🇫🇷 France vs 🇮🇪 Ireland: crypto licensing compared
Decision context and regulator route
Choosing between France and Ireland for a crypto licence starts with who you will answer to: 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. on one side, Central Bank of Ireland (CBI) - sole competent authority; runs an Innovation Hub. Known as a demanding, gatekeeper-style regulator. on the other, via 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. and 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. respectively. The public fields are shown below, with the full dated and sourced comparison included with access.
France: verified 2026-08-15 · Ireland: verified 2026-08-15
| Dimension |
🇫🇷 France
partly open
Verified 2026-08-15
|
🇮🇪 Ireland
partly open
Verified 2026-08-15
|
|---|---|---|
| Licence type | MiCA CASP authorisation (French 'agrement PSCA'); replaces the legacy PSAN regime (mandatory AML registration + optional licence). A single authorisation covers the 10 MiCA services. | 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 | 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. | Central Bank of Ireland (CBI) - sole competent authority; runs an Innovation Hub. Known as a demanding, gatekeeper-style regulator. |
| Capital requirement | France capital requirement is included in the £349 pass. | Ireland capital requirement is included in the £349 pass. |
| Timeline to authorisation | France timeline to authorisation is included in the £349 pass. | Ireland timeline to authorisation is included in the £349 pass. |
| Local substance | France local substance is included in the £349 pass. | Ireland local substance is included in the £349 pass. |
| Application cost | France application cost is included in the £349 pass. | Ireland application cost is included in the £349 pass. |
| Ongoing cost | France ongoing cost is included in the £349 pass. | Ireland ongoing cost is included in the £349 pass. |
| Passporting | France passporting is included in the £349 pass. | Ireland passporting is included in the £349 pass. |
| MiCA CASPs approved | France mica casps approved is included in the £349 pass. | Ireland mica casps approved is included in the £349 pass. |
| Key restrictions | France key restrictions is included in the £349 pass. | Ireland key restrictions is included in the £349 pass. |
| Recent changes | 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). | 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 | France difficulty rating is included in the £349 pass. | Ireland difficulty rating is included in the £349 pass. |
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What changed recently
🇫🇷 France (verified 2026-08-15): 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).
🇮🇪 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 France and Ireland?
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.. 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 France compared with Ireland?
In France the authorisation route 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.; 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 France 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/france-vs-ireland.
Informational only, not legal advice. Every open figure carries its own verification date; verify with qualified counsel before acting.