The Cook Islands pioneered the most comprehensive offshore trust asset protection legislation. It provides unique and sophisticated legislation for asset protection and has remained the premier asset protection trust jurisdiction since 1989. A carefully constructed asset protection trust structure can provide an effective protective barrier that places assets beyond the reach of litigants, foreign courts, creditors or expropriation by foreign governments. The Cook Islands Government remains committed to the continued development of the Cook Islands as an international finance centre and works closely with the offshore financial industry. 

Benefits of setting up a trust in the Cook Islands:

• The Cook Islands' legal system uses New Zealand judges and has well-developed trust jurisprudence and "tried and tested" trust law.
• The world's first and most comprehensive offshore asset protection trust legislation that has been copied by other jurisdictions, but never bettered. It provides unique and sophisticated legislation for offshore asset protection.
• No forced heirship. A trust cannot be defeated by the rules of heirship in the jurisdiction of the settlor.
• No taxation in the Cook Islands for an international trust.
• Flexible estate and tax planning that allows clients to avoid probate.
• An International Trust will not be affected by a foreign bankruptcy.
• The Cook Islands does not recognise or enforce foreign judgments.
• Intent to defraud must be proved to a criminal standard—beyond reasonable doubt.
• Strict time limits for actions against trustees. The International Trusts Act prevents a plaintiff from issuing proceedings in a Cook Islands court against assets held in a trust if those assets were transferred more than two years before the proceedings were issued.

The Cook Islands is an independent nation in the South Pacific Ocean and in free association with New Zealand. It comprises 15 islands and covers around 240 square kilometres of land. The total population of the Cook Islands is approximately 12,000, most of whom reside on the main island of Rarotonga.

Yes. Metis CI is a licensed trust company under the Trustee Companies Act 2014 and is regulated by the Cook Islands Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC)*. Our trust plans are issued in accordance with the laws of the Cook Islands. All trust accounts, asset segregation, payment movements, and administrative operations are subject to regular and ad hoc independent audits by KPMG, one of the world’s leading accounting firms. These audits reinforce transparency and regulatory compliance across our operations, providing clients with the confidence that their assets are managed with integrity and care.

*The Cook Islands Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC) was established on 1 July 2003, and supervises regulated financial entities and financial services. It also operates the registry of international companies, foundations, and trusts in the Cook Islands. The Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) merged with the FSC on 1 July 2012 and is responsible for the prevention, detection, and prosecution of money laundering, the financing of terrorism, and any other offences in the Cook Islands. Further information about the FSC and FIU can be found at fsc.gov.ck.

The Trustee Companies Act 2014 is the key legislation governing the establishment and operation of licensed trust companies in the Cook Islands. Enacted by the government and regulated by the Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC), the Act outlines strict requirements on licensing, fiduciary duties, financial reporting, and compliance.

This legal framework helps ensure that all trust companies operate with integrity, transparency, and sound risk management. It also reinforces the Cook Islands’ reputation as a leading offshore trust jurisdiction. Metis CI is a fully licensed trust company under this Act, providing clients with a secure and compliant platform for cross-border wealth structuring and succession planning.

Metis CI partners with DBS Bank Ltd., Singapore as its custodian bank due to its strong track record in asset security, regulatory compliance, and global reputation. DBS is one of Singapore’s largest banks, with nearly 30% ownership by the Singapore government. This government backing, combined with top-tier credit ratings of AA- from Standard & Poor’s and Aa1 from Moody’s, makes DBS a highly reliable institution for safeguarding client assets.

With deep expertise in cross-border asset management, DBS offers a sophisticated asset segregation framework that ensures trust assets are managed independently and kept fully separate from the bank's own assets. Metis CI holds dedicated client trust accounts with DBS, where all payments are received and securely held by the bank, maintaining strict separation from Metis CI's accounts to guarantee asset security. Additionally, DBS adheres to the stringent regulatory standards set by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and complies fully with international Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Counter-Terrorism Financing (CTF) requirements, supported by robust compliance controls and risk management processes.

By choosing DBS as custodian, Metis CI ensures every client's assets are held to the highest standards of safety and trust.

Most documents are available in multiple languages, while some are only available in English.

Smart Pro and Sparkle Pro are exclusive trust plans offered by Metis CI, structured as Reserved Power Trusts within a Discretionary Trust framework. Unlike traditional trusts, these structures allow the settlor to retain control over the management and allocation of trust assets, while still benefiting from strong asset protection and legal segregation.

In addition, the beneficiary designation feature in Smart Pro and Sparkle Pro enables settlors to allocate assets to their loved ones with ease and efficiency, ensuring smooth and secure wealth succession.

Metis CI trust plans can help you to:

- Transfer assets to the next generation.
- Provide comprehensive estate and tax planning.
- Provide employee benefits to key personnel or staff members of the company.
- Develop personal financial plans such as target savings, education planning, retirement planning, and wealth accumulation.

