MiCA licence in Cyprus: CySEC

Who authorises CASPs in Cyprus?

The Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) is the competent authority for the crypto-asset service provider rules in Title V of MiCA when Cyprus is the home state. It receives Article 62 applications, decides on Article 63 authorisation and receives Article 60 notifications from eligible financial entities. CySEC handles Article 63 CASPs. The central bank handles relevant bank and EMI notifications.

Lead CASP authority

CySEC

Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC)

Transition ended

1 July 2026

Article 143(3) period as notified to ESMA

Authorities in ESMA’s CASP file

1

Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC)

White papers notified here

5

5 other crypto-assets (Title II), 0 e-money tokens (Title IV)

The authority link opens the official regulator site. ESMA publishes the interim MiCA register that this page reads, and the searchable CASP register holds every entry from it. The 5 crypto-asset white papers notified in Cyprus are listed with the rest of the Title II notices.

CASPs authorised in Cyprus

ESMA’s CASP data dated 6 October 2026 lists 24 current entries with Cyprus as home state. The earliest authorisation date is 16 January 2025 and the latest is 20 July 2026. Names link to our exchange record where we track the brand, and to the register row otherwise.

The same file shows 1 entry for Cyprus whose authorisation had ended on the snapshot date: Stratos Europe Ltd (ended 24 April 2026).

Services held by CASPs in Cyprus

Each bar counts the current entries with Cyprus as home state that hold the service. Most firms combine several services, so the bars add up to more than 24.

1. aCustody and administration of crypto-assets for clients23
2. bOperation of a trading platform for crypto-assets2
3. cExchange of crypto-assets for funds (fiat)20
4. dExchange of crypto-assets for other crypto-assets18
5. eExecution of orders for crypto-assets on behalf of clients22
6. fPlacing of crypto-assets5
7. gReception and transmission of orders for clients20
8. hAdvice on crypto-assets7
9. iPortfolio management on crypto-assets9
10. jTransfer services for crypto-assets on behalf of clients18

Firms passported into Cyprus

In all, 158 firms authorised in another EEA state may serve residents of Cyprus. Each one lists Cyprus as a host state for at least one current service in ESMA’s file, through the Article 65 cross-border notification route. Most come from France (19), the Netherlands (19), Malta (18) and Luxembourg (13).

Tracked exchanges in Cyprus

We track 52 licensed exchange and broker brands. The groups below sort them by ESMA’s home and host states for Cyprus.

A missing notification means ESMA’s file names no service in Cyprus for that legal entity. The brand may still reach Cyprus through another group entity or a later notification, so check the record before you rely on it. Platforms in the last group restrict EEA services or are still applying; see exchanges without a MiCA licence.

Article 110 warnings

ESMA’s Article 110 file dated 16 September 2026 holds no entry reported from Cyprus. The file is a warning dataset and not a complete list of unauthorised firms.

The MiCA warning list shows every entry with its reporting state and date.

How to apply for a MiCA licence in Cyprus

A firm with its registered office and effective management in Cyprus applies to CySEC for authorisation under Article 63. The Article 62 file covers the services in scope, governance, at least one EU-resident director, prudential safeguards, safeguarding of client assets, complaints handling and the business continuity and ICT controls that DORA requires.

Credit institutions, investment firms, e-money institutions, UCITS management companies, market operators and other entities listed in Article 60 can instead notify CySEC of equivalent services. They must notify at least 40 working days before they first provide the services.

Article 67 sets the requirement at the higher of the Annex IV minimum or one quarter of the previous year’s fixed overheads. The statutory periods cover the regulatory review only: preparation and questions from the authority add time. The CASP licence guide maps the services, documents and process, and the MiCA licence cost guide separates capital from fees and running costs.

Frequently asked questions

Sources