Regulator · Ireland

Central Bank of Ireland (CBI): register, licences and requirements

The Central Bank of Ireland (CBI) is Ireland's central bank and its integrated prudential and conduct regulator, within the Eurosystem and the Single Supervisory Mechanism. It authorises and supervises credit institutions, investment firms, payment and electronic money institutions, fund managers and, under MiCA, crypto-asset service providers. It had authorised 12 of the latter by September 2026. Annual supervisory levies are set each year by regulations under section 32D of the Central Bank Act 1942.

Last verified 2026-10-05Markdown · Data (CC BY 4.0)
Central Bank of Ireland: regulatorCBI

How to check a firm on the CBI register

Search the Central Bank of Ireland Registers online by firm name, reference number (C-code) or sector type on FirmSearchPage.aspx, or download the official register PDFs on DownloadsPage.aspx. An active entry shows the firm's reference number, legal name, trading names, registered address and authorization date. It also lists the permitted services, the passporting member states and any registered agents or branches.13

At a glance

Official nameCentral Bank of Ireland (Banc Ceannais na hÉireann)
JurisdictionIreland
TypeCentral bank
HeadquartersDublin1
Founded19432
Websitecentralbank.ie3
Public registerOfficial public register4
Licence types in the Atlas9

What CBI supervises

The Central Bank of Ireland is Ireland's central bank and its integrated financial conduct and prudential regulator, within the Eurosystem and Single Supervisory Mechanism. It works in the public interest to maintain monetary and financial stability, and to make sure the financial system operates in the best interests of consumers and the wider economy.15

  • Electronic money institutions and payment institutions5
  • Crypto-asset service providers under EU MiCA Regulation10
  • Credit institutions and commercial banks under the Single Supervisory Mechanism16
  • Investment firms, brokerages, and market infrastructure under MiFID II16
  • Alternative investment fund managers (AIFMs), UCITS management companies, and collective investment schemes16
  • Crowdfunding service providers under ECSPR4

Licences CBI issues

Lesser-known services for applicants

Available

Pre-application meeting / pre-assessment

Payment and e-money institutions go through a structured pre-application engagement process at the Central Bank of Ireland. The applicant completes a Pre-Application Key Facts Document (KFD) of 15 to 20 pages and sends it to applications@centralbank.ie at least 5 working days before an exploratory meeting. Pre-application engagement carries no statutory fees.5

Available

Innovation hub

The Central Bank of Ireland runs an Innovation Hub that offers informal engagement, regulatory guidance and feedback to innovative fintech business models. Requests go in through an engagement form to innovation@centralbank.ie. The initial response comes within 5 working days, and consultative meetings are scheduled within 2 to 3 weeks, free of charge.6

Available · policy

Regulatory sandbox

The Central Bank of Ireland operates an Innovation Sandbox Programme on a 6-month thematic cohort basis (cohort 1: Combatting Financial Crime; current cohort: Innovation in Payments). Participants receive regulatory mentorship, advice and workshops. The programme gives no statutory exemptions or waivers from EU or Irish financial legislation.7

Application portal: Central Bank of Ireland Portal (https://portal.centralbank.ie/)8

Fee schedule: Central Bank Act 1942 (Section 32D) Regulations 2026 (S.I. No. 348/2026)9

Compare with other regulators: pre-application meetings · sandboxes and innovation hubs.

Statistics

Number of licence holders by licence typeCrypto-Asset Service Provider 12Electronic Money Institution A30Crowdfunding Service Provider 7Payment Institution Authorisat32Virtual Asset Service Provider0
Current licence holders in the official register44444
  • 28 active electronic money institutions authorised under European Communities (Electronic Money) Regulations 2011 (register, 2026-09-01)4
  • 26 active payment institutions authorised under European Union (Payment Services) Regulations 2018 (register, 2026-09-01)4
  • 6 active account information service providers registered under European Union (Payment Services) Regulations 2018 (register, 2026-09-01)4
  • 12 crypto-asset service providers authorised under Article 63 of Regulation (EU) 2023/1114 MiCA (register, 2026-05-15)4
  • 0 virtual asset service providers active on the domestic AML VASP register following MiCA transition (register, 2026-01-05)4
  • 0 small electronic money institutions registered under Regulation 33 of E-Money Regulations (register, 2026-09-01)4
  • 93 investment firms authorised under Regulation 8(3) of European Union (Markets in Financial Instruments) Regulations 2017 (register, 2026-09-11)4
  • 952 investment business firms authorised under Section 10 of Investment Intermediaries Act 1995 (register, 2026-09-09)4
  • 193 alternative investment fund managers authorised and registered under AIFMD (register, 2026-09-09)4
  • 84 UCITS management companies authorised under UCITS Regulations (register, 2026-09-09)4
  • 17 Irish-authorised credit institutions licensed under Section 9 of Central Bank Act 1971 (register, 2026-09-21)4
  • 7 crowdfunding service providers authorised under Article 12 of Regulation (EU) 2020/1503 (register, 2026-09-23)4