Regardless of which contribution currency is chosen, the contribution received will be automatically converted into US dollars and allocated to the selected asset(s). Therefore, the exchange rate fluctuation may affect the value of assets if the contribution is made in a currency other than US dollars.

No, the trust plan is only available for individuals aged 18 or above as the settlor.

Applicants must be one of the Settlors of the Trust Plan and therefore cannot apply solely on behalf of a family member. However, this Plan allows joint applications by up to two adults aged 18 or above. You may apply together with your family members and jointly hold the Trust Plan.

Clients (Settlors) may appoint any person as a Beneficiary through a Letter of Wishes, without being limited to legal heirs. Upon the Settlor’s passing, Metis CI will act in accordance with the Letter of Wishes, and the designated Beneficiary will receive the trust assets without going through probate. If needed, the Beneficiary may be changed at any time through an updated Letter of Wishes. Additionally, if the Beneficiary is of legal age (18 or above), you may choose to jointly hold the trust plan with them.

Once the plan has accumulated sufficient assets, you can set up regular monthly withdrawals to cover mortgage payments or education expenses for your children.

No, Metis CI does not accept any cash payment.

Smart Pro and Sparkle Pro are multi-functional financial plans that integrate savings, financial management, and trust services.

．Smart Pro is a regular savings plan with a contribution period of 5 - 30 years. It is designed for medium- to long-term financial planning, such as education planning for your children and retirement planning.

．Sparkle Pro is a single lump sum contribution plan. It is suitable to fulfil your medium-term financial needs, such as mortgage, down payments, and venture capital.

Yes, for Smart Pro, applicants must be aged 18 to 75, and must not exceed 80 when the plan matures.
For Sparkle Pro, applicants must be aged 18 to 80.

The plans only accept individual applicants. Up to 2 joint settlors are allowed, and no insurable interest or relationship is required between them. Corporate applicants are not accepted.

Smart Pro and Sparkle Pro accept US Dollar, Euro, Australian Dollar, Chinese Yuan (Renminbi), Hong Kong Dollar and Japanese Yen. Clients can also choose any of the above currencies as their valuation currency.

When the plan matures, you may choose to:

- Keep the Plan and enjoy the benefits of the Plan
- Make partial withdrawals or encashments
- Set up regular withdrawals

There are three important roles:
The settlor – The person giving away their property is called the settlor-you. Once the settlor has put their property into the trust, they no longer personally own it. The settlor chooses the trustee and the beneficiaries, and can give the trustee guidance on how they would like the trust fund to be used via a letter of wishes.
The trustee – The trustee takes legal ownership of the trust fund from the settlor. They then look after the trust fund, administer the assets, and eventually distribute them in accordance with the terms of the trust. The trustee has discretion about which beneficiaries named in the trust will receive the trust fund and when.
The beneficiaries – The people who can receive payment from the trust fund are called the beneficiaries. The people who may be beneficiaries are listed in the trust deed.

The trustee must understand the terms of the trust (the Trust Deed), and mustn’t do anything that is not allowed by the trust or by the law. The trustee must act in the best interests of the beneficiaries, and exercise a high degree of care, skill and honesty. The trustee must keep clear and accurate records and accounts of the trust property.

Trust Deed – This is the legal document that creates the trust. The settlor and the trustee must sign it. It names the parties involved and states what roles they have. The provisions in the Trust Deed are the basis of the trust arrangement. The trustee must act according to the Trust Deed and cannot do anything that the Trust Deed doesn’t allow.
Letter of Wishes – As the trustee will have lots of decisions to make, the settlor can provide a Letter of Wishes to help explain what they would like to happen to the trust fund. Unlike the trust deed, the trustee does not have to follow the Letter of Wishes. However, the trustee usually finds it to be a helpful guide on how best to manage and distribute the trust fund to the beneficiaries.

Succession Planning: A trust can be used to make financial provision for yourself, your spouse, children, or other beneficiaries during your lifetime and after your death in an efficient manner.
Avoidance of Probate: Where assets are transferred to a trust, they are outside the estate of the settlor. This avoids the need to deal with those assets in the event of the settlor’s death.
Asset Protection: A trust may protect assets from claims by creditors. As the settlors’ assets are transferred from the settlor to the trustee, they are then legally owned by the trustee and not available to meet creditor claims made against the settlor.
Privacy: As all the trust assets are held in the name of the trustee of a trust, the existence of the trust and interests of the beneficiary are kept private until the trustee makes a distribution to a beneficiary.
Pre-marital Planning: Trusts are commonly established and funded prior to the marriage of a settlor, or his/her children, thereby protecting assets from spouses and their families.
Tax: The effective legitimate minimisation of tax charges on the transfer or sale of assets and the income they may generate.

There is no limitation on the number of separate trusts that clients may establish.

No, the Soter Trust Plan will only accept cash settlements to be invested in an AMC.

No.

The trust period of the Soter Trust Plan is 200 years.