The Cheapest EU Jurisdiction for a MiCA CASP Licence

First, a myth to clear: the minimum capital is identical across the EU — €50,000, €125,000 or €150,000 by service class under MiCA's Annex IV, the same in every member state. So "cheapest" is never about capital. It's about the *other* costs — incorporation, legal, MLRO/compliance staff, office, IT/security and the national regulator's fees — and those genuinely vary.

Industry estimates put the all-in first-year cost of a MiCA CASP somewhere in the region of €200,000–€475,000, depending heavily on jurisdiction, headcount and how much is built in-house (indicative ranges, not a quote — they vary widely by source and by firm).

On those *variable* costs, the pattern is consistent: Lithuania is generally the most cost-efficient of the established hubs — compliance talent runs roughly 30–40% cheaper than Berlin or Amsterdam, and ongoing administrative costs are materially lower than Estonia or Cyprus — followed by other pragmatic, lower-overhead jurisdictions. At the other end, Germany, Luxembourg and Malta sit at the premium end, where you pay for standing and rigour.

The cheapest licence is rarely the cheapest *decision*, though — a low-cost jurisdiction that doesn't satisfy your banks or counterparties can cost more later. Weigh cost against credibility and speed for your specific model.

Get an indicative all-in figure for your class and jurisdiction in the CASP Jurisdiction Selector & Cost Estimator, and confirm whether you even need a CASP licence with the MiCA Exposure Checker.