X (annual summary of share capital and list of shareholders). Access via certified extract from RJSC — fee applies. Minimum 2 directors, maximum 50 for private companies.

Financial Statements

Annual financial statements filed within 180 days of FY end. Balance sheet due within 30 days of AGM. Private: certified copy with fee. Listed companies: financials free via DSE (Dhaka Stock Exchange) and CSE (Chittagong Stock Exchange).

UBO

No centralized UBO register. Money Laundering Prevention Act 2012 requires obliged entities to identify UBOs during CDD — no public registry. RJSC system being gradually digitized.

Cost to verify
BDT 100–500 (~$0.85–4.25) per extract
Update frequency
Annual filings
API access
No API
Listed company data
DSE / CSE (free)
🇱🇰
Sri Lanka
Department of Registrar of Companies — Sri Lanka's official company registry under the Companies Act No. 7 of 2007
Registry Data

Company name, registration number (PV/PB prefix), legal form (Pvt Ltd, PLC, Guarantee), registered address, status. Online search via eROC (eroc.drc.gov.lk). Certified extracts: LKR 100–500 (~USD 0.30–1.50). General public search requires fee; 24-hour document access after payment.

Directors & Shareholders

Directors, shareholders, and company secretary details in annual returns and company filings. Names, addresses, shareholdings available in paid extracts. Historical changes tracked.

Financial Statements

Annual financial statements filed with DRC under Companies Act. Private: fee-based certified copies. Listed companies: financials free via CSE (Colombo Stock Exchange). Economic crisis (2022-2023) impacted regulatory infrastructure and filing compliance.

UBO

Sri Lanka operates a Beneficial Ownership Registry (bo.drc.gov.lk). Companies must maintain share registers under Companies Act. BO data access restricted — login required. Details on public accessibility remain limited.

Cost to verify
LKR 100–500 (~$0.30–1.50) per extract
Update frequency
Annual filings
API access
No API
Listed company data
CSE (free)
🇳🇵
Nepal
Office of Company Registrar (OCR) — Nepal's official company registry under the Companies Act 2063
Registry Data

Limited data is available through the Office of Company Registrar, including the company name (in Nepali and English), registration number, legal form (Pvt Ltd, Ltd), registered address, and authorized capital. Online search capability is limited as the OCR digitization process is ongoing. Most records still require in-person access.

Directors & Shareholders

Directors and shareholders listed in registration certificate and memorandum of association. Local access via OCR office. Not available through online search.

Financial Statements

Financial statements filed with tax authority — not publicly accessible. Listed companies: disclosures via NEPSE (Nepal Stock Exchange).

UBO

No beneficial ownership register. Nepal's AML framework is still developing under FATF/APG guidance.

Cost to verify
Fee-based / local access
Update frequency
Irregular
API access
No API
Listed company data
NEPSE (limited)
🇧🇹
Bhutan
Department of Industry — Bhutan's official business registry, operated by the Ministry of Economic Affairs
Registry Data

Basic data includes the company name, registration number, legal form, and registered address. The system is primarily designed for domestic registration rather than public information retrieval. Online search capability is limited.

Directors & Shareholders

Director and shareholder information in registration documents. Not available through public online search. Local access required.

Financial Statements

Financial statements not publicly accessible. Listed companies: disclosures via Royal Securities Exchange of Bhutan (RSEB) — very limited market.

UBO

No beneficial ownership register or reporting mechanism.

Cost to verify
Fee-based
Update frequency
Irregular
API access
No API
Listed company data
None
🇲🇻
Maldives
Business Portal — Maldives' official company registry, operated by the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade
Registry Data

An online search on the Business Portal (business.egov.mv) provides the company name, registration number, legal form, registered address, and company status. Basic search functionality is free.

Directors & Shareholders

Directors listed in registration documents. Shareholder information in founding documents. Limited online availability.

Financial Statements

Limited public financial data. Listed companies: disclosures via Maldives Stock Exchange (MSE).

UBO

No beneficial ownership register. Maldives' AML framework under development with FATF/APG guidance.

