Nikolai Timofejev
15 years in FinTech and payments. Maps your business model to the right licence scope and leads the file all the way to the CMF decision, including banking and payment rails.
Get a crypto license in Chile.
Chile brought crypto into a real framework. The Fintech Law 21,521 puts crypto-asset services under the CMF, with registration and prior authorisation. It is Latin America's most institutional, OECD-member base - stable, rule-of-law, credibly regulated. We build that file end to end.
27 yrs
on the international marketon the market
60+
in-house specialistsspecialists
400+
Crypto licenses obtainedlicenses obtained
Updated
Chile in brief
Latin America's most institutional base, regulated.
Chile did something unusual for the region: it built a proper, working framework for crypto. The Fintech Law - Law 21,521, published in January 2023 and effective from February 2023 - brought «virtual financial assets or cryptoassets» inside its treatment of financial instruments, and made the Comisión para el Mercado Financiero, the CMF, the supervisor. The Title II regime for financial-technology service providers is in force, so crypto activity here runs on registration in the Financial Service Providers Register and prior CMF authorisation, not on a legal grey area. Firms that were operating before the deadlines had to register or wind down.
The regulated activities are defined and familiar: operating an alternative transaction system - a crypto exchange - along with investment advice, custody of financial instruments, order routing and brokerage. What makes Chile compelling is the jurisdiction wrapped around the law. It is an OECD member, consistently the most institutionally stable and least corrupt economy in Latin America, with a sophisticated regulator and strong rule of law. A CMF-registered crypto business is a genuinely credible one - the kind banks and international partners take seriously. We build the file end to end, from the Chilean company to CMF registration and authorisation.
Chile built a real framework: the Fintech Law 21,521 puts crypto-asset services under the CMF, via registration and prior authorisation. The service-provider regime is in force.
Regulated activities - exchange, custody, advice, routing, brokerage. The draw is the jurisdiction: OECD member, rule of law, the region's most institutional base, 27% corporate tax.
The regime
Registration and authorisation, by activity.
The Fintech Law defines the regulated crypto services and puts them under the CMF, through registration in the Financial Service Providers Register plus prior authorisation. We map your model to the activities and build the file to CMF standard.
The Fintech Law defines the regulated crypto services under the CMF - register plus prior authorisation.
01 - CORE CRYPTO SERVICES
Exchange, custody, brokerage
The main regulated activities: operating an alternative transaction system - a crypto exchange - plus custody of financial instruments, order routing and brokerage, registered with and authorised by the CMF.
The main regulated activities: operating an alternative transaction system - a crypto exchange - plus custody of financial instruments, order routing and brokerage, registered with and authorised by the CMF.
- ✓Alternative transaction system (crypto exchange)
- ✓Custody of financial instruments
- ✓Order routing
- ✓Brokerage of financial instruments
- ✓Registration in the CMF's register
- ✓Prior CMF authorisation to operate
02 - ADVICE & ADD-ONS
OECD-member baseInvestment advice and more
Investment advice on crypto-assets is a regulated activity in its own right, and models often combine several services. The CMF authorises the exact scope, with proportional requirements by activity and size.
Investment advice is regulated in its own right; models often combine services, scoped proportionally by the CMF.
- ✓Investment advice on crypto-assets
- ✓Combined multi-service authorisations
- ✓Proportional requirements by activity
- ✓AML/CFT under Chilean law (UAF)
- ✓Consumer-protection and conduct duties
- ✓One credible regulator - the CMF
Costs and timelines are confirmed for your case before any work begins. The CMF sets requirements proportionally by activity and size; the real investment is the file - capital, substance and documentation are scoped individually in your quote.
Why Chile
Credibility that a stamp cannot fake.
The framework rests on the Fintech Law 21,521, supervised by the CMF - inside the most institutionally solid economy in the region.
✓
An OECD member
Chile is the region's OECD anchor, with the institutional quality that membership implies. For a crypto business, basing in an OECD economy is a credibility signal that lighter jurisdictions cannot match.A credibility signal lighter bases can't match.
✓
Rule of law and stability
Consistently the least corrupt and most stable country in Latin America, with independent courts and predictable rules. For a business holding client assets, that jurisdictional strength is part of the product.The region's least corrupt, most stable economy.
✓
A real, defined framework
The Fintech Law gives crypto legal clarity that most of the region lacks - defined activities, a named regulator and a registration-and-authorisation path. You build against a statute, not a guidance note.Defined activities, a named regulator, a path.
✓
A sophisticated regulator
The CMF is an experienced, capable supervisor across banking, insurance and securities. A CMF authorisation is read by banks and partners as a serious, well-earned stamp.The CMF - a serious, well-earned stamp.
✓
27% corporate tax
A general corporate rate of 27%, with a reduced regime for smaller companies - competitive for a developed, OECD-member economy and a clean figure to model.Competitive for a developed economy.
✓
A regional launch base
Spanish-language reach, strong trade links and a respected name make Chile a sensible, credible base from which to serve the wider Latin American market.Spanish-language reach, a respected name.
How it compares
How Chile differs from other routes.
