Marshall Islands
Mongolia
Nauru
New Zealand
PhilippinesNikolai 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 SC registration, including banking and payment rails.
Get a crypto license in Malaysia.
A crypto license in Malaysia is registration with the Securities Commission as a recognized market operator for a digital asset exchange under the 2019 Prescription Order, with a separate track for custodians (new IEO registrations are currently closed): a short register of five operators, 23 tradeable assets of which 15 carry Shariah endorsement, 6-10 months in practice and 24% corporate tax. Southeast Asia's orderly middle path, and we build the file end to end.
30 yrs
of experienceof experience
60+
in-house specialistsspecialists
400+
Crypto licenses obtainedlicenses obtained
Updated · Reviewed by the Prifinance team
Malaysia in brief
Crypto license in Malaysia: a short register in a market built for order.
Malaysia regulates digital assets through the Securities Commission under the 2019 Prescription Order, which brought digital currencies and tokens into the capital-markets perimeter. Exchanges register as Recognized Market Operators for Digital Asset Exchanges (RMO-DAX) - running an order book, optionally with a Direct Trade model in which the operator is the counterparty - while separate tracks cover Digital Asset Custodians and Initial Exchange Offering platforms. The register is deliberately short: five DAX operators, three custodians and two IEO platforms serve the whole market, each vetted for governance, systems and fit-and-proper shareholders under the SC's Guidelines on Recognized Markets.
Two features distinguish the desk. First, the asset list: since May 2026 each exchange assesses listings against the SC's criteria, and fifteen of the 23 digital assets on the SC's tradeable list carry Shariah endorsement from the SC's Shariah Advisory Council - making Malaysia the global reference market for Islamic-finance-compatible crypto, an angle with 1.9 billion consumers behind it. Second, the economics: 24% corporate tax with no capital gains tax on investors' crypto disposals, no exit levies, and operating costs well below Singapore next door. For groups that want Southeast Asia with structure, and the Islamic-finance market that only Malaysia can anchor - this is the desk.
The SC registers digital asset exchanges as recognized market operators - five DAX, three custodians, two IEO platforms; a deliberately curated market.
The angles: 15 Shariah-endorsed assets (the world's reference market), no investor CGT, and costs far below Singapore.
The three tracks
Exchange or custody - the SC registers each; IEO is closed for now.
The recognized-market framework splits by function: DAX for trading venues (order book, with an optional Direct Trade model), DAC for custody, IEO for token fundraising - a track currently closed to new registrations. We fix the track first, then build once.
Three tracks. DAX (optional Direct Trade), custodian, IEO (closed). Under one securities regulator.
01 - RMO-DAX
Digital asset exchange
The core registration for trading venues serving Malaysian clients. Order matching, optionally with Direct Trade where the operator is counterparty, under the SC's Guidelines on Recognized Markets; the exchange assesses its own listings against the SC's criteria.
The core registration for trading venues serving Malaysian clients. Order matching, optionally with Direct Trade where the operator is counterparty, under the SC's Guidelines on Recognized Markets; the exchange assesses its own listings against the SC's criteria.
- ✓Crypto ↔ ringgit and crypto ↔ crypto trading
- ✓Order book, with optional Direct Trade model
- ✓Exchange-led listing - 23 tradeable, 15 Shariah-endorsed
- ✓Fit & proper shareholders and directors
- ✓Local incorporation and governance
- ✓Systems, wallet and segregation standards
02 - CUSTODY & IEO
Shariah-endorsed marketCustodian & IEO platforms
Digital Asset Custodians safekeep client assets under their own SC registration; IEO platforms run compliant token offerings, but the SC is not registering new IEO operators for now. Custody completes the stack around the exchange.
Custody completes the stack (IEO closed); Shariah endorsement differentiates it.
- ✓DAC - custody and safekeeping registration
- ✓IEO - registration currently closed
- ✓Three custodians and two IEO platforms live
- ✓Shariah Advisory Council endorsement path
- ✓Combines with DAX for full-stack groups
- ✓Institutional clients and funds serviced
Costs and timelines are confirmed for your case before any work begins. SC registration follows the Guidelines on Recognized Markets; capital, systems and local-substance costs are scoped individually in your quote.
Why Malaysia
Order, Islam-compatible assets, and predictable costs.
The framework is the SC's recognized-market regime under the 2019 Prescription Order. A securities regulator running a deliberately curated market.
✓
A short, meaningful register
Five exchanges for 34 million people. The SC curates rather than crowds. Registration here confers real market position, not a place in a directory.Five exchanges. Position, not a directory.
✓
The Shariah reference market
Fifteen of the 23 tradeable assets carry Shariah Advisory Council endorsement. The world's clearest framework for Islamic-finance-compatible crypto, with 1.9 billion Muslim consumers as the addressable horizon.15 endorsed assets; 1.9B-consumer horizon.
✓
No capital gains tax
Investors' crypto disposals attract no CGT. Malaysia taxes business income, not investment gains. The retail and fund proposition writes itself.Investor disposals untaxed.
✓
A securities regulator's stamp
The SC supervises the whole capital market. Its recognized-market registration reads as institutional to banks and partners across ASEAN.Institutional across ASEAN.
✓
Singapore's neighbour, half the cost
English-language business culture, common-law heritage and deep talent. At operating costs far below the city-state next door.Same language, same law family.
