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Country-Specific MiCA Licensing Guides

MiCA: it’s the EU’s first comprehensive crypto framework that is reshaping how exchanges, custodians, and crypto businesses operate across Europe.

If you’re launching or scaling a crypto business in the EU, you’ll need to understand MiCA licensing requirements and how they apply in each country.

In this guide, we break down:
- What MiCA.
- How to get a Crypto-Asset Service Provider (CASP) license.
- Key deadlines and compliance requirements across all countries.
- The unique aspects of each EU/EEA country’s approach to MiCA.

We’ve also created guides for every EU country, so you can explore your options and choose the jurisdiction that best fits your business.

Explore Country-Specific MiCA Licensing Guides

Here’s the full list of EU and EEA countries. Click your country to read its dedicated guide:

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🇦🇹 Austria . 🇧🇪 Belgium‍

🇧🇬 Bulgaria‍

🇭🇷 Croatia‍

🇨🇾 Cyprus‍

🇨🇿 Czech Republic‍

🇩🇰 Denmark‍

🇪🇪 Estonia‍

🇫🇮 Finland‍

🇫🇷 France‍

🇩🇪 Germany‍

🇬🇷 Greece‍

🇭🇺 Hungary‍

🇮🇪 Ireland‍

🇮🇹 Italy‍

🇱🇻 Latvia‍

🇱🇹 Lithuania‍

🇱🇺 Luxembourg‍

🇲🇹 Malta‍

🇳🇱 Netherlands‍

🇵🇱 Poland‍

🇵🇹 Portugal‍

🇷🇴 Romania‍

🇸🇰 Slovakia‍

🇸🇮 Slovenia‍

🇪🇸 Spain‍

🇸🇪 Sweden

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What Is MiCA?

The Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) is the European Union’s first attempt to harmonize crypto regulation across all 30 EEA countries.

Before MiCA, each country had its own rules (or no rules at all). Now, MiCA creates a single framework that:

• Protects consumers and investors.
  
  
• Prevents market abuse and financial crime.
  
  
• Encourages responsible innovation in crypto and Web3.
  
  

From 30 December 2024, crypto companies offering services in the EU must comply with MiCA or risk losing access to the European market.

A MiCA license allows you to:
Operate legally in one EU country.
“Passport” your services across all other EEA states without separate licenses.

But each country still manages its own application process through their national regulators. That means there are important local nuances to consider before choosing where to apply.

Key MiCA Dates to Remember

*Check your country guide for the exact transitional cutoff—some NCAs chose 12 months; others up to 18.

Tip: New crypto businesses must apply and get approval before launching services. Existing providers may benefit from transitional arrangements (but deadlines vary by country).

How to Get a CASP License

To become a Crypto-Asset Service Provider under MiCA, you need to:

1. Incorporate in an EU/EEA country and establish a local office.
   
   
2. Appoint directors and compliance officers (at least one EU resident).
   
   
3. Meet capital and governance requirements.
   
   
4. Set up AML/CFT procedures, cybersecurity frameworks, and complaint handling processes.
   
   
5. Submit your license application to the national regulator.
   
   

The regulator will assess your:

• Financial soundness.
  
  
• Internal policies (AML, risk, consumer protection).
  
  
• Marketing and disclosure practices.
  
  

Once approved, you can operate across the EU.

Common MiCA Requirements Across All Countries

While details vary, every CASP license under MiCA demands the following core building blocks:

1. EU Legal Entity & Local Office
   – Must be incorporated in an EU/EEA country.
   – Requires a physical office or registered address.
   
   
2. Local Responsible Person
   – At least one director or senior manager resident in your chosen country (or elsewhere in the EU).
   
   
3. Minimum Capital & Financial Resources
   – A solvency buffer sized to your services (e.g., exchanges vs. custody).
   – Amounts differ by country and service type.
   
   
4. AML / KYC / KYT Procedures
   – Robust anti-money-laundering and “Know Your Customer/Transaction” controls.
   – Ongoing transaction monitoring and record-keeping.
   
   
5. Consumer Protection & Transparency
   – Clear disclosures of fees, terms, and risks.
   – Fair marketing practices with balanced warnings.
   
   
6. Operational Resilience & Security
   – Cybersecurity safeguards, business-continuity plans, incident-reporting protocols.
   
   
7. Market Abuse Prevention & Reporting
   – Surveillance to detect manipulation or insider trading.
   – Mechanisms to handle and escalate suspicious activity.
   
   
8. Transitional Compliance
   – Existing providers must apply by their national deadline (typically 12–18 months from 30 Dec 2024).

Comparing Core Licensing Variations

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At Scorechain, we help crypto companies prepare for MiCA compliance. From wallet screening to AML risk monitoring, our tools make it easier to meet EU regulatory standards.

Scorechain

Leading blockchain compliance platform, trusted by crypto businesses worldwide. With real-time transaction monitoring, advanced AML/KYC/KYT tools, and regulatory reporting features built for MiCA, Scorechain helps you not only secure your CASP license but also maintain ongoing compliance effortlessly.

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