Crypto Payment Licence
A crypto payment company touches everyone's perimeter: transfers, exchange, sometimes fiat e-money. We run the licence applications that fit your flows, and line up the banking that makes them work.
What licence does a crypto payment business need?
Crypto payment businesses (gateways letting merchants accept crypto, processors settling to fiat, payout and OTC desks) sit at the intersection of several regimes: crypto transfer and exchange services on one side, money transmission and e-money on the other. The right licence depends on what your flows actually do, whatever your pitch deck calls the product.
In the EU, MiCA covers the crypto legs: transfer services alone are a Class 1 CASP service at €50,000 capital, and exchanging crypto for funds puts you in Class 2 at €125,000. Either is authorised in a member state and passported. If you hold fiat balances for customers beyond the payment moment, you drift into e-money territory. An EMI authorisation question we scope, because it's a different animal in cost and time.
For the US, the route is FinCEN MSB registration federally plus money-transmitter licences state by state. A marathon we sequence by market priority. Outside both blocs, Georgia's ~60-day VASP registration covers crypto payment flows at minimal cost, and offshore VASP regimes (St. Vincent, Seychelles) work for globally-distributed processors.
Licence routes for a crypto payment business
VASP registration in ≈60 days covering crypto payment and exchange flows, ~$500 state fee, 0% personal crypto tax. Best value for non-EU-facing processors.
€50,000 capital for transfer services alone (Class 1), or €125,000 once you exchange crypto for funds (Class 2), passported across the EU. What European merchants' banks want to see from their gateway.
FinCEN registration plus state-by-state money-transmitter licensing, sequenced by market. The only real route to US payment flows.
Payment licensing routes compared
| Route | Capital / fees | Timeline | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia (VASP) | ~$500 state fee | ≈60 days | Global processors, speed |
| Lithuania (MiCA) | €50k (transfers, Class 1) or €125k (exchange, Class 2) | 3–6 months | EU merchant gateways |
| Estonia (MiCA) | €50k (transfers, Class 1) or €125k (exchange, Class 2) | 4–6 months | EU flows, upgrade path |
| US FinCEN MSB | registration + per-state MTL costs | state-dependent, sequenced | US merchant/payout flows |
| St. Vincent (VASP) | ~$6k fees + XCD 100k deposit | ≈90 days | Low-cost registered base |
| Seychelles (VASP) | capital by activity type | 3–6 months | Offshore processors with substance |
Crypto payment licence requirements
How to get a crypto payment licence
- Scope call Your payment product, target markets and custody model. We confirm which activities are actually licensable, where, and what the all-in number is. Day 1
- Company & structure We incorporate the entity where the regime wants it, with the director, office and officers that regulator expects. Week 1–3
- File & evidence KYC on owners, business plan, AML/CFT programme, the funds-flow diagram and settlement model. We assemble the file and run the regulator dialogue to approval. Week 3+
- Authorisation & rails Licence or registration granted; banking/EMI accounts and on/off-ramps plugged in around it. We stay on for reporting and renewals. Regime-dependent
Want the shortlist for a crypto payment business?
Tell us your product, target markets and payment mix — we'll confirm the route that gets you live fastest at the lowest all-in cost, with the number itemised.
How much does a crypto payment licence cost?
The number that matters in payments is all-in: licence + banking + acquiring. We quote the three together, because any one alone doesn't process a single transaction.
Where to license a crypto payment business
Crypto payment licence FAQ
What licence does a crypto payment gateway need?
It depends on the flows: crypto transfer services (MiCA CASP from €50k capital in the EU, or €125k once you also exchange crypto for funds; VASP registration in Georgia or offshore), plus money-transmission licensing in the US (FinCEN MSB + state MTLs) if you touch US flows. We map the licence set from your funds-flow diagram.
Do I need an EMI licence?
Only if you hold customer fiat balances beyond the settlement moment. Pure crypto-in/fiat-out processing with immediate settlement usually stays on the CASP/VASP side, and we often re-design holding periods so it stays there.
What's the cheapest way to start?
Georgia: VASP registration in ≈60 days at a ~$500 state fee, covering crypto payment and exchange flows for non-EU markets. Add MiCA or US licensing later, when the merchant book justifies it.
Can I serve US merchants?
Only with the US stack: FinCEN MSB registration plus money-transmitter licences in the states you operate. It's a sequenced, state-by-state build. We prioritise by your merchant geography rather than filing all 50.
What about banking and acquiring?
We line up EMI accounts, settlement banking and (where relevant) card acquiring alongside the licence, because a payments business cannot trade on the licence alone.
Licensing something other than a crypto payment business?
Reviewed by the Vantegris licensing team. This page is general information, not legal advice. Fee schedules and timelines mirror our jurisdiction pages and change when regulators change them.
Start your crypto payment licence file.
Tell us the product and we'll map the licence, banking and structure that gets it live. The consultation is free and confidential, and most enquiries get a reply within 24 hours.