Regulatory Licensing & Authorisation
Regulatory licensing, authorisation and registration for payment institutions, EMIs, MSBs, money transmitters and cryptoasset firms across the UK, EU, Canada, the United States, Australia, Singapore and Hong Kong.
Speak to a licensing expertSpeak to a licensing expert
Tell us the business, the markets and your timing. Every enquiry is answered the same business day, with a written proposal: the licence, the requirements, the cost and the timeline.
Your enquiry
What we do
Regulatory licensing and authorisation is the foundation of any payments, e-money, money transmission or cryptoasset business. Without the appropriate permissions, a firm cannot lawfully provide payment services, issue electronic money, transmit money across borders or provide cryptoasset services.
Our licensing work covers every stage: perimeter and permission analysis, jurisdiction and licence selection, preparation of the business plan, programme of operations, financial forecasts, governance, safeguarding and financial crime documentation, submission, and management of the regulator question process through to determination.
We work across the FCA and UK regimes, EU national competent authorities including the Bank of Lithuania and the Central Bank of Ireland, FINTRAC and the Bank of Canada, FinCEN and United States state regulators, AUSTRAC, MAS and Hong Kong authorities. Applications succeed on evidence and internal consistency, so our focus is on making the documented firm and the operating firm the same firm.
Regulatory Assessment
We analyse your business model and determine the appropriate licence type and jurisdiction.
Application Preparation
We draft the complete application including business plan, programme of operations, and compliance frameworks.
Submission & Management
We submit the application and manage all regulator communications and information requests.
Authorisation & Launch
Upon approval, we support your transition to live operations.
What's Included
Business Plan & Programme of Operations
Comprehensive regulatory business plan tailored to the target jurisdiction and licence type.
Compliance Framework
Full compliance monitoring programme, policies and procedures ready for day-one operations.
AML/CFT Framework
Complete anti-money laundering framework including risk assessment, CDD procedures and monitoring.
Financial Projections
Regulatory capital adequacy calculations and three-year financial projections.
Governance Documentation
Board terms of reference, committee structures, and individual fitness and propriety assessments.
Regulator Liaison
Full management of all regulator communications, information requests and remediation.
Who this service is for
Firm types
- - Fintech startups seeking initial authorisation
- - Established firms expanding to new jurisdictions
- - Banks launching new regulated business lines
- - Crypto firms requiring MiCA or FCA registration
Situations & Triggers
- - Launching a new payment or e-money service
- - Entering the UK, EU or global market
- - Requiring multiple parallel licence applications
- - Needing to meet tight go-to-market timelines
Why firms choose Regulatory Counsel
200+ licence and registration engagements
Applications taken through regulators in the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe, Canada, Australia, the Middle East and Asia.
Senior-led
The same senior practitioners run your engagement from the first assessment to the last regulator question.
Every regulated sector
Payment, e-money, money transmission, crypto, banking, lending, insurance, mortgage and investment firms.
In writing, the same day
Every enquiry is answered the same business day, and scope, timeline and fees are set out in writing before work begins.
Related insights
Lithuania vs Ireland for a Payment Institution Licence: Which Should You Choose?
A practical comparison of Lithuania and Ireland for an EU payment institution licence: regulator timelines, capital, substance expectations and passporting after Brexit.
EMI vs Payment Institution Licence: Which Does Your Business Need?
Understanding the fundamental legal and commercial differences between EMI and payment institution authorisation, and how to determine which your business requires.
How to Apply for a UK Banking Licence: What the PRA and FCA Require
The complete guide to UK banking licence applications: dual PRA/FCA regulation, the mobilisation stage, capital requirements, threshold conditions and realistic timelines.
More guides
- UK vs Lithuanian Banking Licence: Which Is Right for Your Business?
