Fintech Licensing
Licences for e-money, payments, crypto and money transfer (EMI, PSP, VASP, MSB), applied for with the right regulator.
Licences for e-money, payments, crypto and money transfer (EMI, PSP, VASP, MSB) are decided by three parties: the regulator, the bank and the card processor. We work on all three from day one, because a licence that can't open a bank account or connect to a card processor is a certificate on the wall, not a business.
We build business plans that pass the regulator, capital and money-laundering-officer models, IT and customer-money (safeguarding) controls, and outsourcing arrangements that match what that regulator is focusing on right now — not last year's rulebook.
Being realistic about time is part of the job. A UK EMI isn't a three-month project. A Lithuanian EMI isn't a six-month project. We price and plan around how long regulators are actually taking today.
What we do for you
- Business plans built to pass the regulator
- Capital, money-laundering officer and IT controls sorted
- Introductions to banks and card processors
Who usually uses this
- Founders launching a payments, wallet, money-transfer or card product
- Crypto exchanges, custodians and trading desks needing a crypto (VASP) licence
- Established fintechs moving regulator after Brexit or the EU's new crypto rules (MiCA)
One team, step by step, from the first call to handing it over.
We pick the regulator, partner bank and card processor that suit the product before writing the application.
Business plan, financial forecasts, a plan for winding down safely, anti-money-laundering manuals, IT and customer-money procedures.
A named lead through the pre-application meetings, the filing and the regulator's rounds of questions.
Bank and card processor sign-up, the first audit, and ongoing compliance oversight.
What you receive.
Every engagement closes with a specialist-reviewed handover pack — retained on file for thirty years.
- Business plan and forecasts for the regulator
- Anti-money-laundering, customer-money and IT policies
- The application filed, and dealings with the regulator handled
- Introductions to partner banks and card processors
The countries we most often use for this service.
Questions we hear on every intake call.
- How long does an EMI licence take?
- Realistically twelve to eighteen months in the UK, and nine to fifteen months in Lithuania and Malta. Anyone quoting three months is quoting the date you file, not the date you're licensed.
- What capital do I need?
- An EMI needs €350,000 of starting capital under the current EU rules (PSD2), but the regulator will want more depending on your forecast volumes. We work this out before you commit.
- Can you help with the money-laundering reporting officer (MLRO) role?
- Yes. We can introduce checked candidates and, in some countries, provide the MLRO through a regulated partner firm.
Start with a twenty-minute call. Come away with a written plan and price.
Every engagement begins with our advisory team and is assigned to the relevant specialists. Fees are quoted in writing before any work begins. No hourly billing.
More on licensing & related work
Every engagement begins with a twenty-minute advisory call. The fee is in writing before any work begins. No hourly billing.