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Austria Crypto License
Serve the EU from an Austrian CASP
Austria licenses crypto businesses as Crypto Asset Service Providers (CASPs) under the Markets in Crypto Assets Regulation (MiCA) and the national MiCA Enforcement Act (MiCA-VVG).
The Financial Market Authority (FMA) is the sole licensing authority, designated when the act entered into force on 20 July 2024. CASP applications have been accepted since 1 October 2024. The transitional period for the two legacy registered providers ran to the end of 2025.
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Aaron Glauberman specializes in crypto and FinTech licensing, MiCA and PSD2 frameworks, and cross-border corporate structuring.
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A perfect fit for our business. I highly recommend Legal Bison to any entrepreneur or business seeking top-notch services for their company formation. Their commitment to excellence and customer satisfaction is truly commendable.
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A fruitful cooperation. As a result of the fruitful cooperation with LegalBison, Yellow Card obtained a VASP registration, fast and without any legal complications.
Austria crypto license at a glance
A crypto license in Austria means a CASP authorization from the FMA, and it passports into all 27 EU member states after home notification under MiCA Article 65. Austria is the premium lane: a strict but communicative supervisor, pre-application meetings before filing, an English application form, and DACH-region credibility that banks price in.
LegalBison prepares the full Article 62 file, runs the FMA pre-application dialogue, and coordinates passport notifications for the markets you serve next.
| Item | Status in Austria, September 2026 |
|---|---|
| Regulator for CASP | Financial Market Authority (FMA), competent since 20 July 2024 |
| Governing law | Regulation (EU) 2023/1114 (MiCA), directly applicable; MiCA Enforcement Act (MiCA-VVG) |
| CASP applications | Open since 1 October 2024. Filed on the FMA Article 62 form via the FMA Incoming Platform |
| Legacy VASP register | FM-GwG registration with the FMA. Two providers at last count; transitional cover ended with 2025 |
| ESMA register count | Austria counts among the active CASP jurisdictions with 11 authorized CASPs in the August 2026 snapshot |
| Capital | EUR 50,000 to EUR 150,000 under MiCA Article 67, by service class, as an ongoing duty |
| Legal form | GmbH (limited liability company) with genuine Austrian substance; letterbox structures refused |
| Passporting | Out of Austria under Article 65; into Austria from any EU authorization |
MiCA and CASP in Austria
MiCA and CASP in Austria
MiCA Austria runs through the FMA under the MiCA-VVG, passed by the National Council on 3 July 2024. The FMA authorizes CASPs under Article 62 and receives service notifications from already authorized financial institutions under Article 60. Filing uses the FMA Article 62 form in English, submitted through the Incoming Platform. LegalBison prepares the filing and handles the pre-application communication with the FMA on your behalf. A detailed German-language information document walks applicants through every requirement.
The FMA process rewards preparation and punishes shortcuts. Bilateral pre-application meetings let founders test scope and quality before filing; the FMA publishes an Excel questionnaire covering operating experience, financial stability, compliance history, staffing, and Austrian commitment. The supervisor warns expressly against filing incomplete applications.
Once filed, the applicant receives a confirmation of receipt. Then the statutory clocks run: completeness review, substantive assessment with possible information requests, fit-and-proper interviews for directors, and a written grant or refusal by the FMA Executive Board. Positive decisions are published on the FMA website.
The transitional story is closed. Austria never ran a mass VASP regime: two providers sat in the FM-GwG register with around 300,000 domestic customers in 2023. Those providers could operate into the end of 2025 at the latest without a CASP grant. Since then, only authorized firms may operate.
The FMA points clients to the ESMA register and its own company database, which lists notified providers in Austria. It endorses the ESMA wind-down doctrine for unauthorized firms: stop taking business, protect existing clients, and move assets to authorized providers or self-hosted wallets.
External sources: FMA information for CASP applicants, FMA CASP roadmap, FMA supervision takeover notice of August 2024, FMA end-of-transition notice of June 2026.
EU crypto market entry under MiCA
MiCA sets one Union standard for crypto market entry. Title II covers offerors of crypto assets other than asset referenced tokens (ARTs) and e-money tokens (EMTs) through notified white papers, with a 20-working-day publication clock after FMA submission. Title III covers ART issuers. Title IV covers EMT issuers. Title V covers CASPs.
That means custody, trading platform operation, exchange of crypto assets for funds or for other crypto assets, order execution, order reception and transmission, portfolio management, placement, transfer services, and advice.