Cost to verify
Free basic search
Update frequency
On registration events
API access
No API
Listed company data
None
🇦🇫
Afghanistan
Afghanistan Central Business Registry (ACBR) — established with international support; operational status disrupted since August 2021
Registry Data

The ACBR was established with international support. Operational status disrupted since August 2021. Pre-Aug 2021 data is the last reliable baseline. System availability uncertain.

Directors & Shareholders

Director and shareholder data from historical registrations may exist but current accessibility is uncertain. Third-party intelligence providers are the primary verification source.

Financial Statements

No public financial disclosure system operational. No functioning stock exchange since 2021.

UBO

No beneficial ownership framework. Comprehensive sanctions screening required for any Afghanistan-related transactions.

Cost to verify
System disrupted
Update frequency
Uncertain since 2021
API access
No API
Listed company data
None
🌏 Central Asia
🇰🇿
Kazakhstan
e-Government Portal (egov.kz) — Kazakhstan's official business registry, operated by the Ministry of Justice
Registry Data

A free search on the egov.kz e-government portal provides the Business Identification Number (BIN), company name (in Kazakh and Russian), legal form (ТОО/LLP, АО/JSC), registered address, OKED activity codes, and company status. No fee is required for basic searches. The system is available in Russian and Kazakh only.

Directors & Shareholders

Director (first head) available in certified extract. Shareholders listed in company charter — not available via online search. AIFC (Astana International Financial Centre) entities have separate public registry.

Financial Statements

The Depository of Financial Reporting (dfo.kz) publishes financial reports for selected large companies. Financial data for most private companies is not publicly accessible. Listed company financials are available for free through the KASE (Kazakhstan Stock Exchange).

UBO

BO disclosure required under AML legislation — filed with authorized body, not publicly accessible.

Cost to verify
Free (egov.kz)
Update frequency
On change events + quarterly
API access
egov.kz API (limited)
Listed company data
KASE (free)
🇺🇿
Uzbekistan
Unified State Register (my.gov.uz) — Uzbekistan's official company registry, operated by the Ministry of Justice. Free basic search in Uzbek/Russian
Registry Data

A free search on my.gov.uz and data.egov.uz provides the INN (Tax ID), company name (in Uzbek and Russian), legal form (OOO/LLC, AO/JSC), registered address, OKED activity codes, status, and registration date. No fee is required. The system is available in Uzbek and Russian only.

Directors & Shareholders

Director data in registration extract. Shareholder/founder data in charter documents. Not publicly searchable online — local access or certified extract required.

Financial Statements

Financial statements filed with tax authority — not publicly accessible for private companies. Listed companies: limited filings via TSE (Tashkent Stock Exchange).

UBO

No public UBO register. AML reforms ongoing under FATF guidance.

Cost to verify
Free (my.gov.uz)
Update frequency
On change events — delays common
API access
No public API
Listed company data
TSE (limited)
🇰🇬
Kyrgyzstan
Unified State Register (register.minjust.gov.kg) — Kyrgyzstan's official company registry, operated by the Ministry of Justice. Free basic search in Russian/Kyrgyz
Registry Data

A free search on the Ministry of Justice registry portal (register.minjust.gov.kg) provides the INN, company name (in Kyrgyz and Russian), legal form, registered address, and company status. No fee is required for basic searches.

Directors & Shareholders

Director and shareholder data in registration documents and founding charter. Not available through online search — local access required.

Financial Statements

Financial data not publicly accessible. No public financial disclosure system for private companies.

UBO

No public UBO register. Working with EAG (Eurasian Group on AML) on reforms.

Cost to verify
Free basic search
Update frequency
On change events — delays common
API access
No API
Listed company data
None
🇹🇯
Tajikistan
Unified State Register — Tajikistan's official business registry, operated by the Tax Committee
Registry Data

Limited online search is available through the Tax Committee portal, showing the company name (in Tajik and Russian), registration or tax number, legal form, registered address, and status. The system has limited functionality and data may not always be current.