Chile is the OECD-member, rule-of-law base with a real registration-and-authorisation regime. The honest comparison is below.
Chile vs other jurisdictions
| Feature |  Chile | Other jurisdictions |
|---|---|---|
| Regulatory regime | Fintech Law 21,521 · CMF | Registration-only or none |
| Institutional standing | OECD member, rule of law | Varies |
| Legal clarity | Defined activities and regulator | Often grey |
| Corporate tax | 27% | Ranges widely |
Regulatory regime
ChileFintech Law 21,521 · CMF
Other jurisdictionsRegistration-only or none
Institutional standing
ChileOECD member, rule of law
Other jurisdictionsVaries
Legal clarity
ChileDefined activities and regulator
Other jurisdictionsOften grey
Corporate tax
Chile27%
Other jurisdictionsRanges widely
Country by country
| Country | License type | Taxation | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chile | Fintech Law registration (CMF) | 27% corporate | Register + authorisation |
 Brazil | VASP under Law 14.478 (BCB) | 34% combined | Central-Bank supervised |
 Colombia | Company + AML (no dedicated licence) | 35% corporate | UIAF + SAGRILAFT |
 El Salvador | DASP registration (CNAD) | 0% on digital-asset gains | Registration, 2-4 months |
ChileLicense typeFintech Law registration (CMF)
Taxation27% corporate
RequirementsRegister + authorisation
BrazilLicense typeVASP under Law 14.478 (BCB)
Taxation34% combined
RequirementsCentral-Bank supervised
ColombiaLicense typeCompany + AML (no dedicated licence)
Taxation35% corporate
RequirementsUIAF + SAGRILAFT
El SalvadorLicense typeDASP registration (CNAD)
Taxation0% on digital-asset gains
RequirementsRegistration, 2-4 months
Before you apply
Requirements for the CMF registration.Requirements for CMF registration.
The CMF reviews a fintech-services file to a real financial standard, proportional to activity and size. The checklist below is what a file that passes is built around - to the Fintech Law and the CMF's rules.
01
Chilean entity - typically an SpA or SA with its registered office and management in Chile.
02
Substance - genuine presence, governance and operations in the country; nameplate setups fail a serious review.
03
Fit & proper management - competent directors and officers with clean records.
04
Register and authorisation - entry in the Financial Service Providers Register and prior CMF authorisation for your activities.
05
Capital and guarantees - proportional to the activities and their risk, as the CMF's rules require.
06
AML/CFT framework - KYC, monitoring and reporting to Chile's UAF, with a named compliance officer.
07
Custody and safeguarding - segregation of client assets and a sound custody policy where you hold instruments.
08
Risk management and cyber - operational-risk and information-security standards proportional to your model.
09
Governance - ownership disclosed to UBOs, conflicts, complaints and consumer-protection procedures.
10
Business plan - services, target markets, volumes and financials the CMF can interrogate.
11
Wind-down plan - credible and documented.
01
Chilean SpA/SA with management here.
02
Genuine substance and governance.
03
Fit & proper directors and officers.
04
Register entry + prior CMF authorisation.
05
Capital and guarantees, proportional to activity.
06
AML/CFT with a named officer, UAF reporting.
07
Custody and safeguarding of client assets.
08
Risk management and cyber controls.
09
Ownership disclosed to UBOs.
10
Business plan the CMF can test.
11
Credible wind-down plan.
Reflects the Fintech Law 21,521 and CMF rules as of 2026, with the Title II service-provider regime in force. Providing regulated crypto services without registration and authorisation is unlawful.Fintech Law 21,521 + CMF rules, as of 2026. Title II service-provider regime in force.
How it works
From first call to the CMF register.
01
Perimeter and strategy
We map your services to the Fintech Law's regulated activities and fix scope, capital and timeline in writing against the CMF's rules.Regulated activities, scope, capital - in writing.
02
Chilean company and substance
SpA or SA formation, registered office, directors and the governance layer - the presence the CMF assesses behind the file.SpA/SA, office, directors - the presence behind the file.
03
The application file
AML/CFT framework, risk and cyber controls, custody documentation and capital - assembled to the CMF's proportional standards.AML, risk, custody, capital - CMF-grade.
04
CMF review
Registration and prior authorisation through the CMF's process, with the question rounds handled - we answer every one.Registration and authorisation; question rounds.
05
Authorisation and operations
Registered and authorised, the business live under the Fintech Law, with ongoing AML and reporting duties we can keep running.Registered and live; ongoing duties we can run.
Quick facts
RegulatorCMF
FrameworkFintech Law 21,521
RouteRegister + authorisation
Regulated activitiesExchange, custody, advice, routing, brokerage
RequirementsProportional by activity/size
AML supervisorUAF
Corporate tax27%
StandingOECD member
The Title II service-provider regime is in force; requirements are proportional to activity and size, which is where scoping the perimeter first really pays off.
On the ground in Chile
Run from our Dubai office, with Chilean counsel.
Prifinance - Chile desk
Santiago · Chile
Santiago, Chile
01
Chilean company formation
SpA or SA incorporation, registered office and the corporate layer the CMF expects - structured for registration and authorisation.SpA/SA, structured for registration.
