Licensing
We advise high-risk businesses on the licenses that make banking and payment processing possible.
Most banking refusals you have collected trace back to one thing: the wrong license, or none at all. A bank or acquirer that would take an MGA-licensed operator will not touch the same business unlicensed, and the regime you chose may not be the one your settlement bank recognises.
We advise on which license your business model and target banking actually require, then run the application so the credential you end up holding is the one your acquirer and your bank want to see.
Where Licensing starts and ends
Map your activity and target markets to the right regime: MGA, EMI, VASP, forex, and adjacent frameworks.
Advise on jurisdiction so the license is credible to banks and not flagged by correspondent institutions.
Prepare the application: business plan, AML framework, key-person fit-and-proper files, and capital evidence.
Coordinate local directors, registered office, and substance requirements where the regime demands them.
Sequence licensing and banking so the two land in the right order rather than blocking each other.
Four steps, one senior team
- 01
Regime selection.
We confirm which license your model needs for the banking and processing you are targeting, and rule out regimes that look cheaper but will not be recognised downstream.
- 02
Application build.
We assemble the full submission: business plan, AML and risk policies, fit-and-proper files, and capital and substance evidence.
- 03
Filing and liaison.
We file with the regulator and manage the queries, supplementary requests, and timelines through to grant.
- 04
License to banking handoff.
Once granted, we move straight into placement so the new license is immediately put to work opening accounts and acquiring.
The documents that move a file forward
A complete file is the difference between a fast approval and a stalled one. This is what we will ask for at intake. If you are missing a policy, we draft it rather than send you away.
- Description of business activities and target markets
- Beneficial ownership and group structure chart
- CVs and references for proposed directors and key persons
- Evidence of available capital for the regime in question
- Draft or existing AML, risk, and compliance policies
- Any prior license history, including refusals or revocations
One anonymized case
Forex broker, unlicensed and repeatedly bank-refused. Every settlement bank it approached cited the missing license as the reason for decline.
CySEC-adjacent registration secured, then a segregated-account EMI opened within 19 days of grant.
If your case looks different, that is exactly what the check is for.
Frequently asked
Which license do I actually need?
That depends on your activity, your markets, and the banking you want behind it. An iGaming operator, a forex broker, and a crypto exchange each point to a different regime. We confirm the right one before any application fee is spent.
How long does licensing take?
It varies by regulator. Simpler registrations can complete in weeks; a full EMI or gaming license runs longer. We give you a realistic timeline for your specific regime at the eligibility stage rather than an averaged figure.
Can you handle licensing and banking together?
Yes, and we usually recommend it. Sequencing the two so the license lands before the banking applications go in avoids the common trap of a bank refusing an unlicensed applicant.
What does it cost?
Engagements start from 1,500 EUR plus the institution’s own onboarding fees. The exact scope is quoted in writing after the free check, before you commit to anything.
Related services
Industries we serve with this
Start with a confidential read on your licensing options
You tell us your situation in a line or two.
A person reads it the same day. Not a bot.
You get a written answer within 48 hours, under NDA.
Free pre-approval check
Tell us where it hurts. A written read on your options in 48 hours.