All Guides
Available Guides
Each guide is maintained and updated as regulations change. Last reviewed: Q1 2025.
Beginner → Advanced · 25 min read
How to Get a Crypto Licence: The Complete 2025 Guide
7-step process from business model assessment to operational launch. Covers jurisdiction selection, capital requirements, AML programme setup, and the 7 most common mistakes. Includes full jurisdiction comparison table (10 countries).
EU Regulation · 20 min read
MiCA Compliance Guide 2025: EU CASP Authorisation
Complete guide to the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation. Covers 10 CASP service types, 3 licence classes, capital requirements, grandfathering deadline (July 2026), jurisdiction selection for CASP authorisation, and ongoing obligations.
Compliance · 18 min read
AML/KYC for Crypto: Complete Compliance Guide
What a regulator-ready AML/KYC programme requires: legal framework, KYC tiers, transaction monitoring, enforcement cases, and the tools that pass audits.
Cost Planning · 15 min read
How Much Does a Crypto Licence Cost?
Full crypto licence cost breakdown for 2026: cheapest from €3,000 (SVG, Georgia), mid-tier €25k–€80k (Lithuania, Estonia), premium EU and Gulf options.
EU Regulation · 20 min read
MiCA Regulation Explained: EU Crypto Rules
Complete MiCA guide for 2026: three crypto-asset categories, CASP licence classes, capital thresholds, EU passporting, and the July 2026 grandfathering deadline.
Fundamentals · 12 min read
What Is a VASP? Definition & Types
VASP explained: the FATF definition, VASP vs CASP differences, the 6 types of Virtual Asset Service Provider, Travel Rule obligations, and where to register.
Compliance Risk
No-KYC Exchanges: The Real Regulatory Risks
Why unlicensed and KYC-free exchanges face escalating enforcement under FATF Travel Rule, MiCA, and US FinCEN. Covers fines, indictments, banking blacklisting, and what regulated operators are doing instead.
Stablecoins · 2026
Stablecoin Regulation: MiCA, GENIUS Act & Asian Frameworks
A jurisdiction-by-jurisdiction map of stablecoin issuer licensing — EMT/ART under MiCA, US GENIUS Act and state trust charters, Singapore MAS SCS, Hong Kong HKMA, and Japan FSA stablecoin rules.
EU Regulation · 9 min read
MiCA Grandfathering: Deadline for Existing VASPs
What existing EU crypto firms must do before the transitional period ends. Who qualifies, the 1 July 2026 deadline, member-state variations, and the simplified CASP authorisation route.
DeFi · 9 min read
DeFi Regulation 2026: Do You Need a Licence?
How MiCA, the US, and Asia-Pacific treat decentralised finance — and the factors (front-end, admin keys, fees, governance) that decide whether your protocol needs authorisation.
Fundamentals · 12 min read
What Is a Crypto Licence? Definition & Types
The definition, types (VASP, CASP, MSB), who needs one, the activities that are regulated, and the penalties for operating a crypto business without authorisation.
Topics Covered
What Our Guides Cover
Jurisdiction Selection
- EU vs non-EU comparison
- Offshore vs onshore trade-offs
- Tax efficiency analysis
- Banking access by jurisdiction
Application Process
- Document preparation checklists
- Regulator communication tips
- Common rejection reasons
- Timeline management
AML / Compliance
- KYC programme design
- FATF Travel Rule implementation
- Transaction monitoring setup
- MLRO role and requirements
EU Regulation (MiCA)
- CASP authorisation process
- Grandfathering transition
- 10 CASP service categories
- Passporting across EU
Cost & Capital
- Application fee breakdowns
- Minimum capital by jurisdiction
- Year 1 vs ongoing costs
- Fundraising for licensing capital
Business Structure
- Multi-entity structures
- Holding company design
- IP ownership placement
- Operational vs regulatory entity