Nikolai Timofejev
15 years in FinTech and payments. Maps your business model to the right entity-level route and leads the file all the way to the Commission's records, including banking and payment rails.
Get a crypto license in Bosnia & Herzegovina.
Bosnia & Herzegovina regulates crypto at entity level, and the workable route runs through Republika Srpska: 2022 securities-market amendments put virtual-currency providers under the RS Securities Commission in Banja Luka, with state-wide AML duties since 2024. Corporate tax is 10%. We build the RS route end to end.
27 yrs
on the international marketon the market
60+
in-house specialistsspecialists
400+
Crypto licenses obtainedlicenses obtained
Updated
Bosnia & Herzegovina in brief
Two entities, one workable route.
Bosnia & Herzegovina is a state of two entities, and its crypto rules live at entity level. Republika Srpska moved first. Amendments to its Law on the Securities Market, published in the Official Gazette of Republika Srpska No. 63/22 on 7 May 2022, defined virtual currency and pulled providers of virtual-currency exchange and wallet-custody services under the RS Securities Commission, seated in Banja Luka. The mechanics are notification-based: a provider files with the Commission within 30 days of establishment, describes its anti-money-laundering controls, enters the Commission's records and then operates under its supervision, with a duty to warn clients about transaction risks before the relationship starts. The Federation of BiH - the other entity - has no dedicated regime. We say that plainly, because it is why the practical route runs through an RS-registered d.o.o.
The state level caught up on the AML side. The BiH Law on the Prevention of Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorist Activities, in force from early 2024, introduced the virtual asset service provider concept nationally and attached FATF-aligned duties - client identification, monitoring, reporting to the financial intelligence unit - wherever in the country you operate. Around the legal picture, the numbers are friendly: corporate profit tax is 10% in both entities, among the lowest rates in Europe, the convertible mark is pegged to the euro at 1.95583 under a currency board, and the country holds EU candidate status, with leaders agreeing in March 2024 to open accession talks. This is a registration-and-AML framework rather than a full licensing law - thinner than MiCA, cheaper than MiCA, and we scope it honestly.
BiH regulates crypto at entity level. The workable route: Republika Srpska, where 2022 securities-market amendments (Gazette No. 63/22) put virtual-currency exchange and custody providers under the RS Securities Commission in Banja Luka.
The state AML/CFT Law added VASP duties countrywide from 2024; the Federation has no dedicated regime. Corporate tax is 10%, the mark is euro-pegged, and the country is an EU candidate.
The regime
An entity-level registration, plus state AML duties.
The RS securities-market framework covers exchange and custody services through Commission records; the 2024 state AML law adds VASP duties countrywide. The first job is structuring the RS entry correctly; the second is the AML build. We do both.
An RS registration plus state AML duties - a thin framework we scope honestly. The route runs through Banja Luka.
01 - REPUBLIKA SRPSKA · REGISTRATION
Exchange and wallet services
The core route: virtual-currency exchange services and wallet depository services, notified to the RS Securities Commission within 30 days of establishment and entered in its records, under its AML-focused supervision.
The core route: virtual-currency exchange services and wallet depository services, notified to the RS Securities Commission within 30 days of establishment and entered in its records, under its AML-focused supervision.
- ✓Virtual-currency exchange services
- ✓Wallet depository (custody) services
- ✓Notification to the RS Securities Commission within 30 days
- ✓Entry in the Commission's records of providers
- ✓Internal AML controls described at filing
- ✓Mandatory client risk warnings
02 - STATE LEVEL · AML DUTIES
10% corporate taxVASP duties nationwide
The BiH AML/CFT Law in force from early 2024 defines virtual asset service providers for the whole country and attaches FATF-style duties to them - the layer every provider carries on top of the RS registration.
State level: the 2024 AML/CFT Law defines VASPs nationally - KYC, monitoring, FIU reporting - on top of the RS entry.
- ✓VASP definition in the state AML/CFT Law (2024)
- ✓KYC, enhanced due diligence and monitoring
- ✓Reporting to the financial intelligence unit
- ✓Duties apply across both entities
- ✓No dedicated Federation regime - we say so
- ✓RS registration as the practical base
Costs and timelines are confirmed for your case before any work begins. This is a registration-and-AML framework, thinner than a full licensing law - we scope what the RS Securities Commission expects today and put it in writing.
Why Bosnia & Herzegovina
A cheap, real entry point on the EU track.
The framework rests on the RS securities-market amendments of 2022 and the state AML law of 2024 - inside a 10%-tax, euro-pegged, EU-candidate country.
