Fintech Licensing
EMI, PSP, VASP, MSB and crypto licences filed with the right regulator.
EMI, PSP, VASP, MSB and crypto authorisations are decided at three tables — the regulator, the bank and the acquirer. ASJ Group sequences all three from day one, because a licence that cannot open a sponsor bank account or connect to an acquirer is a certificate on a wall, not a business.
We build regulator-tested business plans, capital and MLRO models, IT and safeguarding controls, and outsourcing frameworks that align with the specific regulator's current thematic focus — not last year's rulebook.
Timeline realism is part of the engagement. A UK EMI is not a three-month project. A Lithuanian EMI is not a six-month project. We price and plan against the timelines the regulator is actually delivering right now.
Scope of engagement
- Regulator-tested business plans
- Capital, MLRO and IT controls
- Acquiring & banking referrals
Typical clients
- Founders launching a payments, wallet, remittance or card programme
- Crypto exchanges, custodians and OTC desks needing VASP authorisation
- Established fintechs migrating between regulators post-Brexit or post-MiCA
A named director on the file, from first call to handover.
We select the regulator, sponsor bank and acquirer stack that fit the product before the application is drafted.
Regulatory business plan, financial forecasts, wind-down plan, MLRO manuals, IT and safeguarding frameworks.
Named lead through pre-application meetings, filing, and the regulator's iterative Q&A.
Bank and acquirer onboarding, first audit, and ongoing compliance oversight.
What you receive.
Every engagement closes with a director-signed handover pack — retained on file for thirty years.
- Regulatory business plan and forecasts
- MLRO, safeguarding and IT policy suite
- Application filing and regulator liaison
- Sponsor bank and acquirer introductions
Jurisdictions in active use for this service.
Questions we hear on every intake call.
- How long does an EMI licence take?
- Realistic timelines are twelve to eighteen months in the UK, nine to fifteen months in Lithuania and Malta. Anyone quoting three months is quoting a filing date, not an authorisation date.
- What capital do I need?
- EMI initial capital is €350,000 under PSD2, but the regulator will require additional own-funds based on your forecast volumes. We model this before you commit.
- Can you help with the MLRO role?
- Yes. We can introduce vetted candidates and, in some jurisdictions, provide the MLRO function through a regulated affiliate.
Start with a twenty-minute call. Leave with a written scope.
Every engagement begins with a director — not a junior, not a chatbot. Fixed fees, quoted in writing, before any work begins.
More on licensing & related work
Every engagement begins with a twenty-minute director-led call. Fixed fees, in writing, before any work begins.