🇨🇾 Cyprus vs 🇮🇪 Ireland: crypto licensing compared
Decision context and regulator route
Cyprus and Ireland are commonly considered side by side for crypto authorisation. In Cyprus the route is the MiCA CASP Authorisation granted by CySEC; existing Cyprus Investment Firms (CIFs) can extend their licence to cover crypto-asset services under a simplified process overseen by Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) - sole National Competent Authority for MiCA in Cyprus; in Ireland it is the MiCA CASP authorisation granted by the Central Bank of Ireland; replaces the legacy VASP registration (CJA 2010, AML). No simplified VASP->CASP conversion - all applicants face the full process. under Central Bank of Ireland (CBI) - sole competent authority; runs an Innovation Hub. Known as a demanding, gatekeeper-style regulator.. The public licence and regulator fields below are open to everyone; the complete sourced comparison is included with access.
Cyprus: verified 2026-07-02 · Ireland: verified 2026-08-15
| Dimension |
🇨🇾 Cyprus
partly open
Verified 2026-07-02
|
🇮🇪 Ireland
partly open
Verified 2026-08-15
|
|---|---|---|
| Licence type | MiCA CASP Authorisation granted by CySEC; existing Cyprus Investment Firms (CIFs) can extend their licence to cover crypto-asset services under a simplified process | MiCA CASP authorisation granted by the Central Bank of Ireland; replaces the legacy VASP registration (CJA 2010, AML). No simplified VASP->CASP conversion - all applicants face the full process. |
| Regulator | Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) - sole National Competent Authority for MiCA in Cyprus | Central Bank of Ireland (CBI) - sole competent authority; runs an Innovation Hub. Known as a demanding, gatekeeper-style regulator. |
| Capital requirement | Cyprus capital requirement is included in the £349 pass. | Ireland capital requirement is included in the £349 pass. |
| Timeline to authorisation | Cyprus timeline to authorisation is included in the £349 pass. | Ireland timeline to authorisation is included in the £349 pass. |
| Local substance | Cyprus local substance is included in the £349 pass. | Ireland local substance is included in the £349 pass. |
| Application cost | Cyprus application cost is included in the £349 pass. | Ireland application cost is included in the £349 pass. |
| Ongoing cost | Cyprus ongoing cost is included in the £349 pass. | Ireland ongoing cost is included in the £349 pass. |
| Passporting | Cyprus passporting is included in the £349 pass. | Ireland passporting is included in the £349 pass. |
| MiCA CASPs approved | Cyprus mica casps approved is included in the £349 pass. | Ireland mica casps approved is included in the £349 pass. |
| Key restrictions | Cyprus key restrictions is included in the £349 pass. | Ireland key restrictions is included in the £349 pass. |
| Recent changes | CySEC set a hard 27 February 2026 deadline for existing national-regime CASPs to submit MiCA applications; preliminary assessment phase opened 13 Nov 2024, formal applications from 1 Jan 2025; national transitional regime and full MiCA regime now running in parallel toward the 1 July 2026 EU-wide cutover | Transitional period ended 30 Dec 2025 (12 months; simplified route declined). ~10 CASPs authorised by late 2025 (Kraken Jun 2025, Coinbase, StoneX 10th). Revised Consumer Protection Code from 24 Mar 2026. |
| Difficulty rating | Cyprus difficulty rating is included in the £349 pass. | Ireland difficulty rating is included in the £349 pass. |
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What changed recently
🇨🇾 Cyprus (verified 2026-07-02): CySEC set a hard 27 February 2026 deadline for existing national-regime CASPs to submit MiCA applications; preliminary assessment phase opened 13 Nov 2024, formal applications from 1 Jan 2025; national transitional regime and full MiCA regime now running in parallel toward the 1 July 2026 EU-wide cutover
🇮🇪 Ireland (verified 2026-07-01): Transitional period ended 30 Dec 2025 (12 months; simplified route declined). ~10 CASPs authorised by late 2025 (Kraken Jun 2025, Coinbase, StoneX 10th). Revised Consumer Protection Code from 24 Mar 2026.
Quick answers
Who regulates crypto licensing in Cyprus and Ireland?
Cyprus: Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) - sole National Competent Authority for MiCA in Cyprus. Ireland: Central Bank of Ireland (CBI) - sole competent authority; runs an Innovation Hub. Known as a demanding, gatekeeper-style regulator..
What licence do you need in Cyprus compared with Ireland?
In Cyprus the authorisation route is MiCA CASP Authorisation granted by CySEC; existing Cyprus Investment Firms (CIFs) can extend their licence to cover crypto-asset services under a simplified process; in Ireland it is MiCA CASP authorisation granted by the Central Bank of Ireland; replaces the legacy VASP registration (CJA 2010, AML). No simplified VASP->CASP conversion - all applicants face the full process.. The comparison table on this page lines the two up dimension by dimension.
Where can I see the full Cyprus vs Ireland 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/cyprus-vs-ireland.
Informational only, not legal advice. Every open figure carries its own verification date; verify with qualified counsel before acting.