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Crypto Licence in the Czech Republic

A crypto licence in the Czech Republic is an authorisation to operate as a Crypto-Asset Service Provider (CASP) in accordance with European Union legislation and the national law of the Czech Republic. The licence is issued to companies providing exchange, custody and management services for digital assets.

COREDO has been operating in the legal and compliance services market since 2016 and provides full support for obtaining a CASP licence in the Czech Republic — from the initial project assessment to interaction with the Czech National Bank (ČNB).

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Cost of the service
from EUR 35,150

Regulatory Framework: MiCA and DORA

The activities of crypto-asset service providers in the Czech Republic are governed by two key European Union acts that have direct effect in all EU Member States, and by a national act that designated the regulator and set a transitional period.

MiCA — Regulation (EU) 2023/1114. The Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation establishes uniform rules for the licensing, supervision and operations of crypto-asset service providers across the entire EU. MiCA has applied in full since 30 December 2024, and its titles on asset-referenced tokens and e-money tokens since 30 June 2024. The Regulation defines requirements for CASP authorisation, prudential standards, consumer protection rules and rules for dealing with crypto-assets.

DORA — Regulation (EU) 2022/2554. The Digital Operational Resilience Act has applied since 17 January 2025 and covers, among others, CASPs authorised under MiCA. DORA requires companies to manage ICT risks and ICT-related incidents, test their digital operational resilience and ensure business continuity — in proportion to their size, risk profile and the complexity of their services.

Act No. 31/2025 Coll. At the national level, the implementation of the European regulations is established by the Act on the Digitalisation of the Financial Market (zákon o digitalizaci finančního trhu), which entered into force on 15 February 2025. This act designates the ČNB as the competent authority for MiCA and DORA and establishes transitional provisions for existing cryptocurrency companies. Alongside it, Act No. 32/2025 Coll. amends a number of existing legislative acts in connection with the digitalisation of the financial market.

Transitional Period: From VASP to CASP. Before MiCA started to apply, cryptocurrency companies in the Czech Republic operated under VASP (Virtual Asset Service Provider) registration through the trade licensing system. The Act on the Digitalisation of the Financial Market provided for a transitional period (grandfathering) for companies that, before 30 December 2024, were entitled to provide crypto-asset services under a trade licence. According to the ČNB, this meant a trade licence for business activity No. 81 recorded by 29 December 2024. Such companies could continue operating if they submitted a CASP licence application to the ČNB no later than 31 July 2025 — until the decision on their application became final, but no later than 1 July 2026. This period has ended.

Crypto-asset services under MiCA can now be provided in the Czech Republic only with a CASP authorisation granted by the ČNB or by the regulator of another EU country. Banks, investment firms and other financial entities provide them on the basis of a notification to their regulator under Article 60 of MiCA. For new companies planning to enter the Czech cryptocurrency market, a CASP licence application may be submitted at any time.

Classification of CASP Licences in the Czech Republic

For the purpose of calculating minimum capital, MiCA (Annex IV) divides CASP services into three classes depending on their nature, while the ČNB authorisation itself lists the specific services that the company may provide.

Class 1

covers the following types of activities: execution of orders for the purchase and sale of crypto-assets, placing of crypto-assets on the market, reception and transmission of orders, advice on crypto-assets, portfolio management of crypto-assets, and transfer of crypto-assets between addresses. Minimum capital under Annex IV of MiCA — EUR 50,000.

Class 2

includes all Class 1 services, as well as custodial storage of crypto-assets and exchange of crypto-assets for fiat currency or other crypto-assets. Minimum capital — EUR 125,000.

Class 3

combines all Class 1 and Class 2 services, as well as the operation of crypto-asset trading platforms. Minimum capital — EUR 150,000.

In addition to CASPs, MiCA regulates the issuance of tokens. Asset-referenced tokens may be offered to the public by an issuer authorised under Article 21 of MiCA or by a credit institution under Article 17, subject to the exceptions of Article 16(2). E-money tokens may be offered to the public by their issuers — credit institutions and electronic money institutions that have notified the regulator of a white paper and published it; the exceptions are set out in Article 48. The Regulation does not apply to unique and non-fungible crypto-assets (NFTs), or to crypto-assets that qualify as financial instruments, deposits or other products already regulated by EU legislation.