Fees and timelines

LicenceFeeAmount
Electronic Money Institution AuthorisationapplicationEUR 0 (No application fee)5
Electronic Money Institution AuthorisationannualMinimum levy of EUR 6,625 plus a variable levy based on the firm's share of all transactions processed (Category N, S.I. No. 348/2026)9
Payment Institution AuthorisationapplicationEUR 0 (No application fee)5
Payment Institution AuthorisationannualMinimum levy of EUR 6,625 plus a variable levy based on the firm's share of all transactions processed (Category N, S.I. No. 348/2026)9
Crypto-Asset Service Provider AuthorisationapplicationEUR 0 (No statutory application fee published under Irish MiCAR framework)10
Investment Firm Authorisation (MiFID II)annualSet by the firm's sub-category (D2 to D10) and PRISM impact rating under Category D of S.I. No. 348/20269
Banking Licence (Section 9 Central Bank Act 1971)annualMinimum EUR 292,226 plus a variable amount (Category A1, S.I. No. 348/2026)9
Time to licence: statutory 1.8-1.8 monthsStatutory1.8 months
Time to a decision for Crypto-Asset Service Provider Authorisation: statutory deadline vs observed.
LicenceStatutory deadlineObserved
Crypto-Asset Service Provider Authorisation40 working days from receipt of a complete application under Article 63(1) of MiCA11not published
Banking Licence (Section 9 Central Bank Act 1971)6 months from receipt of a complete application, maximum 12 months from receipt of application under CRD IV / SSM12not published

Changing the owner of a licensed firm

Prior notification with an objection period. Prior written notification to the Central Bank of Ireland is required for a direct or indirect acquisition or disposal of qualifying holdings reaching or crossing 10%, 20%, 30% or 50% of capital or voting rights, or resulting in the firm becoming a subsidiary. An acquisition made without notification is null and void. The Central Bank carries out a statutory assessment within 60 working days of complete acknowledgment, which can be paused once for 20 working days for EU acquirers or 30 working days for non-EU acquirers. It evaluates the acquirer's reputation, financial soundness and AML/CFT risks under the European Union (Payment Services) Regulations 2018, E-Money Regulations 2011 and MiFID Regulations 2017.17

Laws CBI applies

Recent and upcoming changes

  • 2026-03-10: Director of Capital Markets and Funds Gerry Cross addressed newly authorised CASPs under MiCA, highlighting the sector's shift from initial authorisations to active ongoing supervision and publishing a Discussion Paper on DLT and tokenisation.18
  • 2025-12-30: Ireland's 12-month MiCAR transitional period for registered Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs) expired under Article 143(3), requiring all crypto firms operating in Ireland to hold full CASP authorisation.19
  • 2025-01-17: EU Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA, Regulation (EU) 2022/2554) took effect across all Irish regulated financial entities, establishing mandatory ICT risk management, testing, and incident reporting.20
  • 2024-12-30: EU Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA, Regulation (EU) 2023/1114) Title V commenced, establishing Central Bank of Ireland as the National Competent Authority for crypto-asset service provider licensing.11
  • 2024-09-26: Central Bank Commission adopted S.I. No. 493/2024 (Central Bank Act 1942 (Section 32D) Regulations 2024), setting the annual Industry Funding Levy structure for Payment Institutions and EMIs under Category N.21

Contacts and public register

Address: New Wapping Street, North Wall Quay, Dublin 1, D01 F7X3, Ireland1
Website: centralbank.ie3

Check whether a firm is licensed: official register4 · official register13 · official register14.