✓
A verifiable entry point
The 2022 RS amendments are published law - Official Gazette of RS No. 63/22 - with a named regulator in Banja Luka keeping records you can check. This is a real framework, however thin, and it functions.Published law, named regulator, real records.
✓
10% corporate tax
Profit tax is 10% in Republika Srpska, the Federation and the Brčko District alike - among the lowest rates in Europe, with no crypto-specific surcharge on top.Both entities - among Europe's lowest.
✓
EU-candidate direction
Candidate status since December 2022, accession talks agreed in March 2024, and a 2024 AML law already aligned to FATF standards. The rules trend toward EU practice - building compliant now is cheap insurance.Talks agreed 2024; rules trend EU-ward.
✓
A pegged, boring currency
The convertible mark is fixed to the euro at 1.95583 under a currency board run by the central bank. Accounting and pricing carry no local FX drama - rare at this cost level.BAM fixed to the euro at 1.95583.
✓
Affordable substance
Office space and salaries in Banja Luka cost a fraction of EU-hub levels, so a real local operation - staff, premises, a working compliance function - is genuinely affordable rather than theoretical.Real staff and offices at Balkan costs.
✓
Honest about the gaps
Two entities, no single national licence, and a rulebook thinner than MiCA. It suits cost-conscious regional models and early-stage builds - and when your clients need a passported EU licence, we say so.Thin rulebook - MiCA added when needed.
How it compares
How Bosnia & Herzegovina differs from other routes.
BiH is the low-cost Balkan entry point - entity-level, registration-based, on the EU track. The honest comparison is below.
Bosnia & Herzegovina vs other jurisdictions
| Feature |  Bosnia & Herzegovina | Other jurisdictions |
|---|---|---|
| Regulatory regime | RS registration (Securities Commission) | Licence or registration routes |
| Coverage | Entity-level; state AML since 2024 | Usually one national regime |
| Depth | Registration and AML duties | Full licensing rulebooks |
| Corporate tax | 10% | Ranges widely |
Regulatory regime
Bosnia & HerzegovinaRS registration (Securities Commission)
Other jurisdictionsLicence or registration routes
Coverage
Bosnia & HerzegovinaEntity-level; state AML since 2024
Other jurisdictionsUsually one national regime
Depth
Bosnia & HerzegovinaRegistration and AML duties
Other jurisdictionsFull licensing rulebooks
Corporate tax
Bosnia & Herzegovina10%
Other jurisdictionsRanges widely
Country by country
| Country | License type | Taxation | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bosnia & Herzegovina | RS registration (Securities Commission) | 10% corporate | Entity-level, AML-led |
 Serbia | Digital Assets Law 2020 (NBS/SEC) | 15% corporate | Dual licences, supervised |
 Montenegro | No dedicated regime yet | 9-15% corporate | General AML rules |
 North Macedonia | No dedicated regime | 10% corporate | General rules, EU track |
Bosnia & HerzegovinaLicense typeRS registration (Securities Commission)
Taxation10% corporate
RequirementsEntity-level, AML-led
SerbiaLicense typeDigital Assets Law 2020 (NBS/SEC)
Taxation15% corporate
RequirementsDual licences, supervised
MontenegroLicense typeNo dedicated regime yet
Taxation9-15% corporate
RequirementsGeneral AML rules
North MacedoniaLicense typeNo dedicated regime
Taxation10% corporate
RequirementsGeneral rules, EU track
Before you apply
Requirements for the RS registration.Requirements for the RS registration.
The RS Securities Commission reviews notifications with an AML lens, and the 2024 state law adds duties of its own. The checklist below is what a clean file is built around.
01
RS entity - a d.o.o. registered in Republika Srpska with real management there.
02
Notification - filed with the RS Securities Commission within 30 days of establishment.
03
Entry in the Commission's records of virtual-currency service providers.
04
Fit & proper - founders and directors with clean, documentable records.
05
AML/CFT framework - KYC, EDD, monitoring and reporting under the 2024 state law, with a named officer.
06
Internal control measures - the written AML controls the Commission reviews at filing.
07
Client risk warnings - users informed of transaction risks before the relationship starts, as the RS law requires.
08
Ownership disclosed to UBOs - beneficial owners named and checkable.
09
Systems and record-keeping the Commission and the financial intelligence unit can inspect.
10
Business plan - services, volumes and financials, mapped to the RS framework.
11
Tax registrations - 10% profit tax and 17% VAT handled from day one.
01
RS d.o.o. with real local management.
02
Notification within 30 days of establishment.
03
Entry in the Commission's records.
04
Fit & proper founders and directors.
05
AML/CFT under the 2024 state law.
06
Written internal control measures.
07
Client risk warnings before onboarding.
