🇩🇪 Germany vs 🇪🇸 Spain: crypto licensing compared
Germany and Spain take recognisably different routes to crypto authorisation. In Germany the route is the 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. overseen by BaFin (Bundesanstalt fur Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht) with Deutsche Bundesbank involvement; applications go to both. Widely regarded as the EU's most demanding CASP regulator.; in Spain it is the MiCA CASP Authorisation granted by the Comisión Nacional del Mercado de Valores (CNMV); Banco de España separately supervises stablecoin (ART/EMT) issuance under Comisión Nacional del Mercado de Valores (CNMV) - lead CASP authority; Banco de España co-supervises stablecoin issuers. The two regimes differ on 7 of 9 tracked decision dimensions, including timeline to authorisation and local substance. The free columns below are open to everyone; the decision figures unlock with a pass, each one dated and sourced.
Germany: verified 2026-07-03 · Spain: verified 2026-07-02
| Dimension |
🇩🇪 Germany
partly open
Verified 2026-07-03
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🇪🇸 Spain
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 granted by the Comisión Nacional del Mercado de Valores (CNMV); Banco de España separately supervises stablecoin (ART/EMT) issuance |
| Regulator | BaFin (Bundesanstalt fur Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht) with Deutsche Bundesbank involvement; applications go to both. Widely regarded as the EU's most demanding CASP regulator. | Comisión Nacional del Mercado de Valores (CNMV) - lead CASP authority; Banco de España co-supervises stablecoin issuers |
| Capital requirement | Germany capital requirement is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. | Spain capital requirement is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. |
| Timeline to authorisation | Germany timeline to authorisation is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. | Spain timeline to authorisation is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. |
| Local substance | Germany local substance is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. | Spain local substance is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. |
| Application cost | Germany application cost is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. | Spain application cost is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. |
| Ongoing cost | Germany ongoing cost is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. | Spain ongoing cost is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. |
| Passporting | Germany passporting is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. | Spain passporting is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. |
| MiCA CASPs approved | Germany mica casps approved is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. | Spain mica casps approved is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. |
| Key restrictions | Germany key restrictions is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. | Spain 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. | By early 2026, CNMV had granted MiCA CASP licenses to six banks (BBVA, Cecabank, Openbank, Renta 4, CaixaBank and Kutxabank) plus five fintechs, reflecting a bank-led adoption pattern distinct from most other EEA jurisdictions; CNMV published updated MiCA Q&A guidance in Dec 2025 ahead of full application from 1 July 2026 |
| Difficulty rating | Germany difficulty rating is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. | Spain difficulty rating is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. |
The two regimes differ on 7 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.
🇪🇸 Spain (verified 2026-07-02): By early 2026, CNMV had granted MiCA CASP licenses to six banks (BBVA, Cecabank, Openbank, Renta 4, CaixaBank and Kutxabank) plus five fintechs, reflecting a bank-led adoption pattern distinct from most other EEA jurisdictions; CNMV published updated MiCA Q&A guidance in Dec 2025 ahead of full application from 1 July 2026
Quick answers
Who regulates crypto licensing in Germany and Spain?
Germany: BaFin (Bundesanstalt fur Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht) with Deutsche Bundesbank involvement; applications go to both. Widely regarded as the EU's most demanding CASP regulator.. Spain: Comisión Nacional del Mercado de Valores (CNMV) - lead CASP authority; Banco de España co-supervises stablecoin issuers.
What licence do you need in Germany compared with Spain?
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 Spain it is MiCA CASP Authorisation granted by the Comisión Nacional del Mercado de Valores (CNMV); Banco de España separately supervises stablecoin (ART/EMT) issuance. The comparison table on this page lines the two up dimension by dimension.
Where can I see the full Germany vs Spain 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-spain.
Informational only, not legal advice. Every open figure carries its own verification date; verify with qualified counsel before acting.