CASP License in Slovakia

Since 2025, new MiCAR regulations aimed at regulating the cryptocurrency market have come into full force in the EU. With this regulation, the industry is expected to transform, becoming more transparent and secure — particularly for users residing within the EU and businesses operating under the jurisdiction of an EU member state or providing services to its residents.

• Therefore, Slovakia, as an EU member, also falls under the scope of MiCAR. This means that every crypto business registered here, or wishing to operate in the market remotely, must obtain a special license.

Obtaining a CASP license in Slovakia is a compulsory step for entrepreneurs wishing to enter the local market. And although the jurisdiction offers a somewhat simplified licensing process, it remains complex. The same applies to the requirements for CASP applicants. So, if you are interested in this business niche, you should prepare in advance — ensure your company and personnel comply with the standards, standardize internal processes, and so on.

This guide from AA Lawrange will help you prioritize preparations for entering the market and increase your chances of obtaining a CASP License Slovakia.

Top Benefits of Obtaining a CASP License in Slovakia

Opening a company in Slovakia particularly in the crypto asset sector, provides business owners — including newcomers to the market — with various opportunities. In addition to the possibility of obtaining investment citizenship, the benefits of holding a Slovakia CASP License include:

• Unrestricted access to the EU market. European legislation mandates crypto businesses to adhere to MiCAR, making possession of a CASP license the sole legal means for crypto providers to conduct operations within EU countries.
• Simplified registration compared to other jurisdictions. The barrier to entry in Slovakia is lower compared to other EU countries.
• Access to the international market. A license issued in Slovakia enjoys high credibility, allowing its holders to operate in most countries around the world.
• Access to the banking sector. CASP holders can work with local banks without issues — unlike those trying to cover crypto assets under a VASP (Virtual Asset Service Provider) framework.
• No restrictions on business activities. CASP holders are allowed to provide all types of crypto services covered by MiCAR.
• Simple regulation of activities. The Slovak Trade Licensing Office supervises crypto businesses within EU directives, allowing entrepreneurs to operate without excessive administrative pressure.
• Standard taxation. The corporate income tax rate is 21%, and for small businesses — 15%.
• Simplified administration. Company owners and investors can be foreigners without Slovak residency status, which greatly improves the business’s operational capacity and remote management options.

Thus, obtaining a CASP license here is a good and profitable way to start working legally with crypto activities in the EU while enjoying the country’s benefits. Moreover, depending on the selected type of work permit, scaling up your business can be seamless.

Types of CASP Licenses in Slovakia

In fact, the Slovakia CASP License is divided into several subtypes, each granting access to different areas of crypto business. For example:

• Virtual Currency Exchange Services License. This license allows a business to operate as a currency exchanger — from crypto to fiat and vice versa. It also enables intermediary services between companies, services for individual clients, and more.
• Virtual Currency Custodian Wallet Services License. This license allows funds to be stored on the platform, provides clients access to special wallets, and enables asset management on behalf of users.

These are fundamentally different types of licenses, each with its own purpose and operational capabilities. You may choose either one license or both to fully maximize your business potential.

Note: Some types of activities — such as ICO/STO/ITO, consulting, and DeFi platforms without custodial functions — do not require a CASP license, although they are still subject to MiCAR regulations. Therefore, having a license can remove your business from the risk zone and allow you to focus on operations without fear of regulatory attention to certain services or transactions.

Regulatory Environment in Slovakia and MiCA Compliance

The CASP License in Slovakia is regulated not only by the provisions of MiCAR but also by the Slovak Trade Licensing Office, the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), and the National Bank of Slovakia (NBS) in matters related to AML/CFT policy compliance.

A limited licensed entity — this is the status CASP operators must hold, in accordance with Act No. 297/2008, the Civil and Commercial Code, and the European Directive AMLD5.

In addition, entrepreneurs who plan to obtain a CASP license must comply with a number of requirements, both internal to the jurisdiction and general to the EU — that is, directly with the MiCA regulation.

Key CASP Licensing Requirements in Slovakia

Obtaining a CASP license demands effort, since the requirements for license holders, while somewhat less stringent than in other EU nations, remain rigorous. These include:

• Statutory Capital Requirements.
• Internal AML/CFT Controls and Procedures.
• Financial and Operational Reporting Standards.
• Requirements for Directors and Beneficial Owners.

