About Atiko
Company formation, for people who sell online.
Atiko helps ambitious e-commerce founders put the right company, banking and payment setup behind their store, mainly in the United States, the United Kingdom and Hong Kong: the entity, the tax ID, the bank account and the payment accounts. It is all we do.
What we believe.
One specialty
We only work with e-commerce businesses, so we know what banks and payment providers expect from them.
People, not a queue
An in-house team prepares each filing with you. You always know who is handling your file.
You own everything
Your company, your accounts and your documents are in your name from the first day.
Honest timeframes
We tell you what is typical and who decides. We do not promise what belongs to the state, the IRS or a bank.
Clear roles
We do the filings. Licensed accountants and attorneys do the advising. We never blur the two.
A written quote first
You know what you pay, and what is not included, before you pay it.
Real people handle your file.
Forming a company abroad is a matter of trust. Our in-house team works through each step with you, and you always know who is handling your file.
- A dedicated account managerOne named contact from the first call to your annual renewals.
- Step-by-step guidanceWe prepare each form with you and explain what you are signing, in plain words.
- Your documents, kept safeEncrypted transfer, access limited to the people handling your file.
What Atiko is, and is not.
What Atiko is
A business filing and administrative assistance service, operated by ATIKO APP LLC, a limited liability company registered in New Mexico, United States.
What Atiko is not
Atiko is not a law firm, an accounting firm, a bank or a payment institution. We do not give legal, tax or financial advice, and we never hold or move client funds.
Who we are
A formation service built for online stores
Atiko is a company formation and administrative assistance service for e-commerce businesses. We form companies mainly in the United States, the United Kingdom and Hong Kong, help their owners open business bank accounts and get set up on Stripe and Shopify Payments, and keep each company in good standing year after year. Most of our clients are founders who live outside the country where their company is registered and who run, or plan to run, an online store with large ambitions.
The work is done by an in-house team of filing specialists. They prepare the formation documents, file them with the state or the registry, request the tax identification number, prepare bank and payment provider applications with you, and track the yearly deadlines that follow. Each step is explained before it is filed, so that you know what is being submitted in your company’s name and why it is needed.
Our scope is administrative by design. We prepare, file, organize and follow up. Decisions about structure, jurisdiction and tax position are yours. Work that the law reserves for licensed professionals, such as tax returns, bookkeeping, audits and legal opinions, is carried out by independent licensed professionals. Keeping these roles separate means each part of the work is done by the people qualified to do it.
Principles
The principles we work by
These six principles shape how every file is handled, from the first call to the yearly filings.
The client owns everything
You are the owner of the company, the applicant on every form and the holder of every account. Atiko never holds client funds and never appears as an owner or signatory of your business.
Complete files before fast files
Most delays come from an incomplete or inconsistent file. We check names, addresses, ownership details and supporting documents before anything is submitted, because a clean first submission is usually the quickest route.
A written quote before any payment
You receive a written quote that separates our fee from government fees and third-party costs. Nothing is charged until you have seen it and accepted it.
Plain language about what is certain
Registries, tax authorities, banks and payment providers make their own decisions. We describe what typically happens and say clearly when an outcome or a date depends on someone else.
The store is part of the file
Banks and payment providers look at the online store as closely as the company. We prepare applications with the store’s policies, contact details and business model in view.
Continuity after formation
A company creates obligations every year. We keep a calendar of your deadlines, remind you ahead of time and coordinate the documents that independent professionals need to do their part.
Day to day
How the team works with you
Work starts with a call in which we listen to what you sell, where your customers and suppliers are, and what you have already decided. We describe the options that founders in similar situations commonly consider, what each involves administratively, and what it costs to file and maintain. The choice of structure and jurisdiction remains yours, and you are free to take it to a lawyer or tax adviser first.
Once you accept the quote, a filing specialist collects your information through a secure intake, prepares the documents and sends them to you for review before filing. You sign what needs your signature. We then file, follow the application with the state or the registry, and send you the official documents as soon as they are issued, with a short explanation of each one.
After formation, the same team prepares the bank and payment provider applications with you and answers the questions those institutions send back. Through the year we remain your point of contact for routine matters such as registered agent mail, annual reports, address changes and requests for company documents. When a question calls for legal or tax judgment, we tell you so and direct it to an independent licensed professional.
Roles
Who does what
| Atiko | Independent professionals | You | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Structure and jurisdiction | Explains what each option involves administratively | Give legal and tax advice if you ask for it | Decide the structure and where to form |
| Formation filing | Prepares and files the documents | No role in most cases | Review, sign and own the company |
| Tax identification | Prepares and submits the application | No role in most cases | Act as responsible party |
| Bank and payment accounts | Prepares applications and follows up with you | No role in most cases | Apply, pass verification and hold the accounts |
| Bookkeeping and tax returns | Coordinates documents and tracks deadlines | Keep the books and prepare the returns | Provide records and approve the returns |
| Annual filings | Prepares and files routine registry filings | Prepare accounts and audits where required | Confirm details and pay government fees |
Banks, payment providers and government agencies make their own decisions on every application.
Confidentiality
How your documents and data are handled
Forming a company and opening accounts requires identity documents and business information. We handle them with the same care we would expect for our own.
What Atiko is not
Atiko is not a law firm, an accounting firm or a bank, and it gives no legal, tax or financial advice. Atiko is independent of Stripe and Shopify, and of every bank and registry it files with. Approvals and timelines are decided by those institutions, so we describe what is typical and never promise an outcome.
Questions about Atiko
What exactly does Atiko do?
Atiko forms companies in the United States, the United Kingdom and Hong Kong, obtains the tax identification they need, and prepares bank and payment provider applications with their owners. After formation, we keep track of yearly obligations and handle routine administrative filings. The service is designed for e-commerce businesses, so the store itself is taken into account at every stage.
Who does Atiko work with?
Most clients are founders of online stores who live outside the country where they want their company registered. Some are launching a first store with clear growth plans, and others are moving an existing business into a more suitable structure. Atiko does not serve residents of comprehensively sanctioned countries.
Is Atiko a law firm or an accounting firm?
No. Atiko provides company formation and administrative assistance. Legal work, tax returns, bookkeeping and audits are carried out by independent licensed professionals, and we can coordinate documents with them on your behalf.
Does Atiko tell me which structure or country to choose?
We explain what each structure and jurisdiction involves in terms of filings, local requirements, yearly obligations and costs. The decision is yours. If your situation raises legal or tax questions, a licensed adviser in your country of residence is the right person to answer them.
Who owns the company and the accounts?
You do. You are the owner of the company, the applicant on bank and payment provider applications, and the account holder once they are approved. Atiko never holds client funds and has no access to your money.
Is Atiko connected to Stripe, Shopify or a bank?
No. Atiko is independent of Stripe, Shopify and every bank. We know what these institutions typically ask for and prepare applications accordingly, but each one applies its own verification and makes its own decision.
Can Atiko promise that my bank or Stripe account will be approved?
No one can honestly promise that. Banks and payment providers decide on each application after verifying the company, the people behind it and the store. Our role is to make sure the application is complete, consistent and well documented, which in most cases is what a reviewer needs.
How do I start working with Atiko?
The first step is a call in which you describe your business and we explain the process, the documents required and the costs involved. You then receive a written quote. Work begins once you have accepted it and sent the information we need to prepare your file.
Ready to start your company?
Book a 20-minute call. We tell you exactly what we set up, and how fast.