CRYPTO LICENSING, EXPLAINED.
Plain, sourced explainers on the questions founders actually ask — cost, regimes, jurisdictions and compliance. Written and reviewed by the editorial desk.
AML, the Travel Rule and DORA: the compliance stack for a CASP
A licensed crypto-asset service provider builds three compliance pillars at once: an AML/CFT programme with an MLRO, the FATF Travel Rule and EU TFR for transfers, and DORA for operational resilience. Here is what each requires and why regulators check them at authorisation.
How to Get Licensed as a Crypto Bank: Service Licence vs Banking Authorisation
"How do you get licensed as a crypto bank?" depends on what you mean. This guide separates a crypto service licence (VASP or CASP) from a deposit-taking banking authorisation, and shows where the US and EU regimes diverge.
How Much Does a Crypto Licence Cost? What Actually Drives the Price
A crypto licence has no single price. Under MiCA CASP, cost is driven by which services you request, your capital tier, the AML and ICT build-out, and the jurisdiction you choose. Here is what moves the number and how to get a real, scoped quote.
How to Get a Crypto Licence in Dubai and the UAE: VARA, ADGM or DMCC
Getting a crypto licence in Dubai or the wider UAE starts with one choice: which authority. VARA, ADGM's FSRA and free zones like DMCC run parallel regimes, and substance and capital expectations run higher than the CEE EU cluster.
How to Get a Crypto Licence in Lithuania Under MiCA
Getting a crypto licence in Lithuania means MiCA CASP authorisation from the Bank of Lithuania. This guide covers what the file evidences, the VASP-to-CASP transition, and why Lithuania is the EU's busiest crypto-licensing entry point.
Crypto licensing and tax: how jurisdictions differ
Where a crypto business gets licensed and how its profits are taxed are two separate decisions. This guide explains the main tax levers, why 'no tax' headlines mislead, and how to check the rules that actually apply to you.
MiCA CASP Authorisation Explained: What It Is and How to Get It
CASP authorisation is the single EU licence under MiCA that lets a firm provide crypto-asset services across every member state. This guide covers what a CASP is, the services it covers, and what a national competent authority expects you to evidence.
MiCA Transition: Moving From National VASP Registration to CASP
MiCA replaced national VASP and crypto registration regimes with a single CASP authorisation. This guide explains the transition from local registration to a MiCA licence, how grandfathering windows work in general terms, and why existing providers should not leave it late.
Offshore Crypto Licence: SVG, Panama, BVI and Cayman Compared
"Offshore crypto licence" covers everything from a genuine VASP registration to plain incorporation. This guide compares SVG, Panama, BVI and Cayman at a high level, and weighs the offshore route against an EU MiCA licence.
VASP vs CASP: What's the Difference and Which One Applies to You
VASP and CASP are not interchangeable. VASP is the FATF anti-money-laundering term used by older national regimes; CASP is the MiCA licence that now governs crypto-asset services across the EU. Here is what changed, which applies to you, and the disambiguation you need.