Crypto License Guide 2026 — Panama, Lithuania, Dubai & More | Consulting24

Crypto founders often focus on licensing and banking, then discover that audit obligations can be just as demanding. Here is how audit requirements for crypto companies differ across Estonia, Lithuania and Panama, and what to plan for before your first financial year closes. CRYPTO LICENSE GUIDE · 2026 Audit requirements for crypto Crypto licensing across 15+ jurisdictions CONSULTING24.CO Why audit requirements for crypto companies are different Audit requirements for crypto companies sit at the intersection of company law, accounting standards and anti-money laundering supervision. A licensed crypto firm is not only a company that must file annual accounts. It is also a regulated entity whose supervisor expects evidence that client funds, transaction records and internal controls are accurate. That dual pressure means the audit conversation usually starts earlier than founders expect, often during the licence application itself. The scope of a crypto audit is broader than a t...

Choosing between Estonia and Lithuania for a MiCA CASP in 2026 is a decision that shapes your licensing timeline, capital planning, and long-term access to the EU single market. Both countries are fully inside the MiCA framework, but they differ in supervisory style, cost structure, and the practical experience of the founders who apply. CRYPTO LICENSE GUIDE · 2026 Choosing between Estonia and Crypto licensing across 15+ jurisdictions CONSULTING24.CO The MiCA starting point for both countries Since MiCA became fully applicable across the EU, crypto asset service providers no longer apply for national regimes such as Estonia's old MLTRA licence or Lithuania's virtual currency exchange and depositary wallet rules. Instead, a CASP authorisation is granted by the national competent authority of the member state where the applicant is established, and that authorisation can then be passported across the European Economic Area. In Estonia the competent authority is the Estonian F...

Lithuania has become a popular home base for crypto firms seeking an EU foothold, but a Lithuanian CASP licence does not automatically open every market. Passporting a Lithuanian CASP means using the freedom of establishment or freedom to provide services to reach clients across the EEA, and the process runs through your national regulator rather than a separate EU application. CRYPTO LICENSE GUIDE · 2026 Passporting a Lithuanian CASP Crypto licensing across 15+ jurisdictions CONSULTING24.CO What passporting actually means for a Lithuanian CASP Under MiCA, which is fully in force across the EU in 2026, a crypto-asset service provider authorised in one member state can provide services in other member states without obtaining a separate licence in each country. The Lithuanian licence becomes the home-state authorisation, and the Bank of Lithuania acts as the competent authority. Passporting a Lithuanian CASP is therefore a notification exercise, not a new licensing exercise. Tw...

Lithuania remains one of the most accessible EU entry points for crypto firms, but since MiCA took full effect the capital you must hold depends on which services you actually provide. Here is how the EUR 50,000, 125,000 and 150,000 tiers map onto Lithuania CASP authorisation in 2026. CRYPTO LICENSE GUIDE · 2026 Lithuania CASP capital requirements Crypto licensing across 15+ jurisdictions CONSULTING24.CO Why Lithuania CASP capital requirements changed in 2026 For years Lithuania was known for a light-touch regime: a VASP registration with the Financial Crime Investigation Service cost little and required no meaningful own funds. That era ended. With MiCA in force across the EU, crypto firms that want to serve clients from Lithuania, or from anywhere in the European Economic Area through passporting, need a CASP authorisation from the Bank of Lithuania and must meet the own funds thresholds set at EU level. The practical consequence is that Lithuania CASP capital requirements a...