Crypto License
in Slovakia
CASP authorisation in Slovakia under EU MiCA, granted by Národná banka Slovenska
Obtain CASP authorisation in Slovakia under MiCA and operate across the European Economic Area through passporting. AMS Europe manages the full licensing process: feasibility assessment, CASP class scoping, Slovak company setup, regulatory documentation, filing with Národná banka Slovenska and post-authorisation support.
Before the project starts, we confirm the required licence scope, capital and local substance, so you know what the process will involve and whether Slovakia is the right jurisdiction for your business.
Why Slovakia for crypto licensing
Euro-area jurisdiction
Slovakia uses the euro, so client funds, capital and SEPA settlement all run in one currency. That removes conversion steps from treasury and keeps reporting in the same unit as your own funds.
Tax profile
Corporate income tax runs at 10% on taxable revenues up to €100,000, 21% in the standard band and 24% above €5 million. Standard VAT is 23%, and a minimum corporate tax may apply.
MiCA passporting across the EEA
One authorisation covers the whole European Economic Area. An authorised Slovak provider can enter other EEA markets through the MiCA cross-border framework, without a separate licence in each country, subject to notification.
AMS Europe Service Plans for a Crypto License in Slovakia
We define the scope, deliverables and responsibilities before the licensing process begins, so you know the expected cost and timeline for a crypto license in Slovakia.
The complete route, from incorporation to authorisation. Founders who want to get a crypto license in Slovakia without an existing Slovak entity start here.
Includes:
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Preliminary regulatory assessment and CASP class scoping
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Formation of the Slovak s.r.o. and statutory registrations
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Substance setup: office, key functions and management arrangements
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Preparation of the full licensing dossier, including the three-year business plan
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AML and CFT policy set, risk assessment and MLRO arrangements
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ICT and DORA readiness, plus coordination of the external cybersecurity audit
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Certified translation and filing with Národná banka Slovenska
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Regulator dialogue and post-authorisation support
Acquisition of an already authorised Slovak entity, where a suitable one is available. A ready-made crypto company in Slovakia reaches the market faster than a new application, though supply is limited.
Includes:
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Sourcing and due diligence on the target entity
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Review of the existing authorisation scope against your model
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Change of ownership and management, with notification to NBS
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Transition of compliance, AML and reporting functions
NEED ONLY
PART OF THE SCOPE?
Not every project starts from zero. We can also take on individual parts of the licensing work:
- A second opinion before you submit or resubmit
- Individual annexes: business plan, AML/CFT, ICT and DORA, fit and proper files
- MLRO, compliance and ICT candidates for key functions
- Takeover of a stalled or refused NBS application
Tell us where the process stands
Tell us what is already in place and where the process stands. We will assess what is missing and confirm the scope, cost and expected timeline to complete your crypto license in Slovakia.
AMS approach to crypto licensing
We structure each CASP project around six practical principles: clear scope, regulator-focused documentation, credible local substance and support that continues after authorisation.
Prepared for NBS review
We prepare the application with the NBS review process in mind. Each part of the dossier is aligned with the regulator’s published expectations and with the applicant’s actual operating model.
No template-based licensing
NBS explicitly flags documents that do not match the applicant’s business model. Generic policy packs therefore work against you, so we write to your actual flows of funds and assets.
Scope matched to the launch model
The authorisation should cover the services you genuinely plan to provide. A broader scope means more documentation and may move the applicant into a higher capital class. We define the scope at the outset and expand it later where that makes regulatory and commercial sense.
Substance planned from the start
Office, people and decision-making come first. Retrofitting substance after a supervisory query rarely convinces anyone, and it costs more than doing it in the right order.
Jurisdiction advice before filing
We assess Slovakia against the other jurisdictions relevant to your business model. If another route is more suitable, we will say so before you commit to the application.
Support after authorisation
Approval starts the ongoing compliance phase. We can continue with regulatory reporting, the compliance calendar, notifications and correspondence with NBS after the authorisation is granted.
How to get a crypto license in Slovakia: step by step
We manage the process in five stages, from initial scoping to post-authorisation setup. Each stage has a clear scope, deliverables and expected timeline.
Scoping and feasibility
Estimated timeframe: 1–3 weeks
We assess your business model, MiCA scope, CASP class and capital requirements, and confirm whether Slovakia is the right jurisdiction before licensing begins.
Includes:
- CASP scope and class recommendation
- Capital requirement
- Office, key personnel and management plan
- First-year budget and project timeline
- Go / no-go assessment
Slovak company formation
Estimated timeframe: 1 week
We incorporate a Slovak s.r.o. (limited liability company), complete the required registrations and arrange the local setup that NBS will assess as part of your crypto license in Slovakia application.