08
Ownership disclosed to UBOs.
09
Systems the Commission can inspect.
10
Business plan mapped to the framework.
11
Tax registrations from day one.
Reflects the RS Law on the Securities Market as amended (Official Gazette of RS No. 63/22) and the BiH AML/CFT Law in force from 2024, as of 2026. The Federation of BiH has no dedicated virtual-asset regime.RS securities law (Gazette No. 63/22) + BiH AML/CFT Law 2024, as of 2026. No dedicated FBiH regime.
How it works
From first call to the Commission's records.
01
Perimeter and route
We map your services to the RS framework and the 2024 AML law, confirm the RS route fits, and fix scope, costs and timeline in writing.RS fit confirmed; scope in writing.
02
RS company and substance
The d.o.o. registered in Republika Srpska, with office, directors and the management presence a credible notification stands on.D.o.o., office, directors in place.
03
The notification and AML file
The 30-day filing, internal control descriptions, KYC and monitoring policies and the named officer - assembled to the Commission's standard.Filing, controls, policies - to standard.
04
Commission entry
The filing lodged in Banja Luka, questions answered, and the provider entered in the Commission's records.Lodged, answered, entered in records.
05
Live operations
The business running under Commission supervision and state AML duties - reporting, monitoring and reviews we can keep running.Supervision and AML duties we can run.
Quick facts
RegulatorRS Securities Commission
SeatBanja Luka
FrameworkRS securities law, am. 2022
State AMLVASP duties since 2024
EntityRS d.o.o.
Corporate tax10%
VAT17%
EU statusCandidate; talks agreed 2024
A thin framework used honestly beats a thick one used badly. The RS registration is real, quick and cheap - and we tell you exactly what it does and does not give you.
On the ground in Bosnia & Herzegovina
Run from our Dubai office, with Bosnian counsel.
Prifinance - Bosnia & Herzegovina desk
Sarajevo · Bosnia & Herzegovina
Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina
01
RS incorporation
The d.o.o. registered in Republika Srpska with the governance and management the Commission expects behind a notification.The d.o.o. built for the notification.
02
The notification file
The 30-day filing, internal AML control descriptions and supporting documents - drafted by us and lodged with the Commission in Banja Luka.Filed and defended in Banja Luka.
03
The AML build
KYC, monitoring and reporting under the 2024 state law, with a named officer - the layer that carries the whole framework.KYC, monitoring, named officer.
04
Banking and operations
Accounts arranged on full disclosure with banks that accept virtual-currency flows - mapped before launch, not improvised after.Accounts mapped before launch.
We also have offices in
Tallinn
Estonia
Roseni 13
Vilnius
Lithuania
Gedimino pr. 2
Prague
Czech Republic
Vlkova 532/8, Žižkov
London
United Kingdom
7 Bell Yard
Dubai
UAE
33 Level, Al Saqr Business Tower
Madeira
Portugal
Rua da Alegria 31, 1F
Istanbul
Turkey
Perpa Ticaret Merkezi, A Blok
Good to know
Taxation of crypto companies in Bosnia & Herzegovina.
Company profits carry a 10% rate in both entities - among the lowest in Europe - with a 17% VAT and a euro-pegged currency around it.
10% profit tax
Corporate profit tax is 10% in Republika Srpska, the Federation and the Brčko District. Ordinary deductions apply, and the registered business is taxed as a normal local company.Both entities and Brčko.
17% VAT, one rate
VAT is state-level and single-rate at 17%. How it touches exchange fees and custody income depends on your model - we map it before launch rather than assume an exemption.Single rate - mapped per model.
Low personal rates
Personal income tax runs at 8% in Republika Srpska and 10% in the Federation - owner and staff level planning stays cheap and simple next to EU norms.8% in RS, 10% in the Federation.
Withholding on cross-border
A 10% withholding tax generally applies to outbound payments to non-residents, and the treaty network can reduce it. Flows are structured deliberately, not discovered at year-end.10% standard; treaties can cut it.
Currency-board stability
The convertible mark is pegged to the euro at 1.95583 under a currency board - euro-linked books without eurozone membership, which simplifies pricing and reporting.BAM pegged at 1.95583 per euro.
Records serve both
The AML and registration record-keeping the framework requires also underpins the tax position - regulator-grade books double as tax-office-grade books.Regulator-grade books serve tax too.
Tax summary
Corporate income tax10%
VAT17%
Personal income tax8% RS / 10% FBiH
Withholding tax10%, treaty relief
CurrencyBAM (euro-pegged)
Crypto-specific rulesVia RS framework
*As of 2026. Crypto-specific tax practice is still settling under the entity frameworks - we model on the current position and flag what may change on the EU track.
