MM2H Tier Guide: Ultimate Silver vs Gold vs Platinum 2026
Choosing your MM2H tier is the single most consequential financial decision in your Malaysia My Second Home application — yet most guides stop at listing the requirements. This analysis goes further: we model the true cost of each tier over its full visa duration, calculate the break-even points between Silver, Gold, and Platinum, and provide a decision framework to match your profile to the optimal tier. If you are a serious Western investor with a €300k–3M capital base, this is the analysis you need before committing.
Table of Contents
- The 4-Tier Framework at a Glance
- Financial Modeling: True Cost per Tier
- Break-Even Analysis: Silver vs Gold vs Platinum
- Silver Tier — Who It’s Really For
- Gold Tier — The Sweet Spot for Most HNW Applicants
- Platinum Tier — When Maximum Commitment Makes Sense
- SEZ Tier — Opportunity or Trap?
- 5-Question Tier Selection Framework
- FAQ
1. The 4-Tier Framework at a Glance
Before modeling, let’s establish the baseline. The MM2H programme relaunched in July 2024 with four tiers, each carrying distinct visa durations, financial commitments, and lifestyle obligations. The data below reflects confirmed MOTAC requirements in effect throughout 2026.
| Criterion | Silver | Gold | Platinum | SEZ/SFZ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visa duration | 5 years | 15 years | 20 years | 10 years |
| Fixed deposit (USD) | 150,000 | 500,000 | 1,000,000 | 65,000 (under 50) / 32,000 (50+) |
| Min. property (RM) | 600,000 | 1,000,000 | 2,000,000 | Forest City only |
| Agent fee (RM) | 40,000 | 55,000 | 70,000 | 40,000 |
| Min. age | 25 | 25 | 25 | 21 |
| Stay req. (under 50) | 90 days/yr | 90 days/yr | 90 days/yr | 90 days/yr |
| Work permitted | No | No | Limited* | No |
The structural asymmetry is immediately visible: Gold costs 3.3× more in fixed deposit than Silver, but delivers 3× the visa duration. Platinum costs 6.7× more than Silver and delivers 4× the duration. The financial modeling below determines whether these ratios translate into genuine value.
2. Financial Modeling: True Cost per MM2H Tier
The most common mistake in MM2H tier analysis is treating the fixed deposit as a cost. It is not — it is capital that earns interest and is fully refundable upon visa termination. The true non-recoverable cost of each tier is the sum of fees, insurance, legalisation, and the opportunity cost of capital locked in a Malaysian bank versus your next-best alternative.
Modeling Assumptions
- USD/MYR rate: 4.50 (indicative early 2026)
- Fixed deposit interest rate: 3.0% per annum (MYR equivalent, conservative; USD FD rates vary 3–5% depending on bank and term)
- Opportunity cost of capital: 5.0% per annum (reasonable benchmark for a diversified Western portfolio)
- Property appreciation: 3–5% per annum (Kuala Lumpur prime residential, conservative estimate)
- Health insurance: RM 5,000/year per applicant
- All figures in RM unless stated. Single principal applicant, no dependants.
Silver Tier — 5-Year Financial Model
| Item | One-time (RM) | Annual (RM) | 5-Year Total (RM) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fixed deposit placed | 675,000 | — | Refundable |
| FD interest earned (3% p.a.) | — | +20,250 | +101,250 |
| Opportunity cost (5% on USD 150k) | — | −33,750 | −168,750 |
| Agent fee | −40,000 | — | −40,000 |
| Document legalisation | −4,000 | — | −4,000 |
| Medical + insurance | −800 | −5,000 | −25,800 |
| Renewal (year 5) | — | — | −5,000 est. |
| Net non-recoverable cost | −142,300 | ||
| Annual equivalent | −28,460/yr |
Gold Tier — 15-Year Financial Model
| Item | One-time (RM) | Annual (RM) | 15-Year Total (RM) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fixed deposit placed | 2,250,000 | — | Refundable |
| FD interest earned (3% p.a.) | — | +67,500 | +1,012,500 |
| Opportunity cost (5% on USD 500k) | — | −112,500 | −1,687,500 |
| Agent fee | −55,000 | — | −55,000 |
| Document legalisation | −5,000 | — | −5,000 |
| Medical + insurance | −800 | −5,000 | −75,800 |
| Renewals (years 5, 10) | — | — | −10,000 est. |
| Net non-recoverable cost | −820,800 | ||
| Annual equivalent | −54,720/yr |
Platinum Tier — 20-Year Financial Model
| Item | One-time (RM) | Annual (RM) | 20-Year Total (RM) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fixed deposit placed | 4,500,000 | — | Refundable |
| FD interest earned (3% p.a.) | — | +135,000 | +2,700,000 |
| Opportunity cost (5% on USD 1M) | — | −225,000 | −4,500,000 |
| Agent fee | −70,000 | — | −70,000 |
| Document legalisation | −6,000 | — | −6,000 |
| Medical + insurance | −800 | −5,000 | −100,800 |
| Renewals (years 5, 10, 15) | — | — | −15,000 est. |
| Net non-recoverable cost | −1,991,800 | ||
| Annual equivalent | −99,590/yr |
Key insight: The dominant cost driver across all tiers is the opportunity cost of the fixed deposit, not the agent fee. This fundamentally changes the tier selection calculus: choosing a higher tier is only rational if the non-financial benefits (longer visa, reduced renewal friction, potential work rights for Platinum) justify the additional annual opportunity cost.
