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Why Atiko
Built for stores, not for everyone.
General formation services stop at the certificate. An online store needs the bank account and the payment accounts that come after it.
| A general formation service | Atiko | |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Any kind of business | E-commerce only |
| Where it stops | When the company is formed | When you can take payments |
| Who you deal with | A dashboard and a ticket queue | A named account manager |
| Bank and payment accounts | Left to you | Prepared with you, step by step |
| After year one | Automated reminders | Your calendar, kept by a person |
What that means for you.
Fewer surprises
We know which documents each institution asks an online seller for, and we prepare them first.
One conversation
Company, tax ID, bank, payments and renewals are handled by the same team.
No overpromising
We tell you plainly what we control and what a bank or the IRS decides.
See how we compare.
The difference
A certificate is only the first step
A general formation service is built to do one thing well, which is to register a company and deliver the certificate. For many kinds of business that is enough. A consultant or a holding company can often operate for months with little more than a registration number and a simple bank account.
An online store is in a different position. It cannot take a single order until it has a business bank account, a payment provider that has verified the company and its owner, and a storefront whose policies satisfy that provider. Each of these institutions asks its own questions about the company, the people behind it and what the store sells. A founder who lives abroad usually faces these questions alone, after the formation service has closed the file.
Atiko treats formation as the start of the work. We form the company with the later applications in mind, prepare the bank and payment provider files with you, and stay with the company through its yearly filings. The scope is narrower than a general service in one respect, because we work only for e-commerce, and wider in another, because we continue after the certificate is issued.
Comparison
A general service compared with Atiko
| A general formation service | Atiko | |
|---|---|---|
| Clients served | Any kind of business | E-commerce businesses only |
| Where the service ends | Usually at the formation certificate | Continues through banking, payments and yearly filings |
| Tax identification | Often an optional extra | Prepared and followed as part of the file |
| Bank account | Usually left to the client | Application prepared and followed up with you |
| Stripe and Shopify Payments | Usually outside the service | Account setup and store readiness prepared with you |
| Who handles your file | Often an automated online form | An in-house filing specialist |
| Yearly obligations | Reminders, sometimes sold separately | Deadline calendar, routine filings and document coordination |
This table describes typical service models. Individual providers vary.
Specialization
What specializing in e-commerce changes
Working with one kind of business shapes the details of every file.
The company is formed with verification in mind
Company name, business description, addresses and ownership details are entered consistently from the first filing. Banks and payment providers compare these details across documents, and small differences are a common cause of follow-up questions.
The store is reviewed before applications go out
Payment providers look at contact details, refund and returns policy, shipping information, terms and privacy policy. We go through these with you before you apply, so that the store a reviewer visits matches what the application describes.
The business model is explained clearly
Dropshipping, private label, print on demand and subscriptions each raise different questions about suppliers, delivery times and refunds. We help you describe your model accurately and in the terms reviewers are used to reading.
Sales tax and VAT are flagged early
Selling online can create registration obligations in places where the company has no office. We point out where these questions typically arise, so that you can raise them with a licensed tax professional in good time.
Documents are ready when a provider asks
Verification requests often arrive weeks after an account opens, with a short deadline. Because we keep your company documents organized, you can answer quickly and completely.
Yearly filings match how the store operates
Requirements such as Form 5472 for a foreign-owned US LLC or audited accounts in Hong Kong are part of the calendar from the start, with the right independent professional involved at the right time.
Working together
From the first call to year two
First call and written quote
You describe your store, your markets and what you have already decided. We explain what each option involves and send a written quote that separates our fee from government fees and third-party costs.
Formation
Once your file is complete, a filing specialist prepares the documents, sends them for your review and files them. Formation is typically completed within 24 hours in the United States and the United Kingdom, and within a few working days in Hong Kong.
Tax identification
We prepare and submit the tax identification application for the company. For a US company whose owner has no Social Security number, the EIN is requested by fax or mail and typically takes from several days to a few weeks.
Bank account and payment setup
We prepare the bank application with you, then the Stripe and Shopify Payments setup, and review the store against what providers usually check. Each institution runs its own verification and makes its own decision.
First year of operation
We receive and forward official mail, keep your company documents in order and help you answer verification requests. Routine changes such as a new address are prepared and filed when you need them.
Annual filings and year two
Before each deadline we remind you, prepare the routine registry filings and gather the documents that independent licensed professionals need for accounts and tax returns. The calendar then repeats each year.
Limits
What remains outside our control
Some decisions belong to other institutions, and it is better to say so plainly. A state or a registry decides whether to accept a filing and how quickly to process it. A tax authority decides when to issue a number. A bank decides whether to open an account, and a payment provider decides whether to approve, limit or review one. These decisions follow their own rules, which change without notice.
For that reason Atiko does not promise approvals or dates. We describe what typically happens, prepare a complete and consistent file, and help you respond when an institution asks for more. If an application is declined, we explain what was communicated, and you decide whether to apply elsewhere. You remain the applicant and the account holder throughout.
The same honesty applies to our own scope. We do not give legal, tax or financial advice, and we do not prepare tax returns or keep books. Those tasks belong to independent licensed professionals. What we provide is the administrative work around them, done carefully and on time, with a clear account of what has been filed.
Questions about choosing Atiko
Why does it matter that Atiko works only with e-commerce?
Online stores face a specific sequence of checks from banks and payment providers, covering the company, its owner and the store itself. A team that prepares these files every day knows what is typically asked and in what order. That familiarity usually means fewer follow-up requests and less time lost.
I only need a company. Can I use Atiko for formation alone?
Yes. You can ask for formation alone, and the quote will reflect that. Many founders add banking and payment setup because those steps are where an online store most often needs help.
Does Atiko have a special relationship with Stripe or Shopify?
No. Atiko is independent of Stripe and Shopify and has no partnership with either. We prepare your setup according to the requirements they publish and the checks they typically run, and they decide on every account.
Will Atiko open the bank account for me?
You open the account, as the applicant and future account holder. We prepare the application with you, make sure the documents are complete and help you answer any questions the bank sends. For US companies, we work with business accounts that can be opened remotely.
What happens if a bank or provider declines my application?
The institution’s decision is its own, and it does not always give reasons. We review the file with you, explain what can be learned from the response, and you decide whether to apply to another institution.
Who prepares my tax returns and accounts?
Independent licensed professionals prepare tax returns, bookkeeping, annual accounts and audits. Atiko tracks the deadlines, gathers the company documents they need and keeps you informed of what is due.
Do I need to travel to form the company?
In most cases, no. Companies in the United States, the United Kingdom and Hong Kong can be formed remotely, and non-residents can own them. Some banks and providers apply their own identity checks, which are usually completed online.
How is Atiko paid?
You receive a written quote before any payment. It shows our setup fee, our management fee if you choose ongoing service, and government and third-party costs as separate lines. The pricing page explains each of these in detail.
Ready to start your company?
Book a 20-minute call. We tell you exactly what we set up, and how fast.