Advantages of Obtaining a CASP Licence in the Czech Republic

EU passporting rights

after a notification to the ČNB under Article 65 of MiCA, a CASP licence obtained in the Czech Republic allows the company to provide the same services in other EU countries without additional licences. In the notification you state the countries, the services and the start date, and the ČNB forwards it to the regulators of those countries within 10 working days. You can start operating no later than from the 15th calendar day after the notification, and no physical presence is required for cross-border services. This gives access to a market of more than 450 million people (Eurostat estimate as of 1 January 2026 — 452 million).

One regulator and MiCA time limits

the ČNB is the competent authority in the Czech Republic under both MiCA and DORA, and the time limits for reviewing an application are set by Article 63 of MiCA; COREDO stays in contact with the ČNB until the final decision on the application. According to the ČNB, as of 1 July 2026 it had received the most MiCA applications in the EU and had granted authorisations to 11 companies.

Corporate income tax

the standard corporate income tax rate is 21% (§21 of Act No. 586/1992 Coll.), and §21 sets no separate rate for crypto-asset services.

Flexible capital requirements

prudential safeguards can be provided not only through own funds but also through an insurance policy or a comparable guarantee, or a combination of these. The minimum capital for Class 1 under Annex IV of MiCA is EUR 50,000, and if one quarter of the fixed overheads is higher, that amount is required.

Application prepared in Czech

proceedings before the ČNB are conducted in Czech (Slovak is also accepted), and COREDO prepares the application and the document package for submission to the ČNB.

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Cost of Obtaining a CASP Licence in the Czech Republic

COREDO offers clients the option of using each of the listed services individually or as a full package.

Initial Case Assessment

EUR 5,000 + VAT

Providing detailed information on requirements. Analysing the client’s documentation to identify problem areas and potential solutions. Preparing an individual plan for the CASP licence application.

Company registration in the Czech Republic

EUR 1,150 + VAT

Preparation of documents for the registration of a new company in the Czech Republic (in-person or remote registration). Acquisition of a registered office for one year, payment of state fees for company registration. Company registration in accordance with Czech law. Obtaining the necessary trade licences (excluding the CASP licence) at the Trade Licensing Office. Translation of the documents required for company registration.

Preparation of the application and supporting documents, interaction with the ČNB

from EUR 29,000 to EUR 49,000 + VAT

Compiling, together with you, a complete list of documents for the ČNB that reflects the specifics of your business and the chosen service classes. Preparation of the application and supporting documents for submission to the ČNB. Submission of the application, monitoring of its review and prompt responses to ČNB requests. Interaction with the ČNB until the final decision on the application.

If you choose the full package, its cost is the sum of the prices of the three services. The lower limit is EUR 35,150 + VAT (EUR 5,000 + EUR 1,150 + EUR 29,000). The upper limit is EUR 55,150 + VAT (EUR 5,000 + EUR 1,150 + EUR 49,000).

The price of company registration may vary depending on the specific project — in that case, both limits of the package change by the same amount.

The final cost depends on the results of the initial project assessment, the required CASP service classes, and the degree of involvement of COREDO specialists in document preparation.

Fees of public authorities are not included in the price of COREDO’s services and are paid by the client separately — except for the company registration fees, which are included in its price.

Payment Terms

Payment for the stage “Preparation of the application and supporting documents, interaction with the ČNB” is made in three instalments. The payment terms for the initial assessment and the company registration are set by the contract.

The first payment is an advance of 40% of the total cost of the stage. It is due before the start of the application and document preparation phase.

The second payment is an interim payment of 40% of the total cost of the stage. It is due before the application submission and ČNB interaction phase, following approval of the prepared application and documents.

The third payment is a final payment of 20% of the total cost of the stage. It is due after the ČNB decision on the application.

