Crypto & Financial Services Licensing

Watsonlaw delivers comprehensive licensing and regulatory registration services for cryptocurrency and financial services businesses operating in the Netherlands and EU. The firm has successfully registered multiple crypto service providers with DNB and obtained one of the first MiCA licenses issued in both the Netherlands and the European Union (Acheron Trading, May 2025).

Crypto Service Provider Licensing

AMLD5 Registration (Pre-MiCA)

• DNB registration for crypto exchange services
• DNB registration for custodial wallet providers
• Compliance with Anti-Money Laundering Directive requirements
• Registration renewals and regulatory correspondence

MiCA Licensing (Post-December 30, 2024)

Crypto Asset Service Provider (CASP) Licensing:

• Licensing applications for trading platforms and exchanges
• Brokerage services authorization
• Advisory services licensing
• Custody services (custodian/bewaarder) licensing
• Preparation of complete licensing application packages including operational procedures and governance frameworks

Token Issuer Authorizations:

• Stablecoin issuer licenses (payment tokens and e-money tokens)
• Asset-referenced token issuer authorizations
• Whitepaper drafting and AFM submission
• Ongoing compliance monitoring as MiCA implementation evolves

Traditional Financial Services Licensing

Investment Firm & MTF Licensing

• Investment firm licensing applications
• Multilateral Trading Facility (MTF) authorization for trading platforms
• Regulatory filings with AFM and DNB
• License renewals and regulatory amendments

End-to-End Support

Watsonlaw provides hands-on support throughout all stages of the regulatory licensing process:

• Initial regulatory pathway assessment and gap analysis
• Preparation of comprehensive licensing application packages
• Drafting of operational procedures, governance frameworks, and compliance documentation
• Coordination with financial regulators (AFM, DNB)
• Management of regulatory correspondence and follow-up inquiries
• Post-licensing compliance advisory and regulatory updates

The firm delivers concrete, practically applicable advice developed through direct experience navigating Dutch and EU regulatory processes. Watsonlaw's proven track record includes multiple successful DNB registrations and obtaining pioneering MiCA licenses for crypto asset service providers.