Regulatory Updates
Latvia Overtakes Lithuania and Estonia: The 2026 Baltic Licensing Numbers
October 5, 2026
Read more Regulatory licensing & fintech advisory, worldwide
Independent advisory firm for financial regulatory licensing. We take investment firms, forex brokers, payment institutions, crypto businesses, banks and iGaming operators from licence strategy to authorisation — with CySEC, FSA Seychelles, FSC Mauritius, Labuan FSA, Latvijas Banka and regulators in 40+ jurisdictions.
550+ clients · 40+ jurisdictions · 15+ years of team experience in financial regulation
What do you want to license?
Choose your starting point — or .
Our clients include leading regulated financial institutions across Europe, Asia, the Americas, and Africa:
Trusted By
- FXDD
- Key To Markets
- Tickmill
- Tradeview
- Your Bourse
- FXBackOffice
- Blaza International
- SticPay
- Amana Capital
- ICM Capital
- ActivTrades
- Tools for Brokers
- The Financial Commission
- Acuity Trading
- Atomiq Consulting
- MadAppGang
- Trading Writers
Financial Regulatory Licensing & Advisory Services — Worldwide
Zitadelle AG provides end-to-end regulatory licensing, corporate structuring, compliance, and FinTech advisory services for financial institutions across Europe, Southeast Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean.
View all servicesFinancial Licensing
Investment, forex, EMI, payment and MiCA CASP licences — strategy to grant in 40+ jurisdictions.
Company Formation
Incorporation, holding structures and regulated subsidiaries in 40+ jurisdictions.
Compliance & Advisory
AML/KYC frameworks, outsourced compliance and MLRO, and ongoing regulator liaison.
M&A & Legal
Acquisitions of licensed entities with due diligence, change of control and legal opinions.
Banking Licences
Specialised credit institutions in Latvia, offshore banks and digital banks.
iGaming Licences
Online casino and sportsbook licences in 11 jurisdictions, including Curaçao and Malta.
Key Jurisdictions We Cover
We have established working relationships with regulators and local counsel across all major financial licensing jurisdictions worldwide.
Europe
Middle East & Africa
Asia-Pacific
- Labuan, Malaysia (LFSA)
- Malaysia
- Singapore (MAS)
- Hong Kong (SFC)
- Australia (ASIC)
- Kazakhstan (AFSA)
- Vanuatu (VFSC)
- Marshall Islands
- Cook Islands
Don't see your preferred jurisdiction? We cover 40+ jurisdictions and are constantly expanding our regulatory network.
From consultation to authorization
The same five steps, whichever regulator you're dealing with.
- 01
Initial Consultation
We assess your business model, regulatory goals, and jurisdiction options. You leave with a clear strategy.
- 02
Corporate Structuring
Design the optimal legal structure — holding entities, operating subs, nominees, and capital arrangements.
- 03
License Application
Full preparation of the application package — business plan, AML policies, compliance frameworks, corporate docs.
- 04
Authority Liaison
We manage all regulator communication, respond to questions, and advocate for your application through to grant.
- 05
Ongoing Support
Post-authorization compliance, accounting, regulatory reporting, and business development support.
Clients on working with us
We highly value the quality of services provided by ZAG as well as the level of professionalism of its employees. An outstanding partner for any regulated financial institution.
Lyn McKay, on behalf of FXDD Zitadelle has provided Key to Markets with essential legal, licensing, and financial advisory services. We greatly appreciate the quality of their work and the professionalism of their team.
Giancarmelo Spampinato, Key To Markets Limited We've engaged Zitadelle for various services including licensing support across jurisdictions, banking setup, and ad hoc legal assistance in international financial regulation.
CEO, Tickmill We're fully satisfied with their services and continue our successful cooperation. We gladly recommend Zitadelle to other financial firms seeking serious regulatory support.
Timothy Furey, Tradeview Zitadelle professionally supported Blaza International, assisting with asset sales, acting as escrow agent, and consistently delivering excellent service throughout our engagement.
Liu Xiqian, Blaza International Ltd Recommended as a reliable consultancy firm with deep expertise in financial regulation. Zitadelle has been a trusted partner in our regulatory and compliance efforts for many years.
Partner, Your Bourse & FXBackOffice
In the press
Questions we're asked most
Not finding what you need? Our team is happy to answer any question directly.
It depends on the regulator and licence type. As a guide: a Labuan money broking licence takes about 4–6 months end to end, a Mauritius Investment Dealer licence 4–8 months, and a Seychelles Securities Dealer licence 8–12 months. EU authorisations typically take 6–12 months, and banking licences longer. We give you a jurisdiction-specific timeline in the first consultation.
We operate across 40+ jurisdictions including Cyprus, Malta, Lithuania, UK, Seychelles, Mauritius, Labuan (Malaysia), Vanuatu, SVG, UAE (DIFC/ADGM), South Africa (FSCA), Kazakhstan (AFSA), Cayman Islands, BVI, and many more. We recommend jurisdictions based on your business model, client base, and strategic goals.
Yes. Acquiring an existing licensed entity is often faster and more cost-effective. We maintain an active marketplace of pre-licensed companies — including forex brokers, EMIs, fund managers, and VASPs — available for acquisition. Visit our Financial License Market platform or contact us for current off-market listings.
Our advisory fee covers consultation, document preparation, business plan drafting, compliance framework design, application submission, and authority liaison until authorization. Government fees, minimum capital requirements, and third-party costs are billed separately and disclosed transparently before you engage.
Absolutely. Many clients retain us as their outsourced compliance and regulatory partner long after authorization — for ongoing regulatory reporting, AML policy reviews, accounting, audit support, and regulatory change management. We offer flexible monthly retainer or project-based arrangements.
Offshore jurisdictions are usually the lowest-cost route, but capital requirements have risen. A Seychelles Securities Dealer now needs USD 100,000 in capital, a Labuan money broker RM1,000,000 (and acts as an intermediary only), and a Mauritius Full Service Dealer (excluding Underwriting) MUR 1,000,000, about USD 22,000. The cheapest licence is the one your banks, payment providers and liquidity providers will accept for your model. We provide a free initial assessment.
MiCA (Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation) is the EU's comprehensive regulatory framework for crypto-asset service providers, which came into full effect in December 2024. Any business providing crypto exchange, custody, portfolio management, or advisory services to EU clients — regardless of where it is based — must either obtain MiCA CASP authorization from an EU regulator or cease serving EU clients. Zitadelle AG assists with full MiCA authorization applications, gap analyses, and ongoing MiCA compliance.
From the regulatory desk
Stay ahead of regulatory changes with our latest guides and jurisdiction updates.
Regulatory Updates
Latvia's 2026 Licensing Run: Noah Becomes the 12th MiCA Licensee as Banking Opens Up
October 1, 2026
Read more Banking Licensing
CRD VI Article 21c: The Grandfathering Deadline Has Already Passed
September 3, 2026
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Financial License Market
The marketplace for buying and selling licensed financial entities. Browse regulated companies across all major jurisdictions — forex, EMI, VASP, fund managers.
financiallicensemarket.com
Talk to a licensing partner
Book a free consultation with our senior advisors. We'll assess your needs, identify the optimal jurisdiction, and outline a clear path to authorization.