Frequently asked questions

Does the Central Bank of Ireland charge application fees for fintech and payment licences?

No. The Central Bank of Ireland does not charge statutory application or filing fees for authorisation as a Payment Institution, Electronic Money Institution or MiCAR Crypto-Asset Service Provider. Once authorised, though, a firm is legally subject to the annual Industry Funding Levy (Category N for PIs and EMIs: EUR 5,000 base flat levy plus a variable fee proportional to annual transaction volume).

How does Ireland regulate crypto-asset service providers under MiCA?

The Central Bank of Ireland has been National Competent Authority under EU MiCA (Regulation (EU) 2023/1114) since 30 December 2024. Ireland used its discretion to limit the transitional grace period to 12 months, ending on 30 December 2025. Every crypto-asset firm operating in Ireland needs full CASP authorisation. As of 2026, 12 CASPs are authorised and domestic VASP registrations stand at zero.

What is the pre-application process for an Irish EMI or Payment Institution licence?

Applicants complete Phase 1 exploratory engagement before formal lodgement. That means sending a detailed Pre-Application Key Facts Document (KFD) of 15 to 20 pages to applications@centralbank.ie at least 5 working days before an initial consultative meeting. The Central Bank reviews the business model, local substance and governance readiness, so that unviable applications drop out before the 90-business-day assessment clock starts.

Can a fintech apply for a Small Payment Institution licence in Ireland?

No. Ireland did not transpose the optional Small Payment Institution (SPI) exemption under Article 32 of PSD2, so every entity providing payment services in Ireland must apply for a full Payment Institution authorisation. Ireland does keep a Small Electronic Money Institution (SEMI) regime under Regulation 33 of the 2011 E-Money Regulations, though zero active SEMIs are currently registered.

What local presence and substance does the Central Bank of Ireland require?

The Central Bank enforces strict 'heart and mind' substance requirements. Authorised firms must keep substantial management, operational decision-making and compliance in Ireland. Individuals in Pre-Approval Controlled Functions (PCFs), such as executive directors, chief executives and heads of compliance or AML, must have an active local presence and meet the Fitness and Probity standards under the Individual Accountability Framework (IAF) and SEAR.

Last verified 2026-10-05Author Danil Marmysh, Founder & CEO, ProtegraReviewed by Anastasia Sidorenkova, Head of Licensing, ProtegraReport an errorReference information, not legal advice.

Sources

  1. centralbank.ie: contact us · retrieved 2026-09-24
  2. en.wikipedia.org: Central Bank of Ireland · secondary · retrieved 2026-09-24
  3. centralbank.ie · retrieved 2026-09-24
  4. registers.centralbank.ie · retrieved 2026-09-24
  5. centralbank.ie: payment authorisation · retrieved 2026-09-24
  6. centralbank.ie: how to engage with the innovation hub · retrieved 2026-09-24
  7. centralbank.ie: innovation sandbox programme · retrieved 2026-09-24
  8. portal.centralbank.ie · retrieved 2026-09-24
  9. irishstatutebook.ie: print · retrieved 2026-09-24
  10. centralbank.ie: markets in crypto assets regulation · retrieved 2026-09-24
  11. EUR-Lex: CELEX 32023R1114 · retrieved 2026-09-24
  12. EUR-Lex: CELEX 32013L0036 · retrieved 2026-09-24
  13. registers.centralbank.ie · retrieved 2026-09-24
  14. registers.centralbank.ie · retrieved 2026-09-24
  15. centralbank.ie: about · retrieved 2026-09-24
  16. centralbank.ie: authorisation · retrieved 2026-09-24
  17. centralbank.ie: notification process for proposed acquisitions of qualifying · retrieved 2026-09-24
  18. centralbank.ie: speech gerry cross casp 10 march 2026 · retrieved 2026-09-24
  19. centralbank.ie: impact of micar on vasp · retrieved 2026-09-24
  20. EUR-Lex: CELEX 32022R2554 · retrieved 2026-09-24
  21. irishstatutebook.ie: print · retrieved 2026-09-24

Applying to CBI, or buying a firm it licenses?

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