🇩🇪 Germany vs 🇳🇱 Netherlands: 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 Netherlands's MiCA CASP Authorisation (Crypto-Asset Service Provider), granted by AFM; DNB co-assesses fitness/propriety and AML for licence holders answer the same question; in practice the detail decides it. The two regimes differ on 5 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 · Netherlands: verified 2026-07-02
| Dimension |
🇩🇪 Germany
partly open
Verified 2026-07-03
|
🇳🇱 Netherlands
partly open
Verified 2026-07-02
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 (Crypto-Asset Service Provider), granted by AFM; DNB co-assesses fitness/propriety and AML for licence holders |
| Regulator | BaFin (Bundesanstalt fur Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht) with Deutsche Bundesbank involvement; applications go to both. Widely regarded as the EU's most demanding CASP regulator. | Autoriteit Financiële Markten (AFM) - lead conduct regulator and licensing authority; De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB) supports with prudential/AML input |
| Capital requirement | Germany capital requirement is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. | Netherlands capital requirement is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. |
| Timeline to authorisation | Germany timeline to authorisation is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. | Netherlands timeline to authorisation is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. |
| Local substance | Germany local substance is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. | Netherlands local substance is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. |
| Application cost | Germany application cost is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. | Netherlands application cost is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. |
| Ongoing cost | Germany ongoing cost is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. | Netherlands ongoing cost is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. |
| Passporting | Germany passporting is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. | Netherlands passporting is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. |
| MiCA CASPs approved | Germany mica casps approved is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. | Netherlands mica casps approved is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. |
| Key restrictions | Germany key restrictions is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. | Netherlands 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. | Netherlands became one of the highest-volume MiCA jurisdictions through H1 2026 as the 1 July 2026 EU-wide transitional deadline approached; notable authorisations include Bitvavo, Amdax, MoonPay, Finst, Fiat Republic, and Banxa (Oct 2025); dedicated 'ARI10' authorisation added Feb 2026 per one tracker |
| Difficulty rating | Germany difficulty rating is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. | Netherlands difficulty rating is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. |
The two regimes differ on 5 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.
🇳🇱 Netherlands (verified 2026-07-02): Netherlands became one of the highest-volume MiCA jurisdictions through H1 2026 as the 1 July 2026 EU-wide transitional deadline approached; notable authorisations include Bitvavo, Amdax, MoonPay, Finst, Fiat Republic, and Banxa (Oct 2025); dedicated 'ARI10' authorisation added Feb 2026 per one tracker
Quick answers
Who regulates crypto licensing in Germany and Netherlands?
Germany: BaFin (Bundesanstalt fur Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht) with Deutsche Bundesbank involvement; applications go to both. Widely regarded as the EU's most demanding CASP regulator.. Netherlands: Autoriteit Financiële Markten (AFM) - lead conduct regulator and licensing authority; De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB) supports with prudential/AML input.
What licence do you need in Germany compared with Netherlands?
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 Netherlands it is MiCA CASP Authorisation (Crypto-Asset Service Provider), granted by AFM; DNB co-assesses fitness/propriety and AML for licence holders. The comparison table on this page lines the two up dimension by dimension.
Where can I see the full Germany vs Netherlands 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-netherlands.
Informational only, not legal advice. Every open figure carries its own verification date; verify with qualified counsel before acting.