3. Break-Even Analysis: Which Tier Wins Over Time
The break-even question for MM2H tier selection is: at what point does the higher upfront commitment of Gold outperform renewing Silver twice — and does Platinum ever rationally outperform Gold?
Silver Renewed 3× vs Gold (15-Year Horizon)
To cover a 15-year period with Silver, you renew three times (years 1, 5, 10). Each renewal carries its own agent service fee (estimated RM 15,000–20,000 per renewal cycle under current MOTAC guidelines), documentation refresh costs, and administrative friction. The cumulative non-recoverable cost of Silver over 15 years — including three renewal cycles — is approximately RM 235,000–260,000. The annual equivalent is roughly RM 15,700–17,300.
Gold over the same 15-year horizon costs approximately RM 820,800 in non-recoverable terms — but this figure is dominated by the opportunity cost differential (RM 675,000 over 15 years). Stripping out opportunity cost, the pure cash outflows for Gold (agent fee + insurance + renewal) total approximately RM 145,000 over 15 years, versus RM 235,000–260,000 for Silver renewed three times.
Conclusion: On pure cash outflows (excluding opportunity cost), Gold is cheaper than Silver renewed three times by approximately RM 90,000–115,000 over a 15-year horizon. Gold becomes the rational choice the moment you are confident you will remain in Malaysia for more than 8–10 years. If you anticipate leaving within 5 years, Silver with one renewal is the more capital-efficient option.
Gold vs Platinum (20-Year Horizon)
Platinum’s 20-year duration provides 5 more years than Gold’s 15. To match a 20-year horizon with Gold, you need one additional renewal cycle (years 1 and 16). The incremental cost of that renewal is approximately RM 20,000–25,000. Meanwhile, the incremental agent fee of Platinum over Gold is only RM 15,000 (RM 70,000 vs RM 55,000). On cash outflows alone, the break-even between Gold+renewal and Platinum is narrow — Platinum wins by roughly RM 5,000–10,000 over 20 years, before opportunity cost.
However, the opportunity cost of the additional USD 500,000 fixed deposit (Platinum vs Gold) over 20 years at 5% per annum is approximately RM 2,250,000. This completely dominates the calculation. Platinum is only financially rational if you either have a specific use for the Platinum-exclusive benefits (limited work rights, prestige signalling in business contexts) or if your opportunity cost of capital is materially below 5%.
4. Silver Tier — Who It’s Really For
Silver is the MM2H tier most frequently chosen by Western applicants, and for good reason. At USD 150,000 fixed deposit and a RM 600,000 minimum property purchase, it represents a total committed capital of approximately €195,000–210,000 at current rates — accessible to any investor in the €300k+ wealth segment.
Silver is optimal for: applicants who are testing Malaysia as a base before a longer commitment; retirees aged 50+ who are exempt from the 90-day annual stay requirement and want flexibility; investors who want to deploy the majority of their capital into the property asset rather than the fixed deposit; and applicants who are uncertain about their 10-year plans and prefer a shorter, renewable commitment with lower lock-in.
Silver’s limitations: the 5-year visa creates renewal friction every half-decade — documentation refresh, agent coordination, and compliance review. If you are confident about long-term Malaysian residency and have the capital for Gold, the three Silver renewals needed to cover 15 years will ultimately cost more in cash terms than a single Gold application.
