Asia · MAS · Payment Services Act (DPT) · High-trust
Singapore Crypto Licence
Asia's gold-standard payments regulator. A Digital Payment Token licence from the Monetary Authority of Singapore — Standard or Major Payment Institution under the Payment Services Act — is among the most respected crypto credentials in the world. MAS is rigorous and deliberate, so it takes time and real capital, but the trust it confers is unmatched in Asia. Vantegris runs the MAS application, the governance build and the banking.
overview
What is the Singapore crypto licence?
Singapore is where you license when trust is the entire proposition. Digital Payment Token (DPT) services are a regulated payment activity under the Payment Services Act 2019, supervised by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) — one of the most respected financial regulators anywhere. To provide DPT services from Singapore you must hold either a Standard Payment Institution (SPI) or Major Payment Institution (MPI) licence, and MAS grants them selectively.
The tiering follows your scale. An SPI fits smaller operators — monthly DPT transaction volume up to S$3 million and average daily float up to S$5 million — with S$100,000 base capital; beyond those thresholds you need an MPI, with S$250,000 base capital, plus any buffers MAS imposes. MAS's published indicative processing time is six months, but a realistic end-to-end timeline is nine to fourteen months for a well-resourced application — this is a deliberate, evidence-heavy regulator. By early 2026 MAS had granted roughly 30 MPI and over 60 SPI licences, making Singapore one of Asia-Pacific's most active regimes, and further Payment Services Act amendments are phasing in (capital and governance from July 2026, full operational compliance from January 2027). It does not passport into the EU — but for institutional credibility in Asia, a MAS licence is the benchmark. We build to MAS standard from day one.
advantages
Why operators pick Singapore
A MAS licence is the benchmark credential for institutional and banking confidence in Asia.
Start as an SPI and step up to MPI as your volumes grow, matching capital to scale.
A regulated home in one of the world's leading financial centres.
A MAS-licensed entity is far easier to bank than an unregulated platform.
A mature, well-documented Payment Services Act framework.
head to head
Singapore vs. Hong Kong
| Criteria | Singapore (MAS) | Hong Kong (SFC) |
|---|---|---|
| Regulator | MAS (Payment Services Act) | SFC (VATP regime) |
| Tiers | SPI (S$100k) / MPI (S$250k) | Single VATP licence |
| Timeline | 9–14 months realistic | Extended, very selective |
| Custody | Safeguarding under PS Act | Wholly-owned subsidiary only |
| EU passport | No | No |
| Best suited to | Payments/DPT with scale tiers | Institutional exchanges |
who it's for
Who the Singapore crypto licence suits
requirements
Singapore crypto licence requirements
step by step
How to get a Singapore crypto licence
- Tier & readiness Determine SPI vs MPI from your volumes, and assess against MAS requirements. 2–4 weeks
- Company & capital Establish the Singapore company, resident director, base capital and premises. 3–6 weeks
- Build the file Prepare the business plan, AML/CFT, technology-risk and user-protection frameworks. 8–12 weeks
- MAS application File with MAS and manage a thorough, evidence-heavy review to licence. 6–12 months
- Launch On approval, go live under the PS Act obligations and ongoing supervision. On approval
Not sure Singapore is the right fit?
Tell us your product and target markets — we'll confirm whether Singapore or another jurisdiction gets you live fastest, at the lowest all-in cost.
pricing
How much does a Singapore crypto licence cost?
- Singapore company & structure
- SPI/MPI application to MAS
- Business plan & core frameworks
- Regulator liaison to licence
- Everything in Licence
- Resident director & governance setup
- AML/CFT, tech-risk & user-protection frameworks
- Base-capital arrangement
- Everything in Turnkey
- Banking & institutional introductions
- SPI-to-MPI step-up support
- Ongoing compliance & reporting support
Singapore is a premium, evidence-heavy regime. Budget the SPI or MPI base capital (S$100k / S$250k plus MAS buffers), a resident director and Singapore premises, a full compliance and technology-risk build, and a realistic nine-to-fourteen-month timeline. The reward is the most trusted licence in Asia. We model the full commitment before you start.
obligations
Compliance obligations in Singapore
technical standards
Technical & IT standards in Singapore
after launch
After you go live in Singapore
market access
Which markets a Singapore licence reaches
A MAS DPT licence authorises regulated digital-payment-token services in and from Singapore and supports Asian and global business, but it does not passport into the EU. You still geo-block markets you are not licensed in, plus sanctioned and FATF-listed territories.
Operators must use GEO-IP blocking for restricted countries and any FATF-blacklisted nation. Non-compliance can lead to licence suspension or revocation.
Singapore crypto licence FAQ
What licence do I need for crypto in Singapore?
Digital Payment Token (DPT) services are regulated under the Payment Services Act 2019 by MAS. You need either a Standard Payment Institution (SPI) or Major Payment Institution (MPI) licence, depending on your transaction volumes and float.
SPI or MPI — which applies?
An SPI fits smaller operators — monthly DPT volume up to S$3 million and average daily float up to S$5 million — with S$100,000 base capital. Above those thresholds you need an MPI, with S$250,000 base capital, plus any MAS-imposed buffers.
How long does a MAS licence take?
MAS's published indicative processing time is six months, but a realistic end-to-end timeline is nine to fourteen months for a well-resourced application. MAS is a deliberate, evidence-heavy regulator.
Are the rules changing?
Yes. Payment Services Act amendments are phasing in — capital and governance from July 2026 and full operational compliance from January 2027. We build to the incoming standard so you are not caught out.
Does a Singapore licence work in the EU?
No. A MAS DPT licence authorises activity in and from Singapore and supports Asian and global business, but it does not passport into the EU. To serve EU users you would need an EU CASP licence.
Reviewed by the Vantegris licensing team · Last updated July 2026. This page is general information, not legal advice. Licensing requirements vary by jurisdiction and change over time.
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