An international business company or international business corporation (IBC) is an offshore company formed under the laws of some jurisdictions as a tax-free company which is not permitted to engage in business within the jurisdiction it is incorporated in. IBCs are offshore companies that are most commonly used for offshore banking, to conduct international trade, investment activities, to offer professional services and for asset protection. IBCs are commonly used for the ownership of real property and land; for ownership of intellectual property, licensing and franchising; personal service by individuals working overseas and offshore e-business. An IBC can hold assets in a safe, secure financial center. At the same time, an IBC also allows the owner to retain 100% control of assets. An IBC's assets are extremely private. In the offshore jurisdictions, there is no ITIN required in order to open an IBC bank account. It is a crime for a banker to reveal your association with a bank account to anyone outside of the bank. IBC ownership records are not available in any public record. There are countries with IBC laws that take privacy very seriously. The asset protection provisions in some countries are extremely strong. Many of these countries are island nations that have become financially strong by offering a safe-haven in which to store one’s money.

There is no practical difference between them. They are all offshore legal entities, called differently depending on the jurisdiction. Other terms used include non-resident company or corporation.