Requirements for CASP Licence Applicants

Capital and prudential safeguards

A CASP must at all times maintain prudential safeguards of at least the higher of two amounts. The first is the minimum capital under Annex IV of the MiCA Regulation: for Class 1 — EUR 50,000, for Class 2 — EUR 125,000, for Class 3 — EUR 150,000. The class is determined by the highest-class service that the company provides. The second is one quarter of the fixed overheads of the preceding year; a new company uses the projection for its first 12 months from its application. The safeguards can be provided through own funds (CET1 capital), an insurance policy or a comparable guarantee, or a combination of these (Article 67 of MiCA).

Management: repute, knowledge and experience

Members of the management body must be of sufficiently good repute and have the knowledge, skills and experience to manage the company — individually and collectively as a body — and must commit sufficient time to their duties. Good repute is evidenced by the absence of convictions and penalties under commercial, insolvency and financial services law, anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing rules, or in matters of fraud or professional liability (Article 62(3) of MiCA). One such document is a criminal record certificate. Neither MiCA nor the joint EBA and ESMA guidelines set a fixed length of experience: the assessment is individual and proportionate to the scale and complexity of the services. In the ČNB’s published interpretation, the benchmark for a manager is at least 2 years of management experience and at least 3 years of professional experience in the financial market. Qualifications are evidenced by diplomas and certificates.

AML/KYC and the responsible officer (MLRO)

A comprehensive AML/KYC system is mandatory: the appointment of a person responsible for AML/CFT compliance (MLRO), an assessment of money laundering and terrorist financing risks, internal customer due diligence policies, and procedures for detecting and reporting suspicious transactions.

Segregation of client assets

The company is required to ensure segregation of clients’ crypto-assets and funds, providing the relevant documentation and policies.

Presence in the Czech Republic and the EU

Since August 2025, only a legal entity can apply to the ČNB. Under Article 59 of MiCA, the company must have a registered office in the Czech Republic where it provides at least part of its services, its place of effective management in the EU and at least one director resident in the EU.

Digital resilience (DORA)

Compliance with DORA requirements involves documented ICT risk management systems and a business continuity plan; a description of a cybersecurity audit carried out by a third party is attached to the application if such an audit has been carried out.

Documents Required for a CASP Licence in the Czech Republic

Proceedings before the ČNB are conducted in Czech, and documents may also be submitted in Slovak. Documents in other languages are submitted in the original together with an officially certified translation into Czech, unless the ČNB indicates that a translation is not needed.

Documents on management and shareholders: passport or identity document, proof of residential address, bank statement for the last 6 months or tax declaration, completed KYC forms, curriculum vitae (CV), diplomas and certificates.

Business plan and financial plan: a three-year programme of activities describing the services to be provided.

Proof of prudential safeguards: the calculation of their amount and documents for the chosen form — for example, a bank statement showing the funds paid in, audited financial statements or documents on the insurance policy.

Internal controls and governance: organisational structure, key personnel, policies and procedures, including the procedure for handling client complaints.

Risk management: anti-money laundering policies, business continuity plan.

Technical documentation: description of ICT systems and security measures (in accordance with DORA requirements), description of a cybersecurity audit (if applicable).

Policy on segregation of crypto-assets and client funds: policies, procedures and banking agreements.

Custodial storage policy (if applicable): storage procedures, risk identification and outsourcing.

Operational rules for the trading platform (if applicable): admission conditions, fee structure, market surveillance.

Commercial policy and pricing (if applicable): client interaction policy, pricing methodology.

Order execution policy (if applicable): execution factors, quality control.

Proof of adviser qualifications (if applicable): policies and mechanisms for assessing knowledge and experience.

Description of crypto-asset transfer services (if applicable): types of crypto-assets, procedures for collecting client information.

White paper (if applicable).

Procedure for Obtaining a CASP Licence in the Czech Republic

Initial project assessment (approximately 1 week).

COREDO specialists analyse the client’s situation, collect the necessary information, and determine the timeline, cost and degree of involvement. The period runs from receipt of all the necessary information.

01

Company registration (approximately 2–4 weeks).