Directors & Shareholders

Director and founder data in registration documents. Not available through online search. Local access via Tax Committee or Ministry of Justice required.

Financial Statements

Financial statements and detailed ownership data not publicly accessible. No functioning stock exchange for listed company disclosures.

UBO

No beneficial ownership register or reporting mechanism.

Cost to verify
Limited access
Update frequency
Irregular
API access
No API
Listed company data
None
🇹🇲
Turkmenistan
State Registration — Turkmenistan's company registry, operated by the Ministry of Finance and Economy
Registry Data

Turkmenistan operates a centralized company registration system with minimal public online access. No free or paid public search portal is available to foreign parties. It is one of the most opaque corporate environments in the region. Third-party intelligence providers are the primary source for company verification.

Directors & Shareholders

Director and shareholder information not publicly available. Access requires local government channels.

Financial Statements

No public financial disclosure system. No functioning stock exchange accessible to foreign parties.

UBO

No beneficial ownership register. Third-party intelligence providers are the primary source for any Turkmenistan due diligence.

Cost to verify
Minimal access
Update frequency
Unknown
API access
No API
Listed company data
None
🌏 Oceania
🇦🇺
Australia
ASIC Connect — Australia's official company registry, operated by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission. ABN Lookup provides free basic entity verification
Registry Data

A free search on ASIC Connect and ABN Lookup provides the Australian Company Number (ACN) or Australian Business Number (ABN), company name, legal form (Pty Ltd, Ltd), registered address, status, and incorporation date. No account is required for the free search. For more detailed data — including directors and shareholders — a current company extract costs AUD 9 (approximately USD 6). A historical extract with full filing history costs AUD 42 (approximately USD 27). Australia introduced the Director Identification Number (DIN) regime in November 2022, requiring all directors to verify their identity.

Directors & Shareholders

Current directors visible in free ASIC search. Full list with addresses and appointment dates: AUD 9 current extract. Shareholders (members) with share class and quantity in current extract. DIN improves director accountability.

Financial Statements

Public companies and large proprietary: financial reports available for AUD 42 per document. Small proprietary companies exempt from lodging — major data gap. Listed companies: free via ASX (Australian Securities Exchange).

UBO

Public BO register under development (Treasury Laws Amendment). As of mid-2026: not yet operational. DIN regime provides improved director accountability but does not replace UBO transparency.

Cost to verify
Free basic — AUD 9–42 per extract
Update frequency
Real-time filings
API access
ASIC API (paid, limited)
Listed company data
ASX (free)
🇳🇿
New Zealand
Companies Register — New Zealand's official company registry, operated by the Companies Office. Free, comprehensive, English-language access
Registry Data

NZBN, company number, company name, legal form, registered address, status, incorporation date, constitution — all free. No registration or account required to search.

Directors & Shareholders

All current and historical directors are listed with their full name, residential address, and appointment and cessation dates — completely free. All shareholders are listed with share count, share class, and names — also free. This makes it one of the most transparent company registries in the world.

Financial Statements

Large companies, issuers, and FMC reporting entities: financial statements filed and publicly available for free. Small companies may opt out. Listed companies: free via NZX (New Zealand Exchange).

UBO

Companies (Beneficial Ownership) Amendment Bill progressing through Parliament. Trusts Act 2019 improved trust transparency. Actively moving toward a public BO register.

Gold standard. The most transparent registry in Asia-Pacific — free, English, comprehensive, fully digital. Closest equivalent to UK Companies House.
Cost to verify
Free — no fees for basic data
Update frequency
Real-time filings
API access
Companies Register API (open data)
Listed company data
NZX (free)

Key Patterns & Gaps Across Asia-Pacific

1

Language is the real paywall. China, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam all publish substantial registry data — but exclusively in local languages. For global compliance teams, "publicly available" and "practically accessible" are two different things. Raw data access without translation and transliteration infrastructure is impractical at scale.

2

Beneficial ownership registers barely exist. Zero countries in this directory have a fully public UBO register equivalent to the pre-2022 EU model. Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and the Philippines require companies to maintain BO records — but none are publicly searchable. India's SBO filings are technically accessible but buried in paid document downloads. Australia's register is still in development. UBO discovery in APAC is fundamentally a multi-source, manual process.