Austria adds one structural advantage worth pricing in. Licensed banks, investment firms, e-money institutions, and similar institutions serve as CASPs by notifying under Article 60 rather than filing a full Article 62 authorization.
An investment firm crypto license in Austria therefore runs through notification to the firm’s supervisory unit plus the CASP mailbox, not through the full application queue. Either way, the authorization passports across all 27 member states after home notification under Article 65.
Our MiCA license overview explains the Union framework, the CASP license guide details the service classes, and the MiCA regulation tracker follows national implementation across member states.
VASP vs CASP in Austria
| Feature | Austria VASP (closed) | Austria CASP (live) |
|---|---|---|
| Framework | Fifth AML Directive, national FM-GwG | MiCA, directly applicable EU law |
| Supervisor | FMA | FMA |
| Scope | Austria only, no passporting | All 27 EU states via passporting |
| Capital | Standard GmbH capital only | EUR 50,000 to EUR 150,000 by class, ongoing |
| Compliance focus | AML and KYC | AML and KYC plus governance, IT security, DORA, business continuity |
| Complexity | Moderate | High |
The Austria VASP registration ran from early 2020 as an AML registration, not a prudential license. Fewer than 20 entries were ever granted, including major European players. There was no capital requirement beyond standard GmbH capital, and crypto was never legal tender. That era ended with the MiCA-VVG.
Founders searching for the old track should know it no longer opens. The VASP license guide covers the EU-wide shift from national registers to MiCA authorization.
MiCA Austria runs through the FMA under the MiCA-VVG, passed by the National Council on 3 July 2024. The FMA authorizes CASPs under Article 62 and receives service notifications from already authorized financial institutions under Article 60. Filing uses the FMA Article 62 form in English, submitted through the Incoming Platform. LegalBison prepares the filing and handles the pre-application communication with the FMA on your behalf. A detailed German-language information document walks applicants through every requirement.
The FMA process rewards preparation and punishes shortcuts. Bilateral pre-application meetings let founders test scope and quality before filing; the FMA publishes an Excel questionnaire covering operating experience, financial stability, compliance history, staffing, and Austrian commitment. The supervisor warns expressly against filing incomplete applications.
Once filed, the applicant receives a confirmation of receipt. Then the statutory clocks run: completeness review, substantive assessment with possible information requests, fit-and-proper interviews for directors, and a written grant or refusal by the FMA Executive Board. Positive decisions are published on the FMA website.
The transitional story is closed. Austria never ran a mass VASP regime: two providers sat in the FM-GwG register with around 300,000 domestic customers in 2023. Those providers could operate into the end of 2025 at the latest without a CASP grant. Since then, only authorized firms may operate.
The FMA points clients to the ESMA register and its own company database, which lists notified providers in Austria. It endorses the ESMA wind-down doctrine for unauthorized firms: stop taking business, protect existing clients, and move assets to authorized providers or self-hosted wallets.
External sources: FMA information for CASP applicants, FMA CASP roadmap, FMA supervision takeover notice of August 2024, FMA end-of-transition notice of June 2026.
MiCA sets one Union standard for crypto market entry. Title II covers offerors of crypto assets other than asset referenced tokens (ARTs) and e-money tokens (EMTs) through notified white papers, with a 20-working-day publication clock after FMA submission. Title III covers ART issuers. Title IV covers EMT issuers. Title V covers CASPs.
That means custody, trading platform operation, exchange of crypto assets for funds or for other crypto assets, order execution, order reception and transmission, portfolio management, placement, transfer services, and advice.
Austria adds one structural advantage worth pricing in. Licensed banks, investment firms, e-money institutions, and similar institutions serve as CASPs by notifying under Article 60 rather than filing a full Article 62 authorization.
An investment firm crypto license in Austria therefore runs through notification to the firm’s supervisory unit plus the CASP mailbox, not through the full application queue. Either way, the authorization passports across all 27 member states after home notification under Article 65.
