🇩🇪 Germany vs 🇮🇪 Ireland: crypto licensing compared
On paper, Germany's MiCA CASP authorisation granted by BaFin under national law FinmadiG/KMAG; replaces the legacy KWG crypto-custody business licence, with a simplified transition for existing KWG-licensed firms. and Ireland's 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. answer the same question; in practice the detail decides it. The two regimes differ on 6 of 9 tracked decision dimensions, including timeline to authorisation and local substance. This page compares the two side by side: the identity columns are free, the decision figures are one pass away, and every cell shows when it was last checked.
Germany: verified 2026-07-03 · Ireland: verified 2026-07-03
| Dimension |
🇩🇪 Germany
partly open
Verified 2026-07-03
|
🇮🇪 Ireland
partly open
Verified 2026-07-03
|
|---|---|---|
| Licence type | MiCA CASP authorisation granted by BaFin under national law FinmadiG/KMAG; replaces the legacy KWG crypto-custody business licence, with a simplified transition for existing KWG-licensed firms. | 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 | BaFin (Bundesanstalt fur Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht) with Deutsche Bundesbank involvement; applications go to both. Widely regarded as the EU's most demanding CASP regulator. | Central Bank of Ireland (CBI) - sole competent authority; runs an Innovation Hub. Known as a demanding, gatekeeper-style regulator. |
| Capital requirement | Germany capital requirement is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. | Ireland capital requirement is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. |
| Timeline to authorisation | Germany timeline to authorisation is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. | Ireland timeline to authorisation is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. |
| Local substance | Germany local substance is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. | Ireland local substance is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. |
| Application cost | Germany application cost is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. | Ireland application cost is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. |
| Ongoing cost | Germany ongoing cost is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. | Ireland ongoing cost is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. |
| Passporting | Germany passporting is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. | Ireland passporting is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. |
| MiCA CASPs approved | Germany mica casps approved is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. | Ireland mica casps approved is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. |
| Key restrictions | Germany key restrictions is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. | Ireland key restrictions is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. |
| Recent changes | FinmadiG + KMAG in force 27 Dec 2024; Germany used a 12-month grandfathering (apply before 8 Oct 2025; effective end-2025). By mid-2026 the EU's #1 hub - ~57 CASP authorisations (~23% of the EU's ~244), incl. Trade Republic, N26, Commerzbank, Bitpanda. | 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 | Germany difficulty rating is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. | Ireland difficulty rating is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. |
The two regimes differ on 6 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
🇩🇪 Germany (verified 2026-07-01): FinmadiG + KMAG in force 27 Dec 2024; Germany used a 12-month grandfathering (apply before 8 Oct 2025; effective end-2025). By mid-2026 the EU's #1 hub - ~57 CASP authorisations (~23% of the EU's ~244), incl. Trade Republic, N26, Commerzbank, Bitpanda.
🇮🇪 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 Germany and Ireland?
Germany: BaFin (Bundesanstalt fur Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht) with Deutsche Bundesbank involvement; applications go to both. Widely regarded as the EU's most demanding CASP regulator.. 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 Germany compared with Ireland?
In Germany the authorisation route is MiCA CASP authorisation granted by BaFin under national law FinmadiG/KMAG; replaces the legacy KWG crypto-custody business licence, with a simplified transition for existing KWG-licensed firms.; 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 Germany 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/germany-vs-ireland.
Informational only, not legal advice. Every open figure carries its own verification date; verify with qualified counsel before acting.