De facto, additional requirements may also arise in the process, but these are the primary ones that future licensees should focus on. Therefore, let us now look in more detail at the listed conditions that a company intending to enter the EU crypto market must meet.

Statutory Capital Requirements

One of the benefits of the Slovakia CASP License is that there are no minimum statutory capital thresholds. However, this does not mean that financial resources will not be needed. On the contrary, in addition to operational fees and commissions, your company will need a business plan with positive development forecasts and profitability sufficient to cover the company’s operational expenses.

Capital requirements apply to all CASP providers, but they may vary if your activities involve financial services. For example, if your main line of work is focused on financial services such as exchange operations, the relevant financial regulations will apply. Thus, the launch of a CASP line of activity does not exempt the company from regulatory obligations for other business types.

Internal AML/CFT Controls and Procedures

As stated in MiCAR, holders of a CASP License Slovakia must strictly comply with AML/CFT policies. That is, it is clearly prescribed that the organization must have an official in the role of AML Officer with the corresponding operational functions:

• Development and implementation of AML/KYC policy, which prevents clients from conducting illegal activities through the platform’s tools.
• Support of a risk assessment program that focuses on providing legal evaluation of client actions, preventing situations in which one of the parties might break the law or gain unlawful advantage.
• Reporting procedures through which information on suspicious transaction attempts, transactions, and their counterparties is submitted to the FIU or other competent authorities.
• Data retention policy, under which documentation — including transaction history and other information or corporate data — must be stored for at least 5 years.

There are no exceptions for small businesses, etc.

Financial and Operational Reporting Standards

A company applying for a CASP license in Slovakia must register in the Trade Register by submitting a number of documents, in particular:

• A request for registration of the selected activity.
• An extract from the company register.
• Documents for the AML Officer.

Additionally, the license holder must comply with MiCAR standards and the jurisdiction’s internal laws. This includes maintaining accounting records, timely submission of reports, conducting independent audits, and providing designated documents upon regulator requests.

Requirements for Directors and Beneficial Owners

Although beneficial owners must be identified, and the company must have a real address in Slovakia, the other requirements for owners, shareholders, and business investors are quite lenient. For example:

• Key persons can be foreign nationals without Slovak residency status.
• An authorized representative — not necessarily the business owner — may handle the license acquisition process.
• The company must be registered as a legal entity in the Slovak Republic. It must have a legal form that complies with MiCAR requirements. Additionally, the company must rent or purchase an office. This office will serve as the company’s main representative office in the jurisdiction.

And indeed, the registration rules and requirements here are among the simplest among EU member states, making the jurisdiction a very favorable choice for obtaining a CASP. The same applies to the procedure for setting up a business.

Application and Licensing Process for CASPs in Slovakia

Crypto company registration in Slovakia is more streamlined than in other EU member states. The process takes only a few weeks, provided that all preparatory steps are completed excellently. Usually, the procedure goes through the following phases:

• Collection and Preparation of Documentation.
• Incorporation of the Entity within Slovak Republic.
• Submission to the Slovak CASP Register.
• Review and Decision by Regulatory Authority.
• License Issuance and Corporate Bank Account Setup.

Note: in some cases — usually exceptions — licensees may be required to undergo a number of additional procedures. However, the processes mentioned above are the main ones, so we will focus on them further.

Collection and Preparation of Documentation

The process of obtaining a CASP license in Slovakia involves the submission of several key documents, such as:

• Incorporation documents (charter, resolution on company establishment).
• Extract from the Trade Register.
• Document confirming the legal address.
• Copies of passports.
• Certificates of no criminal record (not older than 3 months).
• Proof of residential address (for example, a utility services bill).
• Internal documents: KYC/AML policy, risk management plan.
• Recruiting and onboarding of the responsible person for AML (Compliance Officer).
• Contact information, email, website (if available).

These are the primary requirements; however, depending on the chosen type of CASP, business owners, and other factors, additional documents may be requested during the registration process. That is, the procedure is not always standardized. So if you want to prepare in advance, calculating all possible nuances, you will need the assistance of AA Lawrange.

Incorporation of the Entity within Slovak Republic

Also, for submitting an application for the Slovakia CASP License, you will need an active business in the jurisdiction. That is, a company in the format of an LLC. And here is what is required for its establishment and launch:

• A unique name with the suffix s.r.o. (Spoločnosť s ručením obmedzeným).
• Incorporation documents, for example, a founding deed (Zakladateľská listina) if there is one owner, or a founding agreement (Spoločenská zmluva) if there are two or more owners.
• Applications and documents such as company registration form, consent of the director with signature, legal address, certificate of no criminal record of the director, proof of capital.
• Payment of a fee in the amount of €75–€150 depending on the method of submission. €75 for online registration and €150 for the offline procedure.

