Argentine President Javier Milei and Economy Minister Luis Caputo unveiled on May 8 a “Super RIGI” investment regime that cuts the corporate income tax for qualifying mega-projects from 25% to 15%, allows companies to deduct 60% of investment in the first year, and eliminates export tariffs and import duties from day one.
Caputo said the new regime targets single-project investments of $20-30 billion in copper, lithium batteries, electric vehicles, solar panels, fertilizers, AI data centers, nuclear energy, LNG and uranium, with the original RIGI pipeline already at $94.965 billion approved plus $67.755 billion under evaluation.
Caputo also confirmed Chevron will present a separate $10 billion Vaca Muerta project under RIGI, taking cumulative submissions above $100 billion or roughly one-sixth of GDP, while the Super RIGI bill goes to Congress next week with provincial Ingresos Brutos capped at 0.5% and zero municipal sales taxes for adhering jurisdictions.
Key Points
— Income tax cut to 15% (vs 25% under existing RIGI) for qualifying mega-projects.
— Accelerated amortization: 60% year 1, 20% year 2, 20% year 3.
— Zero import tariffs on all production-related goods, zero export tariffs.
— Provincial Ingresos Brutos capped at 0.5%, no municipal sales taxes.
— Existing RIGI pipeline at $94.965B approved + $67.755B under review; Chevron adds $10B.
From RIGI to Super RIGI
The Rio Times, the Latin American financial news outlet, reports that Caputo presented the Super RIGI on May 8 as the second-generation upgrade of the original Régimen de Incentivo para Grandes Inversiones (RIGI) approved under the Bases law in 2024. Caputo described single-project investments in the $20-30 billion range as the targeted scale, citing examples that include lithium battery factories, electric-vehicle plants, solar-panel and wind-turbine production lines, copper-refining and rolling mills, and AI data centers. The headline change is the corporate income tax rate cut from the RIGI’s 25% to 15% for qualifying projects, paired with an aggressive accelerated-depreciation schedule that lets investors deduct 60% of capex in year one, 20% in year two, and 20% in year three.
The original RIGI pipeline currently stands at $94.965 billion in approved or applied projects, with another $67.755 billion under evaluation, according to Caputo. The most recent RIGI sanction was Transportadora Gas del Sur’s $700 million expansion of the Perito Moreno gas pipeline. With Chevron’s separately announced $10 billion Vaca Muerta project added in coming weeks, total cumulative submissions are expected to exceed $100 billion, equivalent to roughly one-sixth of Argentine GDP.
What Sectors Qualify
Caputo identified strategic sectors covering the entire copper value chain (mining, refining, rolling), lithium-battery production, electric-vehicle factories, solar panels and wind turbines, fertilizers, nuclear energy, uranium, LNG, AI and data centers. The framing connects to recent regional discussions where Argentina joined a US-led critical-minerals strategic alliance to develop Western supply chains as China currently controls roughly 80% of global copper and lithium refining. Vista Energy’s CEO Miguel Galuccio said the company will register its Águila Mora and Bandurria Norte blocks under the new regime, citing the improved return on investment for Vaca Muerta drilling under the more favorable tax structure.
Tariff and Tax Architecture
The Super RIGI eliminates import tariffs on all production-linked goods, broadening the existing RIGI’s narrower scope which only covered capital goods, and enshrines a zero-export-tariff regime from day one replacing the original RIGI’s progressive schedule. Provincial Ingresos Brutos taxes are capped at 0.5% for adhering jurisdictions while municipalities are prohibited from sales-tax collection on covered projects. The minimum investment threshold per project has not yet been set in the bill text but is expected to be substantially above the existing RIGI’s $200 million floor, with Caputo arguing the package is calibrated against benchmarks already offered by competing global jurisdictions for similar mega-projects.
| Provision | RIGI (current) | Super RIGI (May 8) |
|---|---|---|
| Corporate income tax | 25% | 15% |
| Year-1 amortization | Standard schedule | 60% (then 20% / 20%) |
| Import tariffs | Capital goods only | All production goods, 0% |
| Export tariffs | Progressive schedule | 0% from day 1 |
| Provincial Ingresos Brutos | Provincial discretion | 0.5% cap (adhering) |
| Municipal sales taxes | Municipal discretion | Prohibited (adhering) |
| Pipeline approved | $94.965B | +$67.755B under review |
| Trade-balance impact target | $40B+ annual | Per Caputo statement |
| Chevron Vaca Muerta deal | $10B (incoming) | Separate filing |
| Latest RIGI sanction | TGS Perito Moreno | $700M pipeline expansion |
Connected Coverage
For more on Argentina’s macro environment, see Argentina’s country risk falling near 500 on the Fitch effect and our analysis of how Argentina’s industry and construction sectors rebounded in March 2026.
What Happens Next
- Next week: Bill text submitted to Argentine Congress for legislative process.
- Coming weeks: Chevron $10 billion Vaca Muerta project formal RIGI filing.
- 2H 2026: Provincial adhesion votes for Ingresos Brutos cap and municipal opt-ins.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Argentina’s Super RIGI?
The Super RIGI is the second-generation upgrade of Argentina’s investment-incentive regime, announced by Economy Minister Luis Caputo on May 8 and slated for submission to Congress next week. It cuts the corporate income tax for qualifying mega-projects from 25% to 15%, allows accelerated amortization of 60% in year 1, 20% in year 2 and 20% in year 3, and zeroes out export tariffs and import duties on all production-linked goods. Provincial Ingresos Brutos taxes are capped at 0.5% for adhering jurisdictions and municipalities are prohibited from charging sales taxes, with Caputo targeting single-project investments of $20-30 billion.
Which sectors qualify?
The Super RIGI is calibrated to attract investment in copper mining and the full refining-rolling value chain, lithium-battery production, electric-vehicle plants, solar panels, wind turbines, fertilizers, AI infrastructure and data centers, nuclear energy, uranium and LNG. The framing matches Argentina’s role in the US-led critical-minerals strategic alliance, given that China controls approximately 80% of global copper and lithium refining and the US is seeking Western alternatives. Caputo singled out copper as a priority, with Vista Energy already signaling intent to enroll Vaca Muerta blocks Águila Mora and Bandurria Norte under the new regime.
How big is the existing RIGI pipeline?
The original RIGI pipeline currently stands at $94.965 billion in approved or formally submitted projects, with an additional $67.755 billion under evaluation, and Chevron’s incoming separate $10 billion Vaca Muerta filing will push total cumulative submissions above $100 billion. The threshold is equivalent to roughly one-sixth of Argentine GDP, with the most recent RIGI sanction being Transportadora Gas del Sur’s $700 million Perito Moreno gas-pipeline expansion. Caputo said the combined RIGI and Super RIGI flows could improve Argentina’s structural trade balance by more than $40 billion annually once the projects ramp up to full operating capacity through 2027-2030.
What does Chevron’s $10B deal mean?
Chevron’s $10 billion Vaca Muerta project, confirmed by Caputo this week, is filed under the existing RIGI rather than the Super RIGI but signals US oil-major commitment to Argentine shale, pushing total cumulative RIGI filings above $100 billion or roughly one-sixth of Argentine GDP. The Chevron filing follows the trade-balance turnaround driven by Vaca Muerta exports and Vista Energy’s expansion, with Vista CEO Miguel Galuccio confirming Águila Mora and Bandurria Norte blocks under the new tax regime. The combined upstream pipeline targets long-term Argentine oil and gas exports above $30 billion annually by the early 2030s.
Updated: 2026-05-08T19:00:00Z by Rio Times Editorial Desk