Turnkey professional support
Experienced lawyers and international consultants.
We provide end-to-end support, from company registration and the application file to regulatory interaction and compliance oversight - with an individualized approach to each client.
Oleksii Kindratenko
Builds the application itself: RS company, AML/KYC policy pack, capital structure and tax registrations. His document sets are the reason reviews finish in months, not years.
Eugeniu Bevziuc
First point of contact for international founders. Runs the whole setup remotely, across time zones and languages - from the first call to a live, registered business.
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Bosnia & Herzegovina · RS Commission
Launch your crypto project in Bosnia & Herzegovina with expert support.
Full-service assistance - from RS company registration to the Commission's records and ongoing AML compliance.
Get a consultation →Free legal opinion
Is Bosnia & Herzegovina the right fit for your project?
Our legal team will analyze your case at no cost and provide a written legal opinion: whether the RS route or another jurisdiction fits your business.
Written assessment within 2-5 business days
Request a free conclusion →FAQ
The Bosnia & Herzegovina crypto route, answered.
Does Bosnia & Herzegovina license crypto?+
At entity level, yes. Republika Srpska amended its Law on the Securities Market in 2022 - Official Gazette of RS No. 63/22 - putting virtual-currency exchange and wallet-custody providers under the RS Securities Commission. There is no single national licence, and the Federation has no dedicated regime.
Why does the route run through Republika Srpska?+
Because that is where the framework exists: a virtual-currency definition, a supervising Commission in Banja Luka, records of providers and clear filing duties. The Federation offers none of that, so serious projects register an RS d.o.o. and build there.
What does RS registration involve?+
Registering the company, then notifying the RS Securities Commission within 30 days of establishment, describing your internal AML controls, entering the Commission's records and warning clients about transaction risks before onboarding. Supervision is AML-focused and ongoing.
Is there a national licence?+
No, and we say so plainly. The state-level contribution is the AML/CFT Law in force from early 2024, which defines VASPs countrywide and attaches FATF-aligned duties - identification, monitoring, reporting. Duties, yes; a licence, no.
How are crypto companies taxed?+
Profit tax is 10% in both entities and the Brčko District, VAT is a single 17% rate, and personal income tax runs at 8% in RS and 10% in the Federation. The convertible mark is pegged to the euro at 1.95583, so books stay stable.
Is this a MiCA-grade regime?+
No. It is a registration-and-AML framework, far thinner than MiCA - and far cheaper. It fits cost-conscious regional models and early builds; when your clients or partners require a passported EU licence, we recommend one and can run both tracks.
What substance is expected?+
A real RS d.o.o.: local management, an office, a named AML officer and controls that actually run. The Commission's review is notification-based, but the 2024 AML law gives inspectors real teeth - a paper setup invites problems.
What changes next?+
The EU direction. Candidate status came in December 2022 and leaders agreed in March 2024 to open accession talks, which pulls financial rules toward EU standards over time. Building to FATF-grade AML now means migrating later instead of rebuilding.
Does BiH license crypto?+
Entity-level - RS registration; no national licence.
Why Republika Srpska?+
It has the framework; the Federation does not.
What does registration involve?+
30-day notification, AML controls, records entry.
A national licence?+
No - the 2024 state law adds AML duties only.
Company taxes?+
10% profit tax, 17% VAT, euro-pegged mark.
MiCA-grade?+
No - thinner and cheaper; we say when to pair.
Substance?+
Real d.o.o., office, named AML officer.
What changes next?+
EU track - rules trend toward EU standards.
Client notes
Google4.7★★★★★
Founders who wanted it done right.
Google4.7★★★★★
“As a software development crew at FewMoreTaps OÜ, we've had the pleasure of working with Prifinance on some key financial moves.First of all, navigating the world of corporate banking and finance can be a maze, but Prifinance made it feel like a walk in the park. They helped us set up a corporate bank account without the hassle of jumping on a plane or drowning in paperwork. Everything was done remotely, smoothly…”
Google
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Google
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Google
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Google
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Google
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Get a free legal opinion on your project - our legal team will analyze your case at no cost and provide a written legal opinion: whether the RS route or another jurisdiction fits your business.Free legal opinion: whether the Bosnia RS route fits your project and what it will cost.
✓Written legal opinion within 2-5 business days - free of charge✓A clear recommendation on the right route, not a sales pitch✓Transparent fixed fees, confirmed up front✓EN · RU · ES speaking team
Prifinance is an independent law and advisory firm. We are not a regulator and are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of the Republika Srpska Securities Commission or any other public authority. Licences and registrations are granted by, and obtained directly from, the competent authorities.