If you're running a thriving info business — courses, coaching, digital products, SaaS, even memberships — and selling globally, especially to EU customers…

There’s a growing tax bomb quietly ticking under your feet. And 99% of creators don’t even know it.

You see the warning signs:

  • Monthly revenue is rising, but profit margins are flattening

  • Your accountant “isn’t sure” how to handle cross-border VAT filings

  • You’ve received Stripe warnings, or worse — a payout delay due to tax compliance checks

  • You're still using a single-country LLC or limited company as your operational base

If any of this sounds familiar — you’re not alone. But here’s the real kicker:

The way most 6- and 7-figure digital entrepreneurs are structured is legally outdated for 2025.

And that’s costing them tax efficiency, payment security, and peace of mind.

VAT in 2025 isn’t just “an EU thing” anymore. 🇪🇺

Governments are collaborating. Payment platforms are automating audits. And if you're collecting revenue from customers in the EU or UK — even from outside — you’re already subject to VAT obligations.

The penalties for getting it wrong?

  • Retroactive VAT claims (with interest)

  • Fines for non-registration

  • Blocked payouts by platforms like Stripe, PayPal, or Paddle

  • Frozen accounts due to suspected tax evasion

It’s not fearmongering. It’s already happening.

It's not about avoiding taxes. It's about using the right jurisdiction to legally reduce exposure and unlock better economics.

In the past, creators got by using U.S. LLCs, UK limited companies, or Estonian e-residency. But these setups were designed for a simpler time.

In 2025, the rules have changed. Tax authorities are now:

  • Enforcing place of supply rules

  • Requiring local VAT registration in multiple EU countries

  • Scrutinizing your “effective place of management”

  • Working with platforms to identify high-earning sellers

That means your legal structure, tax base, and payment flow must be aligned — or you risk overpaying, double-paying, or freezing up altogether.

🚀 Top creators are switching to Merchant of Record (MoR) structures based in favorable jurisdictions. 😉

Instead of acting as the seller of record (and taking on all the tax responsibility), they license their business through an MoR entity that:

Takes on the VAT liability
Centralizes compliance
Operates from a zero-tax or low-tax jurisdiction
Unlocks cleaner payouts and better payment processing

This model is fully legal and used by platforms like Gumroad, Paddle, and AppSumo — but now, high-volume creators are using private MoR infrastructures tailored to their needs.

And the results are game-changing:

😌 VAT risk offloaded
Legal, compliant tax optimization
💰 Better margins
Faster payouts

Global customer reach without tax complexity

Diagram of an MoR structure

Case: Amanda, a UK-based course creator, scaled to €1.1M/year — but her old UK Ltd + Stripe setup didn’t account for French and German VAT thresholds. A late compliance notice triggered €72,000 in back taxes and 8 weeks of frozen funds. After switching to a private MoR framework, she eliminated her EU VAT exposure, centralized her payments, and cut her effective tax rate by 28%.

We’ve seen a specialist firm quietly enabling this shift — working with creators doing anywhere from $300K to $10M/year.

They help high-volume operators restructure through vetted MoR jurisdictions with:

  • Legal entity setup

  • Payment stack design

  • VAT shielding

  • Compliant tax handling

It’s discreet, compliant, and structured for long-term scalability.

Here’s the truth:

If you’re making $20K/month or more — and your current setup wasn’t built with 2025’s VAT and jurisdictional rules in mind — you’re either leaving serious money on the table, or exposed to risks you can’t afford.

But there’s a better way.

If you’re processing $20K+/month and still relying on a traditional profit draining setup, now’s the time to rethink your structure.

It’s 100% free, no commitments.

The Global Vault will give you the clarity you need.

Sponsored. The above banner’s content is not part of The Freedom Brief as a brand and a Newsletter.