Zombie trusts in Liechtenstein: A wake-up call for Europe as a financial center

Liechtenstein is facing an unprecedented challenge: up to 800 trusts with links to Russian assets have been abandoned due to mass resignations by trustees. Legally, the trusts still exist, but they are effectively incapable of acting.

The trigger? Fear of secondary US sanctions that go far beyond EU regulations. The result: billions in assets are blocked, and Liechtenstein's financial center is under pressure.

What is needed now:

• Legal certainty for interim administrators

• State-coordinated solutions with international backing

• Clear communication with customers and partners

This crisis is more than a local problem—it is a stress test for the resilience of 🇪🇺 financial centers in the geopolitical arena.

Europe must unite in asking the legitimate question: Will the 🇺🇸 trust jurisdictions of Delaware, South Dakota, and Florida also come under pressure in this way?

Liechtenstein is facing an unprecedented challenge: Up to 800 trusts linked to Russian assets have been left orphaned due to mass resignations of fiduciaries. Legally, these trusts still exist — but functionally, they are paralyzed.

The trigger? Fear of secondary U.S. sanctions, which go far beyond EU regulations. The result: Billions in assets are frozen, and Liechtenstein’s financial sector is under pressure.

What’s needed now:

• Legal certainty for interim administrators

• State-coordinated solutions with international backing

• Clear communication with clients and partners

This crisis is more than a local issue — it’s a stress test for the resilience of European financial hubs in a shifting geopolitical landscape.

In European will, the legitimate question must be raised as to whether the trust jurisdictions of Delaware, South Dakota and Florida are also being put under such pressure?