Crypto-asset service provider (MiCA CASP) · Cyprus

Crypto-Asset Service Provider (CASP) authorisation under MiCAR Article 63 (Cyprus)

The Crypto-Asset Service Provider (CASP) authorisation under MiCAR Article 63 is issued by Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) under Regulation (EU) 2023/1114 on markets in crypto-assets (MiCA). It can be passported to the other EU/EEA states by notification. The official register lists 16 current holders. The legal decision period is 40 working days from receipt of a complete application (following a 25 working days completeness assessment). Ownership changes need the regulator's approval before completion.

Last verified 2026-09-24Regulator CySECMarkdown · Data (CC BY 4.0)
Crypto-Asset Service Provider (CASP) authorisation under MiCAR Article 63: licenceCASP

At a glance

Official nameCrypto-Asset Service Provider (CASP) authorisation under MiCAR Article 631
Issued byCyprus Securities and Exchange Commission
JurisdictionCyprus
Licence familyCrypto-asset service provider (MiCA CASP)
Legal basisRegulation (EU) 2023/1114 on markets in crypto-assets (MiCA)2
PassportingEU/EEA passport available
Application feeEUR 5,000 to EUR 30,000 per requested crypto-asset service (EUR 5,000 for exchange or transfer services; EUR 8,000 for RTO, execution, placing, advice, or portfolio management; EUR 10,000 for custody; EUR 30,000 for trading platform operation)3
Annual feeFixed annual fee between EUR 5,000 and EUR 20,000 per authorized crypto-asset service (EUR 5,000 for exchange/execution/transfers; EUR 8,000 for advice/portfolio; EUR 10,000 for custody; EUR 20,000 for trading platform), plus turnover surcharge above EUR 500,000 (1% up to EUR 1M, scaling to 0.1% above EUR 10M, capped at EUR 500,000 total)3
Statutory decision time40 working days from receipt of a complete application (following a 25 working days completeness assessment)2
Public registerofficial register1
Current holders161

What it lets you do

  • Custody and administration of crypto-assets. Safekeeping or controlling crypto-assets, or the means of access to them such as private keys, on behalf of clients.
  • Operating a crypto-asset trading platform. Managing a multilateral system that brings together buying and selling interests in crypto-assets so that contracts are concluded.
  • Exchange of crypto-assets for funds. Buying or selling crypto-assets against fiat money using the provider's own capital.
  • Exchange of crypto-assets for other crypto-assets. Concluding contracts with clients to swap one crypto-asset for another using the provider's own capital.
  • Execution of orders for crypto-assets on behalf of clients. Concluding agreements to buy or sell crypto-assets on behalf of clients, including subscribing to offers.
  • Placing of crypto-assets. Marketing crypto-assets to purchasers on behalf of or for the account of the offeror or a related party.
  • Reception and transmission of orders for crypto-assets. Receiving a client's order to buy or sell crypto-assets and passing it to a third party for execution.
  • Advice on crypto-assets. Giving personalised recommendations to a client about transactions in crypto-assets or the use of crypto-asset services.
  • Portfolio management of crypto-assets. Managing portfolios that include crypto-assets on a discretionary, client-by-client basis under a mandate.
  • Transfer services for crypto-assets. Moving crypto-assets on behalf of a client from one distributed-ledger address or account to another.

Where it is valid

Cyprus licence, passportable across the EU/EEAATBEBGHRCYCZDKEEFIFRDEGRHUIEITLVLTLUNLPLPTROSKSIESSEISNOMTLI
Issued in Cyprus (gold); can be passported to the other EU/EEA states (blue) by notification.

Cost

Cost components, upper bound total EUR 10,000Application fee: EUR 5,000Annual supervisory fee: EUR 5,000
Regulatory costs from the official sources above. Professional fees, staff, office and audit come on top and depend on the business model.

How long it takes

Time to licence: statutory 1.8-1.8 monthsStatutory1.8 months

Statutory: 40 working days from receipt of a complete application (following a 25 working days completeness assessment)2. Observed: not published. The statutory clock usually starts only when the regulator treats the application as complete, and pauses while it waits for answers to its questions.

Buying a company that already holds it

Prior notification with an objection period. Any natural or legal person proposing to acquire or increase, directly or indirectly, a qualifying holding reaching or crossing 10%, 20%, 30%, or 50% in a CIF, AIFM, or CASP, or to achieve control making it a subsidiary, must submit prior written notification to CySEC under Sections 12 and 13 of Law 87(I)/2017 and MiCA Article 83. CySEC acknowledges receipt within two working days and has a statutory assessment period of 60 working days to oppose the acquisition based on reputation, financial soundness, AML risks, and fit-and-proper criteria. The assessment period may be interrupted once by up to 20 working days (or 30 working days for non-EU entities) to request additional information. If CySEC does not object in writing before expiry, the transaction is deemed approved. Closing without CySEC non-opposition suspends voting rights and risks statutory penalties.4

Ready-made companies holding this licence: see verified positions.

Laws behind it

Getting this licence

Protegra handles this licence end to end: CASP licensing in Cyprus: process, timeline and our fee.

Last verified 2026-09-24Author Danil Marmysh, Founder & CEO, ProtegraReviewed by Anastasia Sidorenkova, Head of Licensing, ProtegraReport an errorReference information, not legal advice.

Sources

  1. cysec.gov.cy: Licensees (Article 63) · retrieved 2026-09-24
  2. eur-lex.europa.eu: HTML (32023R1114) · retrieved 2026-09-24
  3. cysec.gov.cy: GetFile · retrieved 2026-09-24
  4. cylaw.org: full · secondary · retrieved 2026-09-24

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