Licence family
Virtual asset service provider (non-MiCA)
A virtual asset service provider (VASP) licence or registration is the non-EU equivalent of a crypto authorisation, based on the FATF definition of virtual asset activities. Regimes range from full licences with capital and conduct rules, as in Dubai, Singapore or Hong Kong, to anti-money-laundering registrations only, as in several offshore and emerging-market jurisdictions.
Where the VASP licence is available
Comparison by country
| Country | Regulator | Min. capital | Statutory time | Passport |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) | FSRA | n/a | n/a | Domestic |
| Australia | AUSTRAC | n/a | n/a | Domestic |
| Bermuda | BMA | n/a | n/a | Domestic |
| Bermuda | BMA | n/a | n/a | Domestic |
| Bermuda | BMA | n/a | n/a | Domestic |
| British Virgin Islands | BVI FSC | n/a | n/a | Domestic |
| Cayman Islands | CIMA | n/a | n/a | Domestic |
| Cayman Islands | CIMA | n/a | n/a | Domestic |
| Dubai (VARA) | VARA | n/a | n/a | Domestic |
| Dubai (VARA) | VARA | n/a | n/a | Domestic |
| Dubai (VARA) | VARA | n/a | n/a | Domestic |
| Dubai (VARA) | VARA | n/a | n/a | Domestic |
| Dubai (VARA) | VARA | n/a | n/a | Domestic |
| Dubai (VARA) | VARA | n/a | n/a | Domestic |
| Dubai (VARA) | VARA | n/a | n/a | Domestic |
| Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) | DFSA | n/a | n/a | Domestic |
| El Salvador | CNAD | n/a | 0.9 mo | Domestic |
| Germany | BaFin | n/a | n/a | Domestic |
| Ireland | CBI | n/a | n/a | Domestic |
| Mauritius | FSC | n/a | n/a | Domestic |
| Mauritius | FSC | n/a | n/a | Domestic |
| Mauritius | FSC | n/a | n/a | Domestic |
| Mauritius | FSC | n/a | n/a | Domestic |
| Mauritius | FSC | n/a | n/a | Domestic |
| Seychelles | FSA | n/a | n/a | Domestic |
| South Africa | FSCA | n/a | n/a | Domestic |
| Switzerland | FINMA | n/a | n/a | Domestic |
| United Kingdom | FCA | n/a | 3 mo | Domestic |
Values come from each country's page, where every figure has its source.
Activities this family typically covers
- Custody and administration of crypto-assets
- Operating a crypto-asset trading platform
- Exchange of crypto-assets for funds
- Exchange of crypto-assets for other crypto-assets
- Execution of orders for crypto-assets on behalf of clients
- Transfer services for crypto-assets
- Virtual asset exchange (FATF)
- Virtual asset transfer (FATF)
- Virtual asset safekeeping (FATF)
- Services related to token offerings (FATF)
All licences in this family
- VASP · Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM)
Financial Services Permission with Virtual Asset Activities Endorsement
FSRA
- VASP · Australia
Registration as a virtual asset service provider (VASP) on the AUSTRAC Virtual Asset Service Provider Register (formerly the Digital Currency Exchange Register)
AUSTRAC
- VASP · Bermuda
Digital Asset Business Class F (Full) Licence
BMA
- VASP · Bermuda
Digital Asset Business Class M (Modified) Licence
BMA
- VASP · Bermuda
Digital Asset Business Class T (Test) Licence
BMA
- VASP · British Virgin Islands
Virtual Assets Service Provider Registration
BVI FSC
- VASP · Cayman Islands
Virtual Asset Service Provider Licence (custody or trading platform services, Phase 2)
CIMA
- VASP · Cayman Islands
Virtual Asset Service Provider Registration
CIMA
- VASP · Dubai (VARA)
Virtual Asset Advisory Services Licence
VARA
- VASP · Dubai (VARA)
Virtual Asset Broker-Dealer Services Licence
VARA
- VASP · Dubai (VARA)
Virtual Asset Custody Services Licence
VARA
- VASP · Dubai (VARA)
Virtual Asset Exchange Services Licence
VARA
- VASP · Dubai (VARA)
Virtual Asset Lending and Borrowing Services Licence
VARA
- VASP · Dubai (VARA)
Virtual Asset Management and Investment Services Licence
VARA
- VASP · Dubai (VARA)
Virtual Asset Transfer and Settlement Services Licence
VARA
- VASP · Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC)
Financial Services Permission with Crypto Token Activities Endorsement
DFSA
- VASP · El Salvador
Proveedor de Servicios de Activos Digitales (PSAD) registration
CNAD
- VASP · Germany
Qualified crypto custody licence (Erlaubnis für das qualifizierte Kryptoverwahrgeschäft nach § 1 Absatz 1a Satz 2 Nummer 6 KWG)
BaFin
- VASP · Ireland
Virtual Asset Service Provider AML/CFT Registration
CBI
- VASP · Mauritius
Virtual Asset Advisory Services (Class I)
FSC
- VASP · Mauritius
Virtual Asset Broker-Dealer (Class M)
FSC
- VASP · Mauritius
Virtual Asset Wallet Services (Class O)
FSC
- VASP · Mauritius
Virtual Asset Custodian (Class R)
FSC
- VASP · Mauritius
Virtual Asset Market Place (Class S)
FSC
- VASP · Seychelles
Virtual Asset Service Provider Licence / Registration (Wallet Provider, Exchange, Broking, Investment Provider) under the Virtual Asset Service Providers Act 2024
FSA
- VASP · South Africa
Crypto Asset Service Provider licence (an FSP authorisation category under FAIS, not a MiCA-equivalent regime)
FSCA
- VASP · Switzerland
Financial intermediary / VASP SRO affiliation (Finanzintermediär nach Art. 2 Abs. 3 GwG / AMLA)
FINMA
- VASP · United Kingdom
Cryptoasset Business Registration (MLRs 2017)
FCA
Last verified 2026-09-24Author Danil Marmysh, Founder & CEO, ProtegraReviewed by Anastasia Sidorenkova, Head of Licensing, ProtegraReport an errorReference information, not legal advice.
Sources
- FATF Glossary: virtual asset service provider · retrieved 2026-09-24
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