Crypto Licensing — Worldwide
Get a crypto license in the right jurisdiction. First time.
A specialist legal firm helping crypto exchanges, fintech startups, custody providers and Web3 projects obtain regulated authorisations across 17 jurisdictions.
- 17 jurisdictions covered
- 200+ successful licences
- 8 years specialist focus
- 95% application success
Who we work with
Specialist licensing for digital asset businesses
Three audiences, one bench of senior counsel. We rarely take on general fintech or e-money matters that don't involve crypto. Depth beats breadth in a regime that changes every quarter.
Exchanges & trading platforms
Spot, derivatives, OTC and prime brokerage venues. We pre-qualify your model against capital, custody and market-conduct rules before you spend a dollar on application fees.
Startups & Web3 projects
Fast-route licensing for early-stage teams. MVP-friendly jurisdictions and bridge regimes that let you launch in months, not years, without locking out future regulated markets.
DeFi, NFT & token issuers
Regulatory wrappers, foundation structures and token classification. We map which protocol roles trigger licensing under MiCA, FinCEN and SEC rules — and where they don't.
Jurisdictions
Where we get crypto businesses licensed
VARA · FSRA (ADGM) · DMCC · DFSA (DIFC)
Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS)
SFC + HKMA + Companies Registry (TCSP)
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)
FinCEN + 50 state regulators + NYDFS + SEC
FINMA + SROs (e.g. VQF)
License taxonomy
What kind of crypto license do you actually need?
Crypto regulation fragments across acronyms. VASP, CASP, VATP, VARA, MSB, MTL, EMI, DCE, DLT, TCSP. Each maps to a different activity and a different regulator. Match your model to the right one before you commit to a jurisdiction.
Virtual Asset Service Provider
BVI · Cayman · Georgia · Montenegro · Bosnia
Crypto-Asset Service Provider (MiCA)
EU member states under MiCAR
Virtual Asset Trading Platform
Hong Kong SFC
Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority
Dubai Cat 1–4
Money Services Business
USA FinCEN · Canada FINTRAC
Money Transmitter Licence
USA state-by-state (×50)
Electronic Money Institution
UK · EU · Singapore
Digital Currency Exchange
Australia AUSTRAC
Distributed Ledger Technology Provider
Gibraltar GFSC
Our 5-step process
From first call to ongoing licence maintenance
- 01
Strategy
Jurisdiction shortlist, license type mapping, banking compatibility check. Written assessment in 10 minutes.
- 02
Incorporation
Local entity, substance requirements, director and beneficial owner structuring.
- 03
Application
Business plan, AML manual, IT security policy, financial projections, capital deposit.
- 04
Approval
Regulator Q&A, supplementary submissions, on-site interviews where required.
- 05
Ongoing support
Annual returns, AML audits, MLRO function, change-of-control filings on retainer.
Why work with us
What sets CLS apart
Specialist focus
We handle crypto licensing exclusively, not as a side practice. Every partner has shipped applications in their region within the last 90 days.
Multi-jurisdictional bench
17 active jurisdictions with in-house counsel in five offices. We don't subcontract regulator-facing work to local boutiques you've never met.
Honest assessment first
If a regime isn't realistic for your model, we say so on the first call — even when it costs us a fee. A wrong-fit application costs you 6–12 months and a refusal on file.
Banking matters
A licence without a bank account is a paperweight. We secure both, and we tell you up front when banking is the bottleneck for your model.
Post-licence support
We don't disappear after approval. Annual filings, MLR audits, regulator change-of-control approvals and AML programme updates run on a retainer with a named partner.
Application track record
200+ successful licence applications since 2018. We pre-qualify clients before applications, not after — that's how we keep the success rate at 95%.
The team
Senior counsel, partner-led from the first call
Three anchor partners cover Europe, MENA & APAC, and the Americas & Offshore. Two senior specialists lead MiCA implementation and AML / KYC.
Founding Partner
Daniel R. Whitmore
Founder & Managing Partner
Founder of CLS. Dual-qualified Solicitor (E&W) and NY Attorney. LL.M. Financial Regulation, LSE.
Partner
Layla A. Hassan
Partner — Head of MENA & APAC
Founding partner. Lead authority on UAE virtual asset regulation (VARA, ADGM FSRA, DMCC) and APAC licensing.
Partner
Marcus T. Andersson
Partner — Head of Americas & Offshore
16 years of international tax structuring and offshore corporate experience. Admitted to the BVI, Cayman and Sweden Bars.
Frequently asked