Lithuania Crypto Licensing: Your CASP Authorization Under MiCA
Lithuania has become one of the busiest gateways into the European crypto market, and Lithuania Crypto Licensing now runs entirely through the EU's Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA). The Bank of Lithuania is the national authority responsible for reviewing and granting Crypto-Asset Service Provider (CASP) authorizations, and since the old national VASP registration regime was fully phased out, a CASP licence is the only route to legally operating a crypto exchange, custody service, or broader digital asset business from Lithuania. Neptune Fiduciaries Group guides founders through this authorization process end to end, from entity formation to final Bank of Lithuania approval.
Understanding the Lithuania CASP Licence Under MiCA
A Lithuania Crypto Licence issued under MiCA doesn't just cover Lithuania; it grants passporting rights across all 27 EU member states through a straightforward notification process, meaning a single authorization opens the entire European single market. This is what makes the Lithuania MiCA Licence so attractive compared to jurisdictions offering only single-country approval. The licence covers activities such as exchange services, custody, transfer, and portfolio management of crypto-assets, with each service tier carrying its own governance and capital requirements.
How Lithuania's CASP Regime Fits the Global Crypto Registration Landscape
MiCA's CASP category sits within a wider international pattern of crypto business regulation, even though the names differ by region. What the EU calls a Crypto Asset Service Provider (CASP), FATF-aligned jurisdictions like the UAE and Singapore call a Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP), while the US and Canada use Money Services Business (MSB) registration and other cryptocurrency/virtual-asset regulatory registrations to capture similar activity and others. A Lithuania VASP Licence, as the older registration was known before MiCA took full effect, has now been folded entirely into the CASP framework, and the underlying obligations- verifying customers, monitoring transactions, and maintaining prudential capital- closely mirror what VASP and MSB regimes require elsewhere.
What a Crypto Exchange Licence in Lithuania Actually Costs
Every figure here is quoted in euros:
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Bank of Lithuania application fee
Starts from approximately €2,300 to have the Bank of Lithuania formally assess your CASP file. It's genuinely the smallest line in the overall budget, but it's non-refundable regardless of the outcome, so it only makes sense to file once your application package is complete and reviewed.
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Tiered initial capital
€50,000 for Class 1 activities, €125,000 for Class 2, and €150,000 for Class 3 services such as exchange and custody. This capital isn't a sunk cost paid to the regulator; it stays as working capital within your business, but it must be held and maintained for as long as you operate under that licence class.
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Legal and advisory support
Typically €40,000-€100,000 for a complete CASP application file, covering the program of operations, governance documentation, AML/CFT policies, and fit-and-proper dossiers for each key function holder. Applications prepared without specialist support are far more likely to face delays or requests for additional information.
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Local setup costs
Office space, an MLRO, and a qualified management team with at least one Lithuania-resident director, plus ongoing compliance tooling and audit costs. Once capital and setup expenses are combined, most applicants land in the low six figures for a realistic year-one commitment.
Setting Up Your Lithuanian Entity Alongside CASP Authorization
A CASP licence cannot be granted without a properly incorporated Lithuanian company behind it. The two processes move together, step by step:
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Incorporate a Lithuanian UAB
Register your entity with at least one board member resident in Lithuania and your place of effective management located within the EU.
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Deposit your tiered capital
Place the required €50,000-€150,000 in initial capital according to your intended service class.
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Appoint qualified management and an MLRO
Bring on fit-and-proper directors and a designated compliance officer before submission.
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Build your AML/CFT and DORA ICT programs
Prepare governance, risk, and technology-resilience documentation the Bank of Lithuania will review in detail.
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Submit your CASP application
File a complete program of operations, business plan, and supporting evidence with the Bank of Lithuania for review.
Running incorporation and licensing in parallel keeps your entity structure aligned with what the regulator expects, and helps take advantage of Lithuania's comparatively fast three-to-six-month review window.
Why Neptune Fiduciaries Group for Your Lithuania Crypto Licensing Needs
Lithuania rewards founders who prepare a clean, complete file, and penalizes those who don't with lengthy delays. Neptune Fiduciaries Group has guided digital asset businesses through licensing across more than 60 jurisdictions, giving us a clear view of how the Bank of Lithuania's CASP process compares to VASP and MSB regimes elsewhere. We manage Lithuanian company formation, capital structuring, and the full CASP application package under one roof, so you have a single point of contact from incorporation through EU-wide passporting.
Start Your Lithuania Crypto Licensing Application Today
If you're ready to bring your digital asset business into the EU's largest regulated market, Neptune Fiduciaries Group can guide you through Lithuania Crypto Licensing and CASP authorization from start to finish. Contact Neptune Fiduciaries Group at info@neptunecorporate.com or sales@neptunecorporate.com, or visit our Contact Us page. You can also reach our team directly on WhatsApp to schedule a consultation.
