MiCA CASP authorisation in Lithuania (Bank of Lithuania)

At a glance

Regulator: Bank of Lithuania
Typical timeline: ~6 months end to end
Transitional deadline: Closed (12-month window ended around 30 December 2025)
Fees: Around €2,500 application; annual supervisory fee around 0.6% of gross income, minimum around €3,000
CASPs authorised so far: ~6
Pre-MiCA experience: Large pre-MiCA crypto / VASP register

As of June 2026; figures drift and transitional dates trace to the ESMA grandfathering list. Capital is set EU-wide by service class (€50,000 / €125,000 / €150,000), not by country. Compare member states on the jurisdiction comparison and confirm exact dates on the deadlines page.

Why teams look at Lithuania

Lithuania built one of the EU’s most active fintech bases, with a large population of electronic-money and payment institutions and, historically, a very accessible crypto registration regime. Under MiCA’s crypto-asset service provider regime, applying from 30 December 2024, the Bank of Lithuania is the authorising authority.

The reputation for speed is real, but the bar has risen sharply. Lithuania tightened its pre-MiCA crypto regime well before MiCA, raising capital and substance expectations, so the easy-registration era is over. Treat Lithuania as fast and fintech-friendly, not light-touch.

This page is informational and does not replace legal, regulatory, or tax advice. Confirm current requirements, forms, fees, and timelines directly with the Bank of Lithuania before acting.

The authorisation route

A firm that is not already an EU-authorised financial entity applies to the Bank of Lithuania for authorisation as a CASP under Article 62. A firm already authorised under EU financial law can use the lighter Article 60 notification.

Under Article 63 the Bank of Lithuania has 25 working days to confirm completeness and then 40 working days to decide once the file is complete. The regulator’s fintech experience can make engagement efficient, but the substance of the file still has to be there.

What the Bank of Lithuania expects

Local substance

A registered office in Lithuania and management effectively based there under Article 59(2). Lithuania tightened local-substance expectations in its VASP era and carries that posture into MiCA.

Governance and fit-and-proper

Collective crypto-asset competence and sufficient time under Article 68, with assessment of directors and qualifying shareholders.

AML and controls

Lithuania’s regulator has been active on anti-money-laundering supervision in the crypto sector. Expect close attention to AML, sanctions, and transaction-monitoring controls.

Prudential safeguards

Own funds, an insurance policy, a comparable guarantee, or a mix under Article 67, at the higher of the class minimum or one quarter of fixed overheads.

Capital and the Article 67 question

The minimum is 50,000 euro, 125,000 euro, or 150,000 euro depending on the services you are authorised for, or one quarter of the previous year’s fixed overheads if higher. If you are weighing insurance against capital, build the evidence first: see the CASP insurance evidence pack and own funds vs insurance.

Coming from a VASP registration

Firms registered under Lithuania’s earlier crypto regime do not convert automatically. They transition onto MiCA through a process the Bank of Lithuania manages, and Lithuania opted for a longer transitional window than some member states. If you hold an existing registration, confirm the current cut-off date and the exact transition steps with the Bank of Lithuania.

Transitional dates have moved at the member-state level. Confirm any date against current Bank of Lithuania guidance before planning around it.

Fast, but not light

Lithuania’s fintech depth can make the process efficient for a well-prepared team. The firms that benefit arrive with genuine local substance, strong AML controls, a clean custody story, and prudential safeguards they can evidence.

FAQ

Is a Lithuania CASP licence valid across the EU?

Yes. A CASP authorisation passports to all 27 member states under Article 65. You authorise in Lithuania and notify the host states before providing services there.

Is Lithuania still the easy option?

No. The accessible-registration era ended when Lithuania tightened capital and substance expectations ahead of MiCA. It can be efficient for a prepared team, but it is not light-touch.

How long does it really take?

The legal decision clock is 40 working days after the file is complete, plus a 25 working day completeness check. Preparing a complete file still takes months for most teams.