Investing in Fiji

Fiji's formal investment market is supervised through the Reserve Bank of Fiji, which performs capital-market and securities-industry licensing, disclosure, market-supervision and complaint functions. The Companies Act 2015, the RBF (Capital Markets & Securities Industry) Regulations 2015, the Companies (Securities Exchanges and Licensing) Regulations 2015, the Unit Trust Act 1978 and SPX rules form part of the legal framework. Use providers listed in the current RBF licence register and check the status of a provider before transferring money. RBF warnings about unapproved pooled schemes are relevant where several people contribute to a common investment but do not control the day-to-day management. Shares provide possible dividends and price appreciation. The South Pacific Stock Exchange, or SPX, is Fiji's only licensed securities exchange. Its official list on 8 September 2026 contained 21 securities: APP, ATH, CFL, FBL, FIL, FMF, FTV, KFL, KGF, PBP, PDM, PGI, RBG, RCF, SML, SUN, TTS, VBH, VIL, FHL and BCN. These issuers cover areas including finance, retail, tourism, telecommunications, insurance, property and manufacturing. Buying shares can provide growth or income, but a portfolio concentrated in a few Fiji issuers remains exposed to company-specific events and the limited size of the market. Fixed-income investments include Viti Bonds, Treasury Bills with three-, six- and twelve-month terms, Fiji Infrastructure Bonds with terms of up to 25 years, Fiji Development Bank and Housing Authority bonds of roughly two to seven years, and corporate bonds. Government and some statutory bonds trade over the counter, while corporate bonds can use SPX's over-the-counter market. Bond income is usually based on interest or coupons. A bond held to maturity can still lose purchasing power through inflation, and its market value can change when interest rates move. The secondary market is relatively illiquid, so selling before maturity may take time or require accepting a less favourable price. Viti Bonds are issued by the Government of Fiji and registered by the RBF. The 2026-2027 offer included five-year bonds paying 3.00% annually and maturing on 30 January 2032, seven-year bonds paying 3.50% and maturing on 30 January 2034, and ten-year bonds paying 4.00% and maturing on 30 January 2037. Interest is paid quarterly on 30 January, 30 April, 30 July and 30 October. The minimum purchase is FJD 1,000, with further purchases in FJD 1,000 multiples and a maximum of FJD 200,000 per financial year. The stated purchase period runs from 10 August 2026 to 16 July 2027 on business days. Applications use a tender form, tax identification number, photo identification, payment evidence and a local commercial-bank account. An overseas applicant needs an arrangement with the RBF, a funds transfer and a local bank account. Transfers before maturity are permitted in FJD 1,000 multiples, but a seven-day transfer blackout applies before an interest-payment date. Government stamp duty does not apply to the transfer, while capital-gains and other tax obligations still need checking with the Fiji Revenue and Customs Service. Unit trusts are pooled investments managed by a professional manager for investors and held under a separate trustee arrangement. Unit Trust of Fiji (Management) Ltd and FHL Fund Management Ltd are identified local providers. A unit trust can spread money across securities or other assets, but the manager's mandate, prospectus, valuation method, fees, trustee arrangements and redemption terms determine what the investor actually receives. Check whether withdrawals are daily, periodic or restricted and whether the stated value can differ from the price available when units are sold. The Fiji National Provident Fund, or FNPF, is the dominant formal retirement-investment pathway. Employee contributions are 8%, and the employer contribution is 8% from 1 August 2026. People without formal employment who are resident in Fiji can make voluntary or additional contributions, with a minimum of FJD 10 per payment and a maximum of FJD 250,000 per year. Retirement entitlement is generally available at age 55, and voluntary rejoining can continue up to age 59. Partial withdrawals are limited to the General Account and qualifying grounds such as education, medical needs, unemployment, funeral expenses and housing. Full withdrawal grounds include retirement, migration, a small account and medical incapacity. FNPF credits interest annually, but members do not choose individual holdings through a brokerage account. Contributions are invested through a professionally managed portfolio that can include fixed income, equities, cash equivalents, commercial lending, project development, property and offshore investments. Members use their FNPF account or myFNPF rather than a free brokerage account. To buy SPX-listed shares, use an RBF-licensed stockbroker. The current licensed broker list identifies FHL Stockbrokers, FijiStock Brokers, Kontiki Stockbroking and Sun Capital trading as Sun Stockbrokers. The usual process is an order to the broker, matching through the SPX electronic trading platform and settlement. The SPX guide describes commission, possible full deposit requirements, settlement within three business days and certificate delivery after a further five days; current broker and registry practice should be confirmed before placing an order. Government and statutory securities use the RBF Central Securities Depository, or CSD, but retail investors access it through an authorised CSD participant rather than directly. Unit trusts use the manager and trustee structure, while FNPF uses its member-account system. Choose an investment by starting with the purpose, time horizon and ability to tolerate losses. Retirement saving, regular income, capital preservation and long-term growth can lead to different choices. Compare the issuer, financial statements, dividend or coupon, valuation, liquidity, concentration, duration, foreign-exchange exposure, fees, tax status and selling option. Holding assets across issuers, asset classes and, where appropriate, geographies can reduce concentration, although Fiji's local market offers fewer listed choices than a broad international market. There is no directly evidenced local retail equivalent in the reviewed official sources for a broad ETF platform, futures or options market, crypto regulation or automated robo-investing service. Do not assume that an overseas platform has Fiji protections or tax treatment without checking the provider, jurisdiction and applicable rules. The FRCS generally applies a 10% capital-gains tax to taxable capital gains. A Fiji resident is generally assessed on worldwide capital assets, while a non-resident is generally assessed on Fiji assets subject to applicable double-tax agreements. A capital-gains return is generally due within one month after disposal. Taxable assets can include real property, leases, company membership or securities, financial assets and interests in partnerships or trusts. Current FRCS exemptions include gains of up to FJD 30,000 for a resident individual or Fiji citizen under the stated conditions, SPX-listed shares and certain company or unit-trust interests. Interest from a Fiji financial institution is generally subject to 10% final withholding tax for residents, subject to exemptions. Dividends from Unit Trust of Fiji, SPX-listed companies and other listed funds may qualify for exemptions under the applicable conditions. Confirm the treatment of offshore assets, direct property transactions and changed products with FRCS before trading. Risks include market losses, issuer failure, default, low liquidity, delayed exit, concentration in Fiji issuers, interest-rate and duration changes, inflation, FJD exchange-rate movements, offshore counterparty exposure, valuation errors, custody or operational failures, fraud and changes to tax or financial-market rules. A government issuer reduces some credit risk but does not remove inflation, interest-rate, liquidity or currency risk. A registered provider, a prospectus and an investment account do not guarantee returns. Keep records of orders, holdings, payments, statements, tax documents and beneficiary or nomination instructions. FNPF nomination and securities-transfer arrangements can also support planned wealth transfer, but the applicable account or transfer rules determine how the assets pass to another person.