🇦🇹 Austria vs 🇫🇷 France: crypto licensing compared
Austria and France take recognisably different routes to crypto authorisation. In Austria the route is the MiCA CASP Authorisation granted by the Austrian Financial Market Authority (FMA) overseen by Finanzmarktaufsicht (FMA) Österreich; in France it is the MiCA CASP authorisation (French 'agrement PSCA'); replaces the legacy PSAN regime (mandatory AML registration + optional licence). A single authorisation covers the 10 MiCA services. under AMF (Autorite des marches financiers) grants and supervises the CASP authorisation; ACPR (Banque de France) gives binding assent on AML/CFT and prudential aspects via a joint examination team.. The two regimes differ on 7 of 9 tracked decision dimensions, including timeline to authorisation and local substance. The free columns below are open to everyone; the decision figures unlock with a pass, each one dated and sourced.
Austria: verified 2026-07-03 · France: verified 2026-07-03
| Dimension |
🇦🇹 Austria
partly open
Verified 2026-07-03
|
🇫🇷 France
partly open
Verified 2026-07-03
|
|---|---|---|
| Licence type | MiCA CASP Authorisation granted by the Austrian Financial Market Authority (FMA) | MiCA CASP authorisation (French 'agrement PSCA'); replaces the legacy PSAN regime (mandatory AML registration + optional licence). A single authorisation covers the 10 MiCA services. |
| Regulator | Finanzmarktaufsicht (FMA) Österreich | AMF (Autorite des marches financiers) grants and supervises the CASP authorisation; ACPR (Banque de France) gives binding assent on AML/CFT and prudential aspects via a joint examination team. |
| Capital requirement | Austria capital requirement is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. | France capital requirement is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. |
| Timeline to authorisation | Austria timeline to authorisation is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. | France timeline to authorisation is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. |
| Local substance | Austria local substance is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. | France local substance is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. |
| Application cost | Austria application cost is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. | France application cost is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. |
| Ongoing cost | Austria ongoing cost is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. | France ongoing cost is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. |
| Passporting | Austria passporting is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. | France passporting is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. |
| MiCA CASPs approved | Austria mica casps approved is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. | France mica casps approved is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. |
| Key restrictions | Austria key restrictions is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. | France key restrictions is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. |
| Recent changes | Austria set 30 June 2026 as the end of its transitional regime (shorter runway than the EU default 1 July 2026 deadline), creating pressure for existing FM-GwG registered VASPs to secure full CASP authorisation; Bybit reported as licensed in Austria per exchange-tracking source | France used the full 18-month transition, ending 1 Jul 2026 (today). Deblock first CASP (May 2025), SG-Forge (Oct 2025); ~18 CASPs authorised by 28 May 2026. AMF adopted ESMA staff knowledge/competence guidelines (Mar 2026). |
| Difficulty rating | Austria difficulty rating is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. | France difficulty rating is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. |
The two regimes differ on 7 of 9 tracked decision dimensions, including timeline to authorisation and local substance. Unlock the pass to see each figure with its source and verification date.
What changed recently
🇦🇹 Austria (verified 2026-07-02): Austria set 30 June 2026 as the end of its transitional regime (shorter runway than the EU default 1 July 2026 deadline), creating pressure for existing FM-GwG registered VASPs to secure full CASP authorisation; Bybit reported as licensed in Austria per exchange-tracking source
🇫🇷 France (verified 2026-07-01): France used the full 18-month transition, ending 1 Jul 2026 (today). Deblock first CASP (May 2025), SG-Forge (Oct 2025); ~18 CASPs authorised by 28 May 2026. AMF adopted ESMA staff knowledge/competence guidelines (Mar 2026).
Quick answers
Who regulates crypto licensing in Austria and France?
Austria: Finanzmarktaufsicht (FMA) Österreich. France: AMF (Autorite des marches financiers) grants and supervises the CASP authorisation; ACPR (Banque de France) gives binding assent on AML/CFT and prudential aspects via a joint examination team..
What licence do you need in Austria compared with France?
In Austria the authorisation route is MiCA CASP Authorisation granted by the Austrian Financial Market Authority (FMA); in France it is MiCA CASP authorisation (French 'agrement PSCA'); replaces the legacy PSAN regime (mandatory AML registration + optional licence). A single authorisation covers the 10 MiCA services.. The comparison table on this page lines the two up dimension by dimension.
Where can I see the full Austria vs France comparison?
The interactive benchmark lets you pin either jurisdiction and add up to five peers; a Founder Pass or Pro subscription unlocks every gated figure with its source and verification date. This page stays free at /crypto/compare/austria-vs-france.
Informational only, not legal advice. Every open figure carries its own verification date; verify with qualified counsel before acting.