Compare Jurisdictions
The Fastest Route to an EU CASP Licence
Which EU jurisdiction grants a MiCA CASP licence fastest? Indicative regulator processing times — Lithuania ~90–120 days up to Germany 9–12 months.
If time is the constraint — and with most transitional windows already closed, it usually is — jurisdiction choice can mean the difference between months. Processing times vary widely by national competent authority. These are indicative figures for clean, complete applications (incomplete files take far longer everywhere):
| Jurisdiction | Regulator | Indicative timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Lithuania | Bank of Lithuania | ~90–120 days (fastest) |
| Malta | MFSA | ~3–6 months |
| Cyprus | CySEC | ~3–6 months |
| France | AMF / ACPR | ~5–6 months |
| Germany | BaFin | ~9–12 months |
Lithuania is consistently the quickest, with the Bank of Lithuania citing roughly 90–120 days for clean files. Malta and Cyprus sit in the typical 3–6 month band; France runs a little longer; Germany's BaFin is the most thorough and the slowest, often 9–12 months, reflecting its high bar.
Two cautions. First, "fast" assumes a complete, credible application — the single biggest cause of delay everywhere is an incomplete file. Second, speed is not the only axis: a fast licence that your banks don't respect can be a false economy. But for firms racing the clock, Lithuania is usually the pragmatic answer.
Compare timelines and costs side by side in the CASP Jurisdiction Selector & Cost Estimator, and if your country's transitional window has already closed, see the 1 July 2026 deadline for what that means.
See also: Lithuania · Cheapest EU jurisdiction
Talk to HELMS about what this means for you →
Indicative guidance, not legal or financial advice. Capital and authorisation requirements are set by MiCA and the named national competent authority; transitional dates verified against ESMA's Article 143(3) list.