An Argentine subsidiary of your company
If your business is already registered in Poland, the UAE, Kazakhstan or Serbia, the Argentine company can be set up as a subsidiary. Banks like that far more than a person with just a passport.
Option 4. A subsidiary of your company
Your company becomes the shareholder of the Argentine one
Under Argentine law this is article 123 of law 19.550: a foreign company registers with the registry specifically so that it can be a shareholder of a local one. After that an ordinary Argentine company is set up, except its owner is not you personally but your company.
Since May 2026 the procedure has been simpler: IGJ resolution 4/2026 consolidated the requirements into a single list, allowed apostilled digital documents from abroad, and repealed 30 earlier provisions.
- The bank sees a trading business with a history rather than a person holding a passport and no operations. For opening an account, nothing else helps as much.
- The Argentine company slots into your existing structure: consolidation, clean intercompany settlements, and reporting at the top in the format you are used to.
- Personal liability is separated by one more layer.
- Slower and dearer than the first option: registering the foreign shareholder is added, and with it the apostille and sworn translation of the constitutional documents, a board resolution, the representative's acceptance and the beneficial-owner declarations.
- The resident-administrator requirement does not go away — it applies to people, not to shareholders.
- There is a second mechanism, a branch under article 118. For marketplace selling it is almost always worse: there is no separation of liability, the parent answers directly, and its financial statements have to be filed in Argentina. We can discuss it if your case is unusual.
But I will be straight with you: a Russian parent company does not help you open an account, it complicates it. Russia's FATF membership is suspended and, while it is on neither the black nor the grey list, banks apply enhanced due diligence. They will reach the ultimate beneficial owner either way; the difference is that a Russian entity will also sit in the structure. If you have a choice, build the subsidiary from a neutral jurisdiction. If a Russian company is all you have, registering in your own name is usually the more sensible route.
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Frequently asked questions
Can an Argentine company be opened under an existing foreign company?
Yes. Under article 123 of law 19.550 a foreign company registers with the registry in order to be a shareholder of an Argentine one. Since May 2026 IGJ resolution 4/2026 has simplified it: the requirements are in a single list and apostilled digital documents are accepted. There is a second route, a branch under article 118, but for a marketplace it is usually worse because it does not separate liability.
Can a Russian company be the shareholder of an Argentine one?
Legally it is allowed. Argentina did not join the sanctions against Russia, and both the reciprocal investment protection agreement and the double taxation treaty remain in force. There is no prohibition.
How much does it cost to open a company in Latin America?
The ballpark is 3,000 to 6,500 USD to incorporate. The range is wide because it depends on the country, the company type and whether a foreign shareholder needs a separate registration. Add accounting from 400 USD a month. I prepare the exact quote for the specific case and send it within a day.
Why do you have to be the administrator rather than me?
By law a company in Latin America must have an administrator who lives in the country. That is the law's requirement, not the marketplace's. Until you have local residency I cover that role. You stay the owner throughout: the money, the goods and the decisions are yours. If you come in person we get the tax number and proof of residence in your name, and you become the administrator yourself.
Tell me about your case
Answer three questions and I will suggest the model that suits you, and help you weigh the prospects before you spend anything.
Which country?
Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Colombia, Uruguay — or undecided so far.
Which product?
The category and rough volume. If you already sell it in your home market, all the better — we will have something to compare against.
Where do you ship from?
From China, or you plan to work with local suppliers on the ground.