5. Gold Tier — The Sweet Spot for Most HNW Applicants
Gold is the MM2H tier that most financial analyses converge on as the value optimum for committed long-term residents with a €500k–2M investable asset base. The 15-year visa duration eliminates three renewal cycles, reduces compliance overhead, and signals a serious, long-term engagement with Malaysia that benefits business relationships and social integration.
Gold is optimal for: investors who plan to make Malaysia their primary or secondary base for 10+ years; applicants who want to combine the MM2H fixed deposit with a meaningful Malaysian property investment (RM 1,000,000 minimum opens access to premium condominiums in Mont Kiara, KLCC fringe, and Penang prime); and entrepreneurs who benefit from a long-term, stable residency status for business development in Southeast Asia.
Gold’s limitation is purely financial: the USD 500,000 fixed deposit at 3% p.a. earns RM 67,500/year in interest — significantly below the opportunity cost of that capital deployed elsewhere at 5%+. Applicants must be honest with themselves about whether the lifestyle, tax, and mobility benefits of Malaysian long-term residency justify this annual delta of approximately RM 45,000 (circa €9,000/year).
6. Platinum Tier — When Maximum Commitment Makes Sense
Platinum is the MM2H tier that commands the most capital and delivers the longest visa — 20 years. At USD 1,000,000 fixed deposit and RM 2,000,000 minimum property, the total committed capital approaches €1.1M at current rates. The break-even analysis above demonstrates that Platinum’s financial rationale over Gold is weak in pure cost terms. Where Platinum does win is on non-financial dimensions.
Platinum is optimal for: ultra-high-net-worth applicants (€3M+ liquid assets) for whom the USD 1M deposit represents less than 15% of investable wealth, and the opportunity cost is therefore immaterial relative to the convenience; applicants who need or want the limited work authorisation option that Platinum uniquely enables; families seeking the most prestigious and durable residency anchor for multi-generational planning; and investors who are simultaneously deploying RM 2,000,000+ into Malaysian real estate and want the visa tier to match their property commitment.
The Platinum fixed deposit — RM 4,500,000 at current rates — generates approximately RM 135,000/year in interest. At that scale, the interest alone covers annual insurance, renewal fees, and lifestyle costs associated with Malaysian residency, making Platinum partially self-financing for very large portfolios.
7. SEZ Tier — Genuine Opportunity or Geographic Trap?
The SEZ (Special Economic Zone) MM2H tier, also designated SFZ (Special Financial Zone), launched in 2025 and applies exclusively to Forest City — a large-scale mixed-use development on Johor’s southern coast, 20 minutes from the Singapore border. It offers the lowest fixed deposit threshold of any MM2H tier: USD 65,000 for applicants under 50, and USD 32,000 for those 50 and above.
The appeal is real for a specific profile: Singaporeans or Singapore-based expatriates seeking a cost-effective Malaysian base; younger professionals (minimum age 21) who cannot meet Silver’s USD 150,000 threshold; and applicants who want a 10-year visa at roughly one-fifth of Silver’s fixed deposit cost. Forest City has also been designated a duty-free zone, reducing the cost of certain consumer goods.
The risks, however, are structural. Forest City currently suffers from low occupancy and a limited resale market — the development was originally targeted at Chinese mainland buyers and has not reached density. Property purchased within the SEZ cannot be substituted for property elsewhere in Malaysia, limiting your exposure to Malaysia’s broader, more liquid real estate markets (Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Johor Bahru city centre). The SEZ tier also requires property purchase before or concurrent with the visa application — a tighter timeline than the 12-month post-endorsement window available to Silver, Gold, and Platinum applicants. For pure investment-grade Western HNW applicants, SEZ is not the optimal route.
8. 5-Question MM2H Tier Selection Framework
Use the following five questions to arrive at a rational MM2H tier recommendation for your specific financial profile.
Question 1 — What is your liquid investable asset base? Below €400k: Silver only. €400k–€1.5M: Silver or Gold depending on answers below. €1.5M–€4M: Gold strongly preferred. Above €4M: Platinum worth modelling.
Question 2 — How long do you realistically plan to stay in Malaysia? Under 7 years: Silver. 7–15 years: Gold breaks even versus multiple Silver renewals. Over 15 years: Gold or Platinum.
Question 3 — What is your opportunity cost of capital? If your next-best investment returns below 4% per annum (conservative fixed income, cash savings), the FD interest differential between Silver and Gold narrows significantly, making Gold more attractive. If your portfolio consistently returns 7%+, the opportunity cost of Platinum becomes very difficult to justify.