Our MiCA license overview explains the Union framework, the CASP license guide details the service classes, and the MiCA regulation tracker follows national implementation across member states.
| Feature | Austria VASP (closed) | Austria CASP (live) |
|---|---|---|
| Framework | Fifth AML Directive, national FM-GwG | MiCA, directly applicable EU law |
| Supervisor | FMA | FMA |
| Scope | Austria only, no passporting | All 27 EU states via passporting |
| Capital | Standard GmbH capital only | EUR 50,000 to EUR 150,000 by class, ongoing |
| Compliance focus | AML and KYC | AML and KYC plus governance, IT security, DORA, business continuity |
| Complexity | Moderate | High |
The Austria VASP registration ran from early 2020 as an AML registration, not a prudential license. Fewer than 20 entries were ever granted, including major European players. There was no capital requirement beyond standard GmbH capital, and crypto was never legal tender. That era ended with the MiCA-VVG.
Founders searching for the old track should know it no longer opens. The VASP license guide covers the EU-wide shift from national registers to MiCA authorization.
Timeline and process
The table below shows the current FMA procedure. The FMA gives no general duration promise; time depends on file quality, structure complexity, and business model.
STEP 1 OF 6
Estimated time2 to 4 weeks
Scoping and pre-application
Legal scope assessment and Excel questionnaire to frame the filing.
LegalBison prepares the file and runs the bilateral pre-application dialogue with the FMA on your behalf.
STEP 2 OF 6
Estimated time1 to 2 weeks
Company formation
Incorporate the GmbH through a notary and register it in the commercial register.
Set the Austrian address for the company.
STEP 3 OF 6
Estimated time1 to 2 months
File preparation
Draft the program of operations, governance and fit-and-proper packs, and the AML program with risk analysis.
Add DORA-mapped IT security, safeguarding, and complaints procedures.
STEP 4 OF 6
Estimated timeDays
Filing and receipt
Submit the Article 62 form via the Incoming Platform.
The FMA confirms receipt.
STEP 5 OF 6
Estimated time25 plus 40 working days, pausable
Completeness and assessment
The FMA runs its statutory completeness review, then the substantive assessment.
Information requests and director interviews follow as needed.
STEP 6 OF 6
Estimated timeDays after finality
Decision and publication
The Executive Board issues a written grant or refusal.
Positive decisions publish on the FMA website.
Austria crypto license requirements
The list below follows the FMA applicant information and MiCA Title V. It describes the live regime.
| Requirement Category | Description & Details |
|---|---|
| Legal Form | A GmbH with its registered office and place of effective management in Austria. Core decisions must sit locally; letterbox structures fail. |
| Management | Typically two fit-and-proper managing directors with clean records and relevant experience, plus a money laundering reporting officer and deputy with proven training, examined by the FMA specialist unit. |
| Substance | A real Austrian office, domestic staff proportionate to the model, and genuine economic ties. Remote governance does not pass. |
| Capital by Service Class | EUR 50,000 for advice, portfolio management, order execution, order transmission, and transfer services. EUR 125,000 for exchange and placing. EUR 150,000 for custody and administration and for operation of a trading platform. Safeguards at least equal the higher of the applicable Article 67 amounts at all times, proven already at filing. |
| Fit and Proper | Background checks for the management body and holders of qualifying stakes of 10 percent or more, including origin of funds. |
| Dossier | Program of activities with a legal scope assessment, governance and internal controls, business continuity plan, AML and counter terrorist financing program with business-level risk analysis, ICT and DORA-mapped security, client asset segregation, complaints handling, and service-specific policies, on the FMA Article 62 form. |
| Channel | Pre-application meeting first, then filing through the FMA Incoming Platform. Never file an incomplete application; the FMA says so expressly. |
| Adjacent Licenses | Security tokens fall under prospectus and MiFID II rules, staking products can fall under funds or banking rules, and most derivatives need separate licensing. A CASP alone does not cover them. Scope these before filing. |
Tax and banking in Austria
Austria taxes company profits at the standard corporate rate, with further levies varying by year. Confirm current rates, distribution treatment, and treaty position with an Austrian tax adviser before moving profits.
Banking is the Austrian payoff: Tier-1 banks and a deep institutional bench read an FMA CASP as diligence quality, which is exactly why founders pay the premium over lighter regimes.
For the Union-level breakdown of CASP types and capital, see the MiCA license list.
Your options now
Three paths cover most founders who ask about Austria.
| Option / Path | Description / Details | Best For / Use Case |
|---|---|---|
| File for an Austrian CASP | Strict supervisor, DACH gateway, full passporting out. Budget for substance and a long assessment, not just paperwork. | Reputation and banking access justify the premium. |
| Notify as an investment firm under Article 60 | The CASP layer arrives by notification, months faster than a full filing. | You already hold or plan a MiFID authorization. |
| Passport into Austria from another EU authorization | Notify cross-border or branch under Article 65 and serve Austrian users lawfully. | Speed matters or the model already fits a live regime elsewhere. |
LegalBison runs all three from Austrian company formation through the CASP file and passport notifications. Scope the trading venue under crypto exchange licensing, or talk through the full mandate in legal services before you contact us.
