🇮🇹 Italy vs 🇱🇹 Lithuania: crypto licensing compared
Choosing between Italy and Lithuania for a crypto licence starts with who you will answer to: Split regulator model: Consob (Commissione Nazionale per le Società e la Borsa) is the lead competent authority issuing CASP authorisation and supervising conduct-of-business/market integrity; Banca d'Italia is consulted on and supervises prudential aspects (capital, governance, AML) and directly handles credit institutions/e-money institutions offering crypto services (e.g. Banca Sella's notification route). on one side, Bank of Lithuania (Lietuvos bankas) - single competent authority. Publicly selective stance: wants few, solid firms rather than the ~370-strong legacy VASP pool. on the other, via the MiCA CASP authorisation under EU Regulation 2023/1114, transposed via Legislative Decree 129/2025 and implemented through Consob Resolution 23700/2025. Pre-MiCA VASPs (registered under the OAM register per AML Decree 90/2017) had to convert to full CASP authorisation; transitional regime for existing VASPs was extended to 1 July 2026. and the MiCA Crypto-Asset Service Provider (CASP) authorisation under Title V of Reg (EU) 2023/1114; replaced the national VASP registration. Single passportable licence covering the services applied for. respectively. The two regimes differ on 7 of 9 tracked decision dimensions, including capital requirement and timeline to authorisation. Every figure behind the comparison carries a last-verified date and a primary source.
Italy: verified 2026-07-02 · Lithuania: verified 2026-07-01
| Dimension |
🇮🇹 Italy
partly open
Verified 2026-07-02
|
🇱🇹 Lithuania
partly open
Verified 2026-07-01
|
|---|---|---|
| Licence type | MiCA CASP authorisation under EU Regulation 2023/1114, transposed via Legislative Decree 129/2025 and implemented through Consob Resolution 23700/2025. Pre-MiCA VASPs (registered under the OAM register per AML Decree 90/2017) had to convert to full CASP authorisation; transitional regime for existing VASPs was extended to 1 July 2026. | MiCA Crypto-Asset Service Provider (CASP) authorisation under Title V of Reg (EU) 2023/1114; replaced the national VASP registration. Single passportable licence covering the services applied for. |
| Regulator | Split regulator model: Consob (Commissione Nazionale per le Società e la Borsa) is the lead competent authority issuing CASP authorisation and supervising conduct-of-business/market integrity; Banca d'Italia is consulted on and supervises prudential aspects (capital, governance, AML) and directly handles credit institutions/e-money institutions offering crypto services (e.g. Banca Sella's notification route). | Bank of Lithuania (Lietuvos bankas) - single competent authority. Publicly selective stance: wants few, solid firms rather than the ~370-strong legacy VASP pool. |
| Capital requirement | Italy capital requirement is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. | Lithuania capital requirement is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. |
| Timeline to authorisation | Italy timeline to authorisation is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. | Lithuania timeline to authorisation is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. |
| Local substance | Italy local substance is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. | Lithuania local substance is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. |
| Application cost | Italy application cost is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. | Lithuania application cost is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. |
| Ongoing cost | Italy ongoing cost is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. | Lithuania ongoing cost is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. |
| Passporting | Italy passporting is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. | Lithuania passporting is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. |
| MiCA CASPs approved | Italy mica casps approved is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. | Lithuania mica casps approved is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. |
| Key restrictions | Italy key restrictions is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. | Lithuania key restrictions is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. |
| Recent changes | Consob Resolution 23700/2025 (introducing the EUR 20,000 fee) took effect 1 December 2025; the transitional regime for pre-MiCA VASPs was extended to 1 July 2026 (later than the original MiCA default cut-off), giving Italian firms extra runway. As of 1 July 2026, 8 firms hold full CASP authorisation, a sharp jump from near-zero conversions reported earlier in 2026, though still a small fraction of the pre-MiCA registered population. | Lithuania used a shortened 12-month grandfathering - legacy VASP cover ended 1 Jan 2026 (vs the EU 1 Jul 2026 backstop). First CASP: Robinhood Europe (29 May 2025); only ~4 CASPs authorised by Mar 2026. |
| Difficulty rating | Italy difficulty rating is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. | Lithuania difficulty rating is locked. Unlock with the £349 pass. |
The two regimes differ on 7 of 9 tracked decision dimensions, including capital requirement and timeline to authorisation. Unlock the pass to see each figure with its source and verification date.
What changed recently
🇮🇹 Italy (verified 2026-07-02): Consob Resolution 23700/2025 (introducing the EUR 20,000 fee) took effect 1 December 2025; the transitional regime for pre-MiCA VASPs was extended to 1 July 2026 (later than the original MiCA default cut-off), giving Italian firms extra runway. As of 1 July 2026, 8 firms hold full CASP authorisation, a sharp jump from near-zero conversions reported earlier in 2026, though still a small fraction of the pre-MiCA registered population.
🇱🇹 Lithuania (verified 2026-07-01): Lithuania used a shortened 12-month grandfathering - legacy VASP cover ended 1 Jan 2026 (vs the EU 1 Jul 2026 backstop). First CASP: Robinhood Europe (29 May 2025); only ~4 CASPs authorised by Mar 2026.
Quick answers
Who regulates crypto licensing in Italy and Lithuania?
Italy: Split regulator model: Consob (Commissione Nazionale per le Società e la Borsa) is the lead competent authority issuing CASP authorisation and supervising conduct-of-business/market integrity; Banca d'Italia is consulted on and supervises prudential aspects (capital, governance, AML) and directly handles credit institutions/e-money institutions offering crypto services (e.g. Banca Sella's notification route).. Lithuania: Bank of Lithuania (Lietuvos bankas) - single competent authority. Publicly selective stance: wants few, solid firms rather than the ~370-strong legacy VASP pool..
What licence do you need in Italy compared with Lithuania?
In Italy the authorisation route is MiCA CASP authorisation under EU Regulation 2023/1114, transposed via Legislative Decree 129/2025 and implemented through Consob Resolution 23700/2025. Pre-MiCA VASPs (registered under the OAM register per AML Decree 90/2017) had to convert to full CASP authorisation; transitional regime for existing VASPs was extended to 1 July 2026.; in Lithuania it is MiCA Crypto-Asset Service Provider (CASP) authorisation under Title V of Reg (EU) 2023/1114; replaced the national VASP registration. Single passportable licence covering the services applied for.. The comparison table on this page lines the two up dimension by dimension.
Where can I see the full Italy vs Lithuania 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/italy-vs-lithuania.
Informational only, not legal advice. Every open figure carries its own verification date; verify with qualified counsel before acting.