🇩🇪 Germany vs 🇮🇪 Ireland: crypto licensing compared
Decision context and regulator route
Germany's public 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 public 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. are set out side by side. Licence type, regulator and public recent-change notes are open; the full dated and sourced comparison is included with access.
Germany: verified 2026-08-01 · Ireland: verified 2026-08-15
| Dimension |
🇩🇪 Germany
partly open
Verified 2026-08-01
|
🇮🇪 Ireland
partly open
Verified 2026-08-15
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 included in the £349 pass. | Ireland capital requirement is included in the £349 pass. |
| Timeline to authorisation | Germany timeline to authorisation is included in the £349 pass. | Ireland timeline to authorisation is included in the £349 pass. |
| Local substance | Germany local substance is included in the £349 pass. | Ireland local substance is included in the £349 pass. |
| Application cost | Germany application cost is included in the £349 pass. | Ireland application cost is included in the £349 pass. |
| Ongoing cost | Germany ongoing cost is included in the £349 pass. | Ireland ongoing cost is included in the £349 pass. |
| Passporting | Germany passporting is included in the £349 pass. | Ireland passporting is included in the £349 pass. |
| MiCA CASPs approved | Germany mica casps approved is included in the £349 pass. | Ireland mica casps approved is included in the £349 pass. |
| Key restrictions | Germany key restrictions is included in the £349 pass. | Ireland key restrictions is included in 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. BaFin's KMAnzV notification ordinance under KMAG (issued 20 May 2026, Federal Gazette 26 May 2026) standardises CASP notification forms and procedures. ESMA's interim register recorded 61 German CASP entries at its 24 July 2026 refresh, including cooperative banks Raiffeisenbank Auerbach-Freihung eG (19 June 2026) and Volksbank Schwarzwald-Donau-Neckar eG (2 July 2026), both for order execution only. | 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 included in the £349 pass. | Ireland difficulty rating is included in the £349 pass. |
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What changed recently
🇩🇪 Germany (verified 2026-08-01): 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. BaFin's KMAnzV notification ordinance under KMAG (issued 20 May 2026, Federal Gazette 26 May 2026) standardises CASP notification forms and procedures. ESMA's interim register recorded 61 German CASP entries at its 24 July 2026 refresh, including cooperative banks Raiffeisenbank Auerbach-Freihung eG (19 June 2026) and Volksbank Schwarzwald-Donau-Neckar eG (2 July 2026), both for order execution only.
🇮🇪 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.