TL;DR Tonga is a kingdom of about 104,000 people spread over many islands, and money sent home by Tongans abroad is close to two-fifths of the economy. The ideas that fit serve that overseas family link, keep island power and water working through storms, or earn from the ocean and visitors. Keep costs tiny and think regionally.

The market in numbers

  • Population: about 103,700 in 2025[1].
  • GDP per capita: about US$6,550 in 2025[2].
  • Remittances: personal remittances received were about 39% of GDP in 2025[3].
  • Internet use: about 67% of people were online in 2024[4].
  • Currency: the pa'anga (TOP).
  • Starting a company: the Kingdom of Tonga Registry Service handles companies, business names, business licences and foreign investment certification on one platform[5].

What founders here actually have to work with

Let me be straight - Tonga's home market is small enough that one good customer can be a big share of your revenue. What it has instead is an unusually strong overseas link. With remittances near 39% of GDP[3], a large part of household spending starts in New Zealand, Australia or the US, and services that let those relatives pay for something specific (a water tank, a repair, school costs) fit how money already moves.

Islands are the other fact of life. Getting people, fuel and parts between island groups costs a lot, and diesel still runs much of the power and boat traffic. Anything that cuts fuel use or keeps a small system running without a technician flying in has a clear buyer.

The sea is the third. Fishing, whale-watching and diving bring in money, and they need protecting.

Ideas that fit Tonga

All of these were researched for India, so the rupee figures, UPI and Indian licences don't apply. Read each page as a brief and rework it for Tonga.

Money from family abroad

  • Counterwalk: Payments, papers and shipping for small sellers going abroad by video. Turn it around so Tongan cooks and craft makers can sell to the diaspora in Auckland and Sydney.
  • Exportmoney: Shipment-by-shipment payment tracking for small exporters of produce and fish. Your market is a few dozen firms at most, so keep the price simple.
  • Askmybank: A Tongan-language voice line that explains people's accounts and incoming transfers. Partner with a bank or a money transfer firm rather than going it alone.

Storms, power and water

  • Stormcrate: Solar battery trailers on standby for clinics and shelters after a cyclone. Donors and government are the likely payers, so learn how they buy.
  • Reissuely: Camps that help families replace lost documents after a disaster. You'd rebuild it around Tonga's own registry processes [Requires validation].
  • Rainupkeep: Yearly cleaning and checks for household rainwater tanks. Let relatives overseas pay for it as a gift.
  • Saltfree: Solar units that make brackish groundwater drinkable suit low-lying islands. Keep the design simple enough for a local technician.
  • Islehold: Running solar alongside a diesel generator through outages fits resorts, schools and churches on the outer islands. Fuel saved is the whole pitch.

Sea, boats and visitors

  • Jettycharge: Shore charging and rented batteries for small tour boats. Start with one whale-watching or dive operator and one wharf.
  • Hullswap: Refitting diesel passenger boats for short harbour runs. Honestly this is a later move, because it needs engineering money and marine approval.
  • Ratecove: Rates and paperwork for small guesthouses. Swap the Goa rules for whatever Tonga's tourism licensing asks for [Requires validation].
  • Lostline: Finding and lifting lost fishing nets from the seabed, with weighed proof. Regional ocean funds and dive operators are better payers than fishers.
  • Wakeline: Satellite checks that flag fishing boats missing from tracking. Tonga's ocean area dwarfs its land, but the buyer is government, so sales will be slow.

Rules to check before you start

Companies, business names, licences and foreign investment certificates all go through the Kingdom of Tonga Registry Service, run by the Ministry of Commerce, Consumer, Trade, Innovation and Labour[5]. Tax and customs sit with the Ministry of Revenue and Customs[6]. The central bank is the National Reserve Bank of Tonga, which also handles foreign exchange control, so check its rules before money crosses the border[7]. Fishing, tourism and health ideas carry their own approvals [Requires validation].

This is a starting list, not legal advice. Check with a local lawyer or the agency itself.

Questions founders ask

Services the diaspora pays for are the cheapest start, like Rainupkeep or Counterwalk above. You need trust, a phone and a good reputation in the community, not a big budget.

Do foreigners need a local partner to start a company in Tonga?

I couldn't confirm a local partner rule. Foreign investors apply for foreign investment certification through the Tonga Registry Service[5], so check with the Registry before you commit.

Can a startup in Tonga sell to other Pacific countries?

Yes, and many should. If an idea works across Tonga's islands then it usually suits Samoa and Fiji too, which gives you a bigger market without starting over.

Talk to Yash

Tonga is small enough that your first ten customers decide everything, and I'm happy to help you find them. If you need a hand, you know where to find me.

Talk to Yash →

Sources

  1. World Bank, "Population, total: Tonga", 2025. https://api.worldbank.org/v2/country/TON/indicator/SP.POP.TOTL?format=json&mrv=1
  2. World Bank, "GDP per capita (current US$): Tonga", 2025. https://api.worldbank.org/v2/country/TON/indicator/NY.GDP.PCAP.CD?format=json&mrv=1
  3. World Bank, "Personal remittances, received (% of GDP): Tonga", 2025. https://api.worldbank.org/v2/country/TON/indicator/BX.TRF.PWKR.DT.GD.ZS?format=json&mrv=1
  4. World Bank (ITU data), "Individuals using the Internet (% of population): Tonga", 2024. https://api.worldbank.org/v2/country/TON/indicator/IT.NET.USER.ZS?format=json&mrv=1
  5. Ministry of Commerce, Consumer, Trade, Innovation and Labour, "Kingdom of Tonga Registry Service", 2026. https://www.businessregistries.gov.to/
  6. Ministry of Revenue and Customs, home page, 2026. https://www.revenue.gov.to/
  7. National Reserve Bank of Tonga, home page, 2026. https://www.reservebank.to/

For illustration only. Names are fictional and ideas hypothetical; sourced facts are real but may be out of date. Nothing here is legal, financial or professional advice, and Yash Khatri is not personally liable for any use of it. Read the full disclaimer.