- Money Services Business Registration in the UK: HMRC, the FCA and What Applies
- Consumer Credit: FCA Authorisation Guide for UK Lenders and Brokers
- Buy Now Pay Later Regulation in the UK: What BNPL Firms Must Do Now
- FCA Authorisation for Investment Firms. A Complete UK Guide
- FCA Authorisation: Step-by-Step Guide to the Application Process
- Passporting and Cross-Border Licensing Post-Brexit: UK Firms' Options
- Safeguarding and Insolvency: How Customer Funds Are Protected When Firms Fail
- Variation of Permission: FCA Process, Requirements and Timelines
- How to Become a Payment Institution Agent: A Complete Guide
- UK Stablecoin Regulation in 2026: What Issuers and Payment Firms Must Prepare For
- From MLR to FSMA: How to Transition Your Cryptoasset Business to Full FCA Authorisation
- FCA Regulatory Sandbox for Stablecoins: How to Apply and What to Expect
- Open Banking and PSD3: What UK Payment Firms Should Prepare For
- MiCA vs UK Cryptoasset Regime: A Practical Comparison for Firms Operating in Both Markets
- Passporting After Brexit: How UK Payment Institutions Can Access EU Markets
- FCA Authorisation Timelines in 2026: What Applicants Should Realistically Expect
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- Consumer Credit Act Reform 2026: Key Changes Every Lender Must Know
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- Cross-Border Payment Regulation in the UK: A Framework Guide for Payment Firms
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- Crypto Custody FCA Authorisation 2026: Requirements, Capital and Application Process
- FCA Crypto Prudential Requirements 2026: Capital and Financial Resource Rules Explained
- International Crypto Firms Entering the UK: FCA Authorisation and UK Presence Requirements
- BNPL FCA Authorisation 2026/27: Requirements, Deadline and Application Guide
- FCA Permissions Review: Aligning Authorisation to Actual Business Activity
- Why FCA Authorisation Applications Fail: The Gateway Assessment Explained
- FINTRAC MSB Registration Revoked or Expired: Causes, Consequences and How to Re-register
- Canada's Stablecoin Act: Who Must Register With the Bank of Canada, Reserve Rules and Timing
- BNPL for Retailers and Marketplaces: When You Need FCA Permission After 15 July 2026
- FCA Crypto Application Checklist: Documents and a Weekly Plan to 28 February 2027
- ESMA's 8 January 2027 Deadline for Non-MiCA Stablecoins: What EU CASPs Must Do
- How to License an Insurance Agency in All 50 US States: Resident Licence, Non-Resident Licences, NIPR and Timeline
- MGA Licensing in the US: State MGA Laws, Carrier Agreements and What Regulators Check
- Insurtech Licensing in the US: When an Embedded Insurance or Comparison Platform Needs a Producer Licence
- SEC or State Registration for Investment Advisers: The AUM Thresholds and How to Decide
- FINRA New Member Application: How to Become a Broker-Dealer, the Timeline and What FINRA Asks
- US Lending Licences by State: Which Lenders Need One and How to Apply Through NMLS
- Bank Partnership or Your Own Lending Licences: How US Fintech Lenders Choose
- BNPL and Earned Wage Access in the US: Where State Licensing Now Applies
- How to Get a Mortgage Company Licence in the US: NMLS Steps, State Requirements, Timeline and Costs
- Mortgage Loan Originator (MLO) Licensing Under the SAFE Act: Education, Test, Sponsorship and Renewal
- Unlicensed Money Transmission: When Crypto, Stablecoin and Payments Firms Need State Licences
- How to Become a Permitted Payment Stablecoin Issuer Under the GENIUS Act
- GENIUS Act for Exchanges and Custodians: What Digital Asset Service Providers Must Do Before 18 July 2028
- OCC National Trust Charter or State Money Transmitter Licences: Which Route for Stablecoin and Payments Firms in 2026 and 2027
Ready to get started?
Every enquiry is answered the same business day, with a written proposal.
Speak to a licensing expertFrequently asked questions
Timelines vary from a matter of weeks for FINTRAC registration in Canada to several years for a UK banking licence. Most payment institution and EMI applications take three to twelve months from submission, and the elapsed time is driven largely by how quickly a firm can answer regulator questions with evidence.
That depends on whether customers hold a balance, whether funds are received to execute a specific transaction, the volumes involved and the markets served. We complete a perimeter and permission analysis before any application work begins, because an application under the wrong permission costs far more than the analysis does.
Yes. We manage the process from regulatory strategy through to determination, including all documentation, regulator communications, and any control build required before submission.
More than 65 jurisdictions, including the United States, the United Kingdom, every EU member state, Canada, Australia, the UAE, Singapore and Hong Kong.
Yes. Firms serving several corridors frequently need parallel applications. We sequence them by commercial priority and share common documentation across jurisdictions where the regulators permit it.
Fees depend on the licence type, jurisdiction and complexity of the application. We provide a fixed-fee proposal after an initial assessment of requirements.
Yes. Ongoing compliance support, regulatory reporting and operational assistance are available so that the framework described in the application is the framework the firm actually runs.
Most applications attract detailed questions. We manage the response process, close evidence gaps and, where a concern is substantive, advise on whether to remediate, narrow the application or withdraw and resubmit rather than accept a refusal on the record.