Fintech licensing in Estonia
In Estonia, the Estonian Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) and the Finantsinspektsioon (FI) issue the fintech and crypto licences. Here the Atlas covers 15 licence types, in 8 families: bank, crypto-asset service provider (MiCA), electronic money institution, fund manager, investment firm, lending, payment institution and trust and corporate services. Estonia sits in the EU/EEA, so passportable licences issued there can be extended to the other member states by notification. Crypto-asset service providers are authorised under MiCA.
Financial regulators in Estonia
- Estonia
Finantsinspektsioon (FI)
Finantsinspektsioon is Estonia's independent financial supervision and crisis resolution authority operating with autonomous responsibilitie
- Estonia
Estonian Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU)
The Estonian Financial Intelligence Unit (Rahapesu Andmebüroo) is an independent government agency under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of
Fintech licences available in Estonia
Bank / credit institution
Crypto-asset service provider (MiCA CASP)
Electronic money institution (EMI)
- EMI · Estonia
Electronic money institution operating with an exception
FI
- EMI · Estonia
Operating licence as an electronic money institution
FI
Fund manager
- FM · Estonia
Small fund manager registration without activity licence
FI
- FM · Estonia
Operating licence as a fund management company
FI
Investment firm / broker-dealer
Lending / consumer credit
- Credit · Estonia
Operating licence as a credit servicer
FI
- Credit · Estonia
Operating licence as a creditor
FI
- Credit · Estonia
Authorisation as a crowdfunding service provider
Authorisation as a crowdfunding service provider under ECSPRFI
- Credit · Estonia
Authorisation for operating as a financial institution
FIU
- Credit · Estonia
Operating licence as a credit intermediary
FI
Payment institution (PI)
- PI · Estonia
Payment institution operating with an exception
FI
- PI · Estonia
Operating licence as a payment institution
FI
Trust and corporate service provider (TCSP)
Path to market
Start with your activities. Match them to the licence types above: the activity pages show which licence permits each one. FI runs pre-application meetings and an innovation hub, and the regulator page explains how to use them. Applications go to FIU and FI with the capital, governance and AML documentation that the licence page lists. Once authorised, a firm can extend an EU/EEA licence to other member states by passport notification, without applying for a new licence.
Need this licence, or a different one?
Tell us your business model and target markets. We check the fit before you spend on an application, then handle the licence end to end.
A free preliminary assessment: we check your business model against the licence before you spend on an application. We handle this licence and any other fintech licence, including jurisdictions the Atlas does not cover yet.