If the application is approved, then within 3–7 working days your company will be entered into the register and will receive an IČO (identification number). And only after this step can the actual CASP license application process begin.

Submission to the Slovak CASP Register

While in other EU countries there are separate financial licenses for CASPs, in Slovakia they are replaced by a set of permits for activities related to cryptocurrencies. In other words, the licensing process is managed by multiple institutions, specifically the Trade Licensing Office, FIU Slovensko, and NBS.

Therefore, to obtain a CASP you need to:

• Submit an application for registration of a voľná živnosť (free licensed activity) to the Trade Licensing Office.
• Choose one or both CASP codes: Obchodovanie s virtuálnymi menami / Správa virtuálnych peňaženiek.
• Add the documents listed in the previous sections of this material.
• Wait for the application review to be completed.
• In case of approval – submit an official notification to FIU (Finančná spravodajská jednotka).
• Indicate your AML Officer, descriptions of KYC/AML/CFT policies.
• Add contact details for feedback.

Possibly, the registration process could end at this point, but it may also continue if the regulator decides to conduct additional verification. In such cases, the best solution would be to enlist the support of lawyers from the AA Lawrange group and, under their guidance, simplify and speed up the licensing procedure.

Review and Decision by Regulatory Authority

In general, the review process of the application may take from several days to a couple of months. Its outcome will depend on:

• Compliance of the activity with the specified SK-NACE code.
• Absence of obstacles such as criminal record or insolvency.
• Quality of AML/CFT/KYC documentation and risk prevention policies.

The result of the review may be either approval, a request for revision of documents, replacement of personnel, correction of IT systems, or refusal or an order to suspend activities for additional inspections.

In addition, the new holder of a CASP License Slovakia is obliged to:

• Comply with the requirements of MiCAR and local legislation.
• Undergo AML procedure inspections every 1–2 years.
• Conduct audits upon request of the FIU or police.
• Undergo tax inspections in the general manner.

Provided that all requirements are fulfilled and the regulators raise no objections, the business may proceed with finalizing the CASP licensing process.

License Issuance and Corporate Bank Account Setup

To operate in Slovakia and the EU in general, the company must use the services of local banks. Because regional financial institutions limit dealings with CASP holders due to elevated AML risks, fintech banks and EMIs from other EU countries represent a preferable option. For example:

• LHV (Estonia).
• Paysera (Lithuania).
• Revolut Business.
• Wise Business.
• Intergiro / Modulr / Bankera.

Documentation for opening a corporate account is identical to that required for company registration. More modern institutions review applications within 5–10 business days, while traditional ones take about 3–4 weeks, but without a guarantee of approval. Therefore, cooperation with fintech institutions is more in demand among CASP holders.

Taxation Policy for CASP Companies in Slovakia

Regarding taxation of the CASP License, it is among the most favorable in European countries. The following taxes exist here:

Additionally, CASP holders are subject to obligations related to annual financial reporting, DPPO declarations, TP, and conducting audits.

Licensing Costs and Estimated Timeframes

If you are planning on obtaining a CASP license in Slovakia, be prepared for additional costs. In particular:

That is approximately €1,000-€2,500 to start the company and approximately €200-€600 in monthly expenses.

Regarding the registration duration, it includes:

That is on average from 1 to 3 months, depending on each specific case and the efforts spent preparing for licensing.

Why Choose Lawrange for CASP Licensing in Slovakia

The AA Lawrange team are international-level experts with representation in the European Union. Cooperation with us in the process of obtaining a CASP license guarantees you a number of advantages:

• Comprehensive preparation for the licensing procedure, including document collection, hiring personnel (AML Officer, etc.).
• Legal protection and consulting in all legal aspects of licensing and disputes with regulators.
• Support in procedural operations, or mediation (representation) if you do not wish to visit the jurisdiction yourself.

Thus, with our help, you will go through all stages of company registration in Slovakia faster, choose the best financial partner, and increase the chances of successful licensing application consideration as a CASP provider in one or both activity vectors.

So if you want to reduce the time and effort spent on the described processes — contact the AO Lawrange manager for consultation and cooperation launch!

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