Question 4 — Do you need or want work authorisation in Malaysia? If yes, only Platinum opens this door (via separate approval). Silver and Gold are strictly non-working social visit passes.
Question 5 — Are you aged 50 or above? If yes, you are exempt from the 90-day annual stay requirement — dramatically increasing your residential flexibility. This makes all tiers more attractive, and the convenience premium of Gold or Platinum’s longer visa duration becomes relatively more valuable.
| Profile | Recommended Tier | Primary Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Retiree 50+, €300–500k assets, flexible lifestyle | Silver | No stay req., low lock-in, capital efficiency |
| Active investor 35–50, €500k–1.5M, 10+ year horizon | Gold | Best cash cost vs duration trade-off |
| Entrepreneur 40–60, €500k–2M, SEA business base | Gold | 15-year stability, business credibility |
| UHNW 55+, €4M+, multi-generational planning | Platinum | FD self-financing, maximum visa tenure |
| Singapore-based expat, €150–300k, proximity play | SEZ | Lowest entry threshold, Singapore proximity |
For a comprehensive understanding of Malaysia’s broader investment landscape — real estate yields, REIT performance, and capital markets — explore our Investing in Malaysia: The Ultimate Guide 2026. For the complete MM2H application walkthrough once you have selected your tier, see our MM2H Application: The Ultimate 5-Step Guide 2026.
9. FAQ — MM2H Tier Selection
Can I upgrade my MM2H tier after approval?
There is no formal “upgrade” pathway — you would need to terminate your current MM2H participation and reapply under the new tier, resetting the clock and paying the full agent fee for the new tier. This makes the initial tier selection consequential: if there is a realistic probability you will want Gold benefits in year 3–4, apply for Gold from the outset rather than plan to upgrade from Silver.
Is the fixed deposit interest taxable?
No. Interest earned on MM2H fixed deposits in Malaysia is tax-exempt for foreign holders. The full interest amount is yours to withdraw freely and is typically credited to a linked savings account with the same bank. This is one of Malaysia’s genuinely attractive fiscal advantages — compare with France (flat tax of 30% on savings interest) or Belgium (withholding tax of 30%).
What happens to the fixed deposit if I die?
The fixed deposit is a personal asset covered by your estate. It will be distributed according to your will — ensure you have a Malaysian will (or that your existing will covers Malaysian assets explicitly) to avoid the probate process freezing the asset. Your agent or a Malaysian solicitor can advise on this at the time of application.
Can I use the 50% withdrawal toward my property purchase for all tiers?
Yes — all Mainland tiers (Silver, Gold, Platinum) permit withdrawal of up to 50% of the fixed deposit for the property purchase, provided the SPA is signed after your visa endorsement date. For a Silver applicant placing USD 150,000, this means USD 75,000 (~RM 337,500) can be unlocked immediately post-SPA to offset the RM 600,000+ property purchase. This effectively reduces the Silver applicant’s net capital at risk from approximately RM 1,275,000 to RM 937,500.
Does the property purchase affect the tier comparison?
Significantly. When you factor in the property as an appreciating asset — at a conservative 3–4% annual appreciation on KL prime residential — the property return partially offsets the opportunity cost of the fixed deposit across all tiers. A Gold-tier applicant purchasing a RM 1,000,000 property at 3.5% annual appreciation generates approximately RM 35,000/year in paper capital gains, narrowing the annual opportunity cost deficit from RM 45,000 to roughly RM 10,000/year — a much more palatable figure for a 15-year Malaysian residency.
Make the Right MM2H Tier Decision Before You Apply
The MM2H tier you select on day one determines your capital commitment, visa duration, renewal burden, and financial trajectory for the next 5–20 years. The analysis above shows that Gold represents the rational optimum for most committed HNW Western applicants on a 10–15 year horizon, while Silver remains the right entry point for those testing Malaysian residency or operating with tighter capital constraints. Platinum requires a very large asset base or specific professional use cases to justify its opportunity cost.
Our network includes MOTAC-licensed MM2H agents with deep expertise in Western applicant profiles. Contact us for a personalised tier recommendation based on your specific financial situation — at no charge.
Disclaimer: This article provides financial modeling for illustrative purposes only. All figures are based on stated assumptions and do not constitute financial, legal, or investment advice. Exchange rates, interest rates, and property values fluctuate. Verify all requirements with MOTAC (mm2h.gov.my) and a licensed agent before making any financial commitment. Last updated: February 2026.