COREDO registers the company in the Czech Republic and obtains the trade licences and the registered office. The period runs from receipt of all the necessary documents and information.

02

Application preparation (approximately 2 months).

COREDO collects and prepares the complete document package together with you, taking into account the specifics of the business and the chosen service classes. The time depends on the completeness of the data provided.

03

Application submission and interaction with the ČNB.

COREDO submits the application, monitors its review and responds promptly to ČNB requests. The ČNB checks the completeness of the application within 25 working days and, if it is incomplete, sets a deadline for the missing information.

04

ČNB decision (40 working days from receipt of the complete application).

A request for additional information made no later than the 20th working day suspends the 40-day period until the reply, but for no more than 20 working days. In COREDO’s estimate, the review of the application takes 3 to 6 months; the final time frame depends on the ČNB’s workload, and upon approval the licence is entered in the ČNB register.

05

Our Experts

Head of Compliance

Pavel Kos

Head of Legal. Has been with COREDO since June 2017 and has headed the legal team since July 2020. Possesses extensive experience in supporting financial licensing projects in the Czech Republic and other EU jurisdictions.

Alena Mach

Executive Director

Nikita Veremeev

Founder & NED

Gregory Lutsenko

Head of Compliance

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a non-resident obtain a CASP licence in the Czech Republic?

The licence is granted to the company, not to its owner, so the presence requirements in the Czech Republic and the EU are met by the company itself. The ČNB assesses the owners separately: shareholders who directly or indirectly hold at least 10% of the capital or voting rights, or who can exercise significant influence over the management, must be of sufficiently good repute. Otherwise the ČNB will refuse the authorisation (Articles 63(10) and 68(2) of MiCA).

Does a bank or an investment firm need a CASP licence?

Not necessarily: under Article 60 of MiCA, certain financial entities may provide crypto-asset services without a separate CASP authorisation by notifying the regulator of their home country no later than 40 working days before they start. A bank may provide any crypto-asset services, an investment firm only those equivalent to the investment services covered by its licence, and an electronic money institution only custody and transfers of its own e-money tokens. Services may not start while the notification is incomplete.

When should the capital for a CASP licence be paid in, and in what currency?

According to the ČNB, the prudential safeguards must already be in place and evidenced when the application is submitted, and then maintained at all times. The capital may be paid in in any currency, provided that, converted at the ČNB exchange rate, it corresponds to the required amount in EUR. If the safeguards are kept at the level of the minimum capital, the ČNB’s position is that a sufficient buffer against exchange-rate fluctuations is needed.

Can services be added to a CASP licence later?

Yes. A ČNB authorisation lists specific crypto-asset services, so to add a new service the company requests an extension of its authorisation: it supplements and updates the information in its application under Article 62 of MiCA. The request is reviewed under the same procedure and within the same time limits as the original application (Article 59(8) of MiCA). If the new service belongs to a higher class, the prudential safeguards must be at least at the threshold of that class.

What can extend the ČNB's review of the application?

The decision period runs only from the complete application, and if the missing information is not provided within the deadline set by the ČNB, it may refuse to review the application. Further ČNB requests no longer suspend the 40-day period, and if you update the information in your application yourself, the period starts again. That is why COREDO prepares the complete document package and agrees it with you before submission.

Can a crypto company apply a reduced corporate income tax rate?

§21 of Act No. 586/1992 Coll. links reduced rates to the type of taxpayer, not to the type of services. The 5% rate applies to a basic investment fund under §17b, and 0% to funds of pension companies and to pension insurance institutions, but not to the management companies themselves (§21(2)–(3)). A CASP licence is not among these conditions: entitlement to a reduced rate depends on which type of taxpayer the company itself is.

Still Have Questions About Obtaining a CASP Licence in the Czech Republic?

COREDO specialists will help you through every stage of obtaining a CASP licence in the Czech Republic — from the initial project assessment to the ČNB decision on your application. COREDO will prepare the application and documents in line with MiCA and DORA requirements. Our expert will contact you and answer your questions about your project.

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