Cayman Islands Regulatory Quality
Regulatory Quality RQ.EST
Cayman Islands's regulatory quality was 1.14 in 2025, ranked 34th globally. This represents a 6.6% increase from 2024. Data from World Bank WGI, covering 1996–2025.
Overview
Cayman Islands's regulatory quality stood at 1.14 in 2025, a rise of +0.07 from 2023. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 1.14 by 2025. Cayman Islands ranked 34th globally.
Cayman Islands’ regulatory quality score rose from 1.03 in 1996 to a peak of 1.46 in 2004, reflecting a period of strong institutional reforms, before slipping to a trough of 0.74 in 2017 amid fiscal pressures and heightened scrutiny of offshore activities. The 2025 figure of 1.14 places the territory at 34th globally, closely matching Mauritius (1.15) and Belgium (1.15) and surpassing Greenland (1.12). Over the 26‑year coverage, the index has trended upward since the 2017 low, driven by recent efforts to align anti‑money‑laundering standards with international norms and to streamline business licensing procedures. The modest recovery suggests that further enhancements in transparency, stakeholder consultation, and digital governance could sustain the upward trajectory, potentially moving Cayman Islands higher in the global ranking in the coming years.
Data & projection
| Year | Regulatory Quality | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026* trend | 1.16 | - | - |
| 2025* trend | 1.14 | - | - |
| 2025 | 1.14 | +0.07 | #34 |
| 2023 | 1.07 | −0.02 | #35 |
| 2022 | 1.09 | +0.03 | #35 |
| 2021 | 1.05 | +0.01 | #36 |
| 2020 | 1.05 | +0.08 | #36 |
| 2019 | 0.97 | +0.00 | #42 |
| 2018 | 0.97 | +0.23 | #37 |
| 2017 | 0.74 | −0.03 | #47 |
| 2016 | 0.77 | −0.02 | #47 |
| 2015 | 0.80 | −0.05 | #45 |
| 2014 | 0.85 | −0.26 | #43 |
| 2013 | 1.11 | +0.01 | #32 |
| 2012 | 1.10 | −0.03 | #35 |
| 2011 | 1.14 | −0.02 | #33 |
| 2010 | 1.16 | −0.01 | #33 |
Analysis
Cayman Islands's regulatory quality was 1.14 in 2025, a rise of +0.07 from 2024. Based on trends, estimated 1.14 by 2025.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cayman Islands's regulatory quality was 1.14 in 2025. Ranked 34th globally. This represents a 6.6% increase from the previous year.
Cayman Islands's regulatory quality peaked at 1.46 in 2004.
The lowest regulatory quality in Cayman Islands was 0.74 in 2017.
Cayman Islands ranks 34th globally in regulatory quality as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is RQ.EST. Data sourced from World Bank WGI.
Cayman Islands's regulatory quality is projected to reach 1.14 by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.
The regulatory quality of Cayman Islands in 2025 was 1.14. This ranks 34th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_cayman-islands_regulatory-quality,
title = {Cayman Islands Regulatory Quality},
url = {https://historysaid.com/cayman-islands/regulatory-quality/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}