3

Financial data is the clearest divider. The region splits into three transparency tiers. Tier 1 (accessible): New Zealand, Thailand, India, Australia (large), South Korea (DART). Tier 2 (paid/restricted): Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Philippines, Japan (listed). Tier 3 (closed for private companies): China, Japan (private), Indonesia, Vietnam, Central Asia. If your KYB workflow requires financial assessment, this tier determines your build-vs-buy decision.

4

The "Singapore + Hong Kong = UK" assumption is wrong. Global compliance teams often assume Singapore and Hong Kong are as transparent as the UK. They are not. Both charge fees for basic company profiles. Both restrict beneficial ownership data to law enforcement. Hong Kong restricted director residential addresses in 2023. Singapore's RORC is invisible to the public. Do not build APAC KYB workflows based on European transparency assumptions.

5

New Zealand is the gold standard. Free, English, comprehensive, fully digital. No fees, no registration required. All directors, all shareholders, financial statements for large entities — all publicly accessible. It is the closest equivalent to UK Companies House in the region. If you need a benchmark for what "good" looks like in APAC, start here.

Access all 32 Asia-Pacific registries through a single platform

Global Database connects directly to government registries across 200+ countries. Verified, first-party company data — standardized in English, delivered via API or browser extension. Directors, shareholders, UBOs, financials, credit reports. No manual portal searches. No translation delays.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which Asian country has the most transparent company registry?
New Zealand. It offers free, English-language access to company details, directors, shareholders, and financial statements (for large entities) through a fully digital portal. No registration or fees required for basic data. It is the closest equivalent to UK Companies House in the Asia-Pacific region.
Can I access Chinese company shareholder data in English?
Not directly. China's GSXT publishes shareholder names, contribution percentages, and capital data for free — but exclusively in Chinese. There is no official English interface. To get English-normalized Chinese company data, you need a data provider like Global Database that connects directly to GSXT and transliterates the output, or a local agent who manually retrieves and translates extracts.
Does any Asia-Pacific country have a public beneficial ownership register?
No. Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and the Philippines require companies to maintain beneficial ownership records, but access is restricted to law enforcement or authorized entities in every case. India's Significant Beneficial Owner (SBO) filings are technically downloadable from the MCA portal but are not freely searchable. Australia is developing a public BO register, but it is not yet operational as of mid-2026.
Why is Japanese company data so hard to access?
Three reasons. First, every registry interaction costs money — even basic extracts are ¥332–¥600. Second, the entire system is in Japanese with no English alternative. Third, private company shareholders are not filed with the registry at all — the shareholder register (kabunushi meibo) is held by the company itself. For private KK entities, there is no public path to ownership data without the company's cooperation.
How is Singapore's company transparency different from the UK?
Despite Singapore's reputation for transparency, there are critical differences. UK Companies House provides free access to directors, shareholders, PSC (persons of significant control), and financial statements. Singapore's ACRA charges SGD 5.50 per business profile, restricts the Register of Registrable Controllers (RORC) to law enforcement, and does not provide free financial data. Director residential addresses were recently restricted in Hong Kong as well (December 2023). APAC transparency is materially below European standards.
Which APAC countries publish financial statements for private companies?
Very few. Thailand (free via DBD DataWarehouse), India (nominal fee via MCA), and New Zealand (free for large entities) are the main ones. Australia requires large proprietary companies to file, but small proprietary are exempt. Singapore, Hong Kong, and Malaysia include financials in paid documents. China, Japan (private), Indonesia, Vietnam, and most of Central Asia do not publish private company financials.
How does Global Database access Asian registry data?
Global Database connects directly to government registries across 200+ countries, including all major Asia-Pacific jurisdictions covered in this directory. The platform retrieves live data, normalizes it into structured English-language output, and delivers it via API or through the platform interface — eliminating the need for manual portal searches, local-language translation, and per-document fee management.