Includes:
- Company formation and entry in the Commercial Register
- Share capital and supporting documents
- Physical office suitable for on-site supervision
- Preparation of evidence of the required MiCA prudential safeguards
Application preparation
Estimated timeframe: 6–10 weeks
We prepare the full MiCA licensing dossier and supporting evidence required by NBS, ensuring consistency across financials, AML, governance, ICT and operations.
Includes:
- Three-year business plan with projections and stress scenarios
- AML/CFT framework and MLRO arrangements
- Governance and internal controls
- Business continuity planning
- ICT, DORA and cybersecurity documentation
- Fit and proper files for management
Submission and NBS review
Estimated timeframe: 25 days for completeness + 40 days for assessment
We submit the application to Národná banka Slovenska (NBS) and manage the review through to the final decision, including follow-up requests and regulatory questions.
Includes:
- Application submission
- Responses to NBS requests
- Regulatory follow-up
- Coordination with NBS through to the final decision
In practice, the overall timeline may be longer if NBS requests additional information or clarification.
Post-authorisation support
Estimated timeframe: ongoing
Obtaining a crypto license in Slovakia is the start of the ongoing regulatory phase. After authorisation, we help put the required reporting and compliance framework into operation.
Includes:
- Entry in the NBS and ESMA registers
- Reporting calendar and the first submission through the supervisory portal
- Travel Rule procedures and applicable tax-reporting requirements
- Passporting notifications for other EEA markets
- Ongoing regulatory support where required
Core requirements for CASP authorisation in Slovakia
A crypto license in Slovakia is assessed across six connected areas: financial resources, AML and compliance, governance, management, Slovak substance and ownership. NBS does not look at these in isolation. It considers whether the structure as a whole supports the business the applicant intends to operate.
Capital and financial safeguards
The capital level follows from the permissions included in the application.
- Class 1 — €50,000
Covers execution, placing, transfer, reception and transmission of orders, advice and portfolio management. - Class 2 — €125,000
Adds custody and administration, as well as exchange of crypto-assets for funds or for other crypto-assets. - Class 3 — €150,000
Adds operation of a crypto-asset trading platform.
The MiCA prudential test does not stop at the class minimum. A CASP must maintain own funds at least equal to the higher of the class amount or 25% of its fixed overheads. For a newly established provider, the calculation is based on projected overheads for the first 12 months.
For businesses applying for a crypto exchange license in Slovakia, the distinction between exchange and platform operation is important. Acting as the counterparty in an exchange service falls within Class 2. Running a venue where third parties trade with each other falls within Class 3 and brings an additional layer of MiCA obligations.
AML and compliance framework
A Slovak CASP needs an AML/CFT setup that fits the way the business will actually operate. Responsibility for AML must be clearly assigned, with internal procedures and a documented risk analysis covering customers, services, distribution channels and geographic exposure.
These controls should follow the real movement of funds, crypto-assets and client activity. Outsourcing individual tasks is possible, but regulatory accountability remains with the authorised company.
Governance and key functions
The application must show that the people running the CASP have the experience and competence required for their roles. NBS looks not only at individual managers, but also at whether the management team works effectively as a whole.
The dossier should make clear who handles compliance, risk, ICT and other key functions, what decision-making authority they have and how those responsibilities work in practice. Weak or unclear staffing can become a substantive issue during the NBS review.
Management requirements
There is no general requirement for every member of the management body to be resident in Slovakia. What matters is whether the people presented to NBS genuinely perform their functions and whether the applicant can demonstrate effective management of the business.
NBS expects a real connection between the business model and the place of actual management in Slovakia. Its pre-licensing guidance specifically identifies insufficient links to Slovakia, regulatory arbitrage, licence tourism and shell-company characteristics as factors that may prevent a pre-licensing meeting from going ahead.
Local substance in Slovakia
A CASP authorisation in Slovakia requires more than a registered address. NBS states that a virtual office or P.O. box without permanent staff is not sufficient. The applicant should be able to demonstrate physical premises available for supervision, key personnel performing substantive functions in Slovakia and access to the relevant documentation and data.
The underlying question is whether there is a real and sustainable link between the planned crypto-asset activities and Slovakia. This should be designed into the operating model before the application is filed rather than added later in response to regulatory questions.
Ownership and source of funds
NBS reviews the applicant’s shareholders, persons with qualifying holdings, management and other relevant parties as part of the authorisation process. The ownership structure and source of funding therefore need to be transparent, documented and consistent across the application.
Where the ownership chain or funding structure involves several jurisdictions, the applicant should be prepared to provide sufficient supporting evidence and explanations for NBS to complete its assessment.