Packages for the CASP License in Austria
Discover our packages to structure your CASP company in Austria:
MOST POPULAR
| Compare plans | ||
|---|---|---|
| Initial consultation with our experts | Included | Included |
| Formation of a company in Austria | Not included | Included |
| Legal address in Austria | Not included | Included |
| AML-KYC policies and procedures in-line with the FMA expectations | Not included | Included |
| Necessary legal & compliance documents | Not included | Included |
| Full legal support after licensing | Not included | Included |
| Assistance in opening a bank account | Not included | Included |
| Assistance in scoping security tokens and adjacent licenses | Not included | Included |
WHICH JURISDICTION AND LICENSE TO CHOOSE FOR YOUR PROJECT
Alternative Crypto Licenses to Austria
Here is a curated list of alternative crypto licenses and top jurisdiction, that works as alternatives to the crypto license in Austria.
PolandCrypto License in Poland
from 3.650 €
- Fastest licensing process
- Lowest price
- Available ready-made companies
EstoniaCrypto License in Estonia
from 1.420 €
- 0% Corporate Income Tax
- Cheap and fast process
- No travel needed
PortugalCrypto License in Portugal
from 4.450 €
- 0% tax on individual crypto trading
- Well-rounded framework
- Crypto-friendly country
CanadaCrypto License in Canada – Money Services Business (MSB) License
from 4.950 €
- Top economy
- Secure and trusted
- Compoundable license
GeorgiaCrypto License in Tbilisi Free Zone Georgia
on request
- Fastest crypto license in Asia
- Free Zone setup with no taxes
- Very simple requirements
AnjouanCrypto License in Anjouan
on request
- Very fast licensing process
- Low requirements
- Recognized by banking institutions
LabuanCrypto License in Labuan
on request
- Reliable offshore jurisdiction
- Asian crypto license
- Low corporate tax
El SalvadorCrypto License in El Salvador
on request
- Bitcoin is legal tender
- Pro-crypto regulations
- High reputation
No offers are listed for this selection.
FAQ about Austrian crypto license
The right path forward, regardless of project stage
A CASP license Austria founders ask about means an FMA authorization under MiCA Article 62 and the MiCA-VVG. It allows EU-wide service through passporting under Article 65.
Hold a pre-application meeting with the FMA. Incorporate a GmbH with Austrian substance. Build the Article 62 dossier with EUR 50,000 to EUR 150,000 in safeguards by service class, and file through the FMA Incoming Platform. Expect the statutory review clocks plus interviews. Do not operate until the written grant arrives.
Yes. A licensed investment firm notifies its supervisory unit and the CASP mailbox under Article 60 instead of filing a full Article 62 authorization. That investment firm crypto license Austria route is the fastest compliant path for MiFID firms.
No. Authorizations are granted to an assessed legal entity after a full review, and buying a shell buys no rights. Firms advertising ready-made Austrian CASPs sell companies with no licensing value; the buyer files from scratch.
The FM-GwG registration ran from 2020 as an AML entry with the FMA. The MiCA-VVG replaced it in July 2024, and transitional cover for the two registered providers ended with 2025. No new VASP entries open.
Capital of EUR 50,000 to EUR 150,000 stays in the company as an ongoing safeguard. Legal preparation, GmbH formation with notary, office, directors and compliance staff, audit, and systems bring a prepared project well into six figures. Austria is a premium jurisdiction; contact us for a fixed quote on your service classes.
File regular FMA reports on financials, risk, and compliance, maintain safeguards and liquidity at all times, and keep systems and controls current. Our MiCA license renewal and compliance guide details the ongoing duties.
Information on this page is general and may change as regulations change. It isn’t legal, tax, or investment advice. Contact us for advice on your situation. Read our full disclaimer.
Contact Us for a Consultation about the Crypto License in Austria
Interested in registering a crypto firm in Austria? Willing to receive more information about this legal framework and other alternatives? Our experts will guide you into designing the best possible solution for your project. Tailored advice and quotation for your business. Contact our team to receive a free invitation to a video call, in order to assess your project and design the most efficient solution around it.