02
Registration and authorisation
Entry in the Financial Service Providers Register and the prior CMF authorisation for your activities - drafted, filed and defended through the review.Register entry and prior CMF authorisation.
03
AML and risk framework
The UAF-standard AML programme, risk management and cyber controls the CMF weighs - built proportionally to your model.UAF-standard AML, risk and cyber.
04
Regional strategy
Chile as a credible base for serving the wider Latin American market - the structure planned with that reach in mind.A credible base for Latin America.
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 Chile.
No crypto-specific corporate levy - company profits carry Chile's 27% first-category rate, with a reduced regime for smaller companies, inside a mature, well-run tax system.
27% corporate rate
The general first-category corporate rate is 27% on company profits - competitive for a developed, OECD-member economy. Ordinary deductions apply, and integration rules affect owner-level tax.General first-category rate.
A reduced SME regime
Smaller companies can access a lower-rate Pyme regime. Whether a licensed crypto business qualifies depends on scale and structure - we check it against your model rather than assume it.Pyme regime - eligibility checked.
Crypto gains are taxable
Gains on crypto-assets are generally taxable income under Chilean rules; the SII treats them within the ordinary system. Positions are researchable, which reduces uncertainty in the model.Within the ordinary system - researchable.
VAT considerations
Chile's VAT applies to certain services; how it maps onto crypto fee income depends on the activity. We plan the position deliberately rather than assume an exemption.Service-specific - planned deliberately.
A capable tax authority
The SII runs one of the region's most digital and sophisticated tax administrations, with clear guidance and rulings. Certainty is obtainable where a model needs it.SII - digital, rulings available.
Records serve both
The AML, registration and CMF record-keeping the regime 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 tax27% (general)
SME regimeReduced - by eligibility
Crypto gainsTaxable income
VATService-specific
CurrencyCLP
Tax authoritySII - digital, capable
*As of 2026. SME eligibility depends on structure and scale - we check it against your model.
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: Chilean SpA or SA, 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, CMF-registered business.
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Chile · CMF
Launch your crypto project in Chile with expert support.
Full-service assistance - from company registration to CMF registration and authorisation under the Fintech Law.
Get a consultation →Free legal opinion
Is Chile the right fit for your project?
Our legal team will analyze your case at no cost and provide a written legal opinion: which activities, scope, or route fits your business.
Written assessment within 2-5 business days
Request a free conclusion →FAQ
The Chile crypto licence, answered.
Does Chile license crypto?+
Yes - through the Fintech Law 21,521. Crypto-asset services fall under the CMF, and the route is registration in the Financial Service Providers Register plus prior CMF authorisation. The Title II service-provider regime is in force.
Which activities are regulated?+
Operating an alternative transaction system - a crypto exchange - along with investment advice, custody of financial instruments, order routing and brokerage. We map your model to the exact activities and scope the authorisation.
How much capital is required?+
The CMF sets requirements proportionally to activity and risk, so there is no single figure. We scope your capital and guarantees against the CMF's rules for your specific services rather than quote a generic number.
What substance does the CMF expect?+
A Chilean company - usually an SpA or SA - with genuine presence and management in the country, fit-and-proper directors, a real compliance function and systems that run. Nameplate structures do not pass a serious review.
Why Chile rather than another Latin American base?+
Institutional quality. Chile is the region's OECD member, the most stable and least corrupt economy, with a capable regulator and a defined legal framework. A CMF-registered business carries credibility others in the region cannot match.
How does AML work?+
Chile's UAF is the financial-intelligence unit; a registered crypto business runs a full AML/CFT programme with KYC, monitoring and reporting, and a named compliance officer. It is built into the registration file from the start.
How are crypto companies taxed?+
A 27% general corporate rate on company profits, with a reduced Pyme regime for smaller companies. Crypto gains are generally taxable income; VAT treatment is activity-specific. The SII's guidance makes positions researchable.
Can Chile serve the wider region?+
Yes - it is a credible, Spanish-language base with strong trade links, well suited to serving the wider Latin American market from a respected, OECD-member jurisdiction.
Does Chile license crypto?+
Yes - via the Fintech Law 21,521, under the CMF.
Which activities?+
Exchange, custody, advice, routing, brokerage.
Capital?+
Proportional to activity and risk - no single figure.
Substance?+
Chilean SpA/SA, real presence and compliance.
Why Chile?+
OECD member, rule of law - regional credibility.
AML?+
UAF-standard programme, built into the file.
Company taxes?+
27% general; reduced SME regime; crypto gains taxed.
Serve the region?+
Yes - a credible Spanish-language base.
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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Get a free legal opinion on your project - our legal team will analyze your case at no cost and provide a written legal opinion: which activities, scope, or route fits your business.Free legal opinion: which Chile activities and route fit your project and what it will cost.
✓Written legal opinion within 2-5 business days - free of charge✓A clear recommendation on the right activities and scope, 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 CMF or any other public authority. Registrations and authorisations are granted by, and obtained directly from, the competent authorities.