BEFORE YOU FILE
WITH NBS
You do not need to commit to a full licensing mandate to understand where your application stands.
- What is already in place
- What is still missing
- What should be changed before submission
- The expected cost and timeline to complete the application
Get a written assessment first
Send us your business model and the documents already prepared. We will review the proposed CASP scope, local setup and licensing file and come back with a written assessment.
FAQ: Crypto CASP License in Slovakia
How long does CASP authorisation take in Slovakia?
The NBS review has two formal stages: up to 25 working days to check whether the file is complete, followed by up to 40 working days for the substantive assessment. The overall project takes longer because company setup, preparation of the dossier, translation and any follow-up requests from NBS sit around those statutory periods.
For planning purposes, a crypto license in Slovakia should be treated as a multi-month process rather than a short filing exercise.
Is a CASP license in Slovakia the same as a crypto licence?
In practice, yes. Crypto license in Slovakia is the commercial term most clients use, while CASP authorisation is the more precise MiCA terminology.
The old Slovak VASP trade-licence route is no longer the current licensing route for businesses that fall within the MiCA CASP regime.
Who regulates CASPs in Slovakia?
Národná banka Slovenska (NBS) handles CASP authorisation and ongoing supervision in Slovakia. It reviews the application, assesses the people and structure behind the business and remains the home regulator after approval.
What is the minimum capital for a CASP in Slovakia?
The starting amount depends on the CASP class: Class 1 — €50,000, Class 2 — €125,000, Class 3 — €150,000.
Which class applies depends on the services included in the application. MiCA also applies a fixed-overheads test, so the required own funds may be higher than the class minimum.
Do I need a Slovak-resident director for a crypto license in Slovakia?
There is no general requirement for every director to be resident in Slovakia. MiCA requires the CASP to have its place of effective management in the EU and at least one director resident in the EU. For a Slovak application, NBS also expects genuine management and operational substance rather than a nominal local structure.
NBS looks at whether key functions are genuinely performed, whether management has real decision-making authority and whether the business has a sustainable connection to Slovakia. Nominee arrangements that do not reflect actual management can therefore create a serious licensing problem.
Can the licensing process be managed remotely?
A large part of the project can be handled remotely, including document preparation, filing and communication with NBS.
The Slovak entity itself still needs an appropriate local setup. Depending on the operating model, this includes premises, people performing key functions and access to the records and systems needed for supervision.
Is a Slovak CASP authorisation valid across the EEA?
A CASP authorised in Slovakia can provide its authorised services across the EEA through the MiCA cross-border framework, subject to the applicable notification procedure. A separate CASP licence is therefore not required in every host country.
The Slovak entity must nevertheless remain a genuine Slovak CASP. NBS specifically warns against structures created primarily to obtain a Slovak authorisation for passporting without a real and sustainable connection to Slovakia.
Can one CASP authorisation cover several crypto-asset services?
Yes. A single authorisation can cover several MiCA crypto-asset services, provided the applicant demonstrates that its governance, personnel, systems and controls are appropriate for that scope. MiCA recognises ten regulated crypto-asset services.
Adding services broadens the application and may also move the applicant into a higher capital class. The scope should therefore reflect the services the company genuinely intends and is prepared to provide.
What does a crypto license in Slovakia cost?
The total Slovakia crypto license cost depends on the services requested, the applicable capital class, the company setup and the amount of work required to prepare the application.
The largest regulatory component is usually the MiCA prudential requirement: at least €50,000, €125,000 or €150,000 depending on the CASP class, subject also to the fixed-overheads calculation. The overall budget should also include the Slovak company setup, regulatory fees, local premises and personnel, preparation and translation of the licensing documentation, cybersecurity and ICT work, and ongoing compliance after authorisation.
Can NBS withdraw a CASP authorisation?
Yes. A CASP must continue to meet the conditions of its authorisation after approval. MiCA requires authorised providers to comply with their prudential, governance and other regulatory obligations on an ongoing basis.
Can I still obtain a Slovak VASP licence?
No. The former Slovak trade-licence regime for virtual-currency exchange and wallet services was transitional. Existing providers could rely on that regime only until 30 December 2025. It is no longer an alternative to MiCA authorisation.
Will a CASP authorisation help me open a bank account?
It can improve the company’s regulatory profile, but it does not guarantee banking access. Banks carry out their own risk assessment of crypto businesses, including the business model, ownership, client base, transaction flows, source of funds and AML controls.
Banking should therefore be planned alongside the licensing process rather than treated as an automatic result of authorisation. NBS itself recognises that banks may provide accounts to CASPs subject to their own risk-management procedures.