✓
A stack, not a single licence
Exchange and custodian tracks compose, with Direct Trade as an option on the exchange. Groups build full-stack Malaysian operations under one regulator; IEO registration is closed for now.Exchange + custody, one regulator.
How it compares
How Malaysia differs from other routes.
Malaysia trades raw speed for curation and the Shariah angle nobody else anchors. The full comparison is below.
Malaysia vs other jurisdictions
| Feature |  Malaysia | Other jurisdictions |
|---|---|---|
| Regulatory model | SC recognized-market registration | Licensing regimes |
| Asset universe | Exchange-assessed · 15 Shariah-endorsed | Varies by regime |
| Investor CGT | None | 0-33% across Asia |
| Register size | 5 exchanges - deliberate | Crowded or closed |
Regulatory model
MalaysiaSC recognized-market registration
Other jurisdictionsLicensing regimes
Asset universe
MalaysiaExchange-assessed · 15 Shariah-endorsed
Other jurisdictionsVaries by regime
Investor CGT
MalaysiaNone
Other jurisdictions0-33% across Asia
Register size
Malaysia5 exchanges - deliberate
Other jurisdictionsCrowded or closed
Country by country
| Country | License type | Taxation | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Malaysia | RMO-DAX (SC) | 24% CIT · no CGT | Curated market, fit & proper |
 Singapore | MAS licences (PSA/FSM) | 17% CIT · no CGT | 9-12+ months, selective |
 Thailand | DA business licences (SEC) | 20% CIT · CGT break to 2029 | Six licence types, MoF grants |
 UAE (Dubai) | VARA VASP by activity | 9% CIT · 0% personal | Substance-heavy, 4-9 months |
MalaysiaLicense typeRMO-DAX (SC)
Taxation24% CIT · no CGT
RequirementsCurated market, fit & proper
SingaporeLicense typeMAS licences (PSA/FSM)
Taxation17% CIT · no CGT
Requirements9-12+ months, selective
ThailandLicense typeDA business licences (SEC)
Taxation20% CIT · CGT break to 2029
RequirementsSix licence types, MoF grants
UAE (Dubai)License typeVARA VASP by activity
Taxation9% CIT · 0% personal
RequirementsSubstance-heavy, 4-9 months
Asia-Pacific
Crypto licences in neighbouring jurisdictions
Crypto license in all 137 jurisdictions →
VASP license: what it is and where to get one →
Crypto license cost: official fees and capital by country →
Crypto mining license in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Belarus →
Before you apply
Crypto license requirements in Malaysia: what the Securities Commission checks.Malaysia crypto license requirements.
The Guidelines on Recognized Markets define the file. Governance, systems and people a securities regulator will vet. The checklist below is what a passing application contains.
01
Malaysian entity. A locally incorporated company with real operations in Malaysia.
02
Fit & proper shareholders and directors. Clean records, financial standing, transparent ownership to UBOs and, for a DAX, at least one Institutional Corporation holding 5% or more with a board seat.
03
Sufficient financial resources. For a DAX, RM15 million minimum paid-up capital and shareholders' funds of RM5 million (RM7 million with Direct Trade) or 25% of annual operating expenses, whichever is higher.
04
Governance. Board composition, responsible persons and compliance arrangements the SC can interrogate.
05
Systems and security. Trading, wallet and key-management architecture with documented controls.
06
Client asset segregation. Trust accounts for ringgit, segregated wallets for digital assets.
07
Asset framework. The exchange assesses each digital asset against the SC's criteria and its board or senior management decides; privacy tokens are banned and the SC can order a delisting.
08
AML/CFT programme. KYC, monitoring and reporting per BNM and SC requirements, with a named officer.
09
Business plan. Volumes, fees and unit economics for a curated five-player market.
10
For Shariah positioning: alignment with Shariah Advisory Council resolutions. A real market advantage, built in early.
01
Malaysian company with real operations.
02
Fit & proper shareholders and directors.
03
RM15M paid-up capital for a DAX.
04
Governance the SC can interrogate.
05
Documented systems and key management.
06
Trust accounts and segregated wallets.
07
SC listing criteria; no privacy tokens.
08
BNM/SC-grade AML with named officer.
09
Credible business plan for a 5-player market.
10
Shariah alignment where positioned.
Reflects the SC's Guidelines on Recognized Markets as revised on 20 May 2026 and its Digital Assets guidelines. Unregistered operation is enforced against. The SC maintains a public alert list.SC Guidelines on Recognized Markets (rev. 20 May 2026) + Digital Assets guidelines.
Verify it yourself
Official sources
Regulator pages, legal texts and public registers the figures on this page are based on.
- RegulatorSecurities Commission Malaysia - Guidelines on Digital Assetssc.com.my
- LawSecurities Commission Malaysia - Guidelines on Recognized Markets (digital asset exchanges)sc.com.my
- RegisterSecurities Commission Malaysia - List of registered digital asset exchangessc.com.my
- RegisterSecurities Commission Malaysia - Digital assets: registered operators, registration status and tradeable assetssc.com.my
- GuidanceSecurities Commission Malaysia - FAQ on the Digital Asset Exchange (DAX) framework (revised 20 May 2026)sc.com.my
- RegulatorInland Revenue Board of Malaysia (LHDN) - Tax rate of companyhasil.gov.my
How it works
From first call to the SC register.
01
Perimeter and strategy
DAX, with or without Direct Trade, or custodian. We fix the track, the capital plan and the timeline in writing.DAX model or custody - in writing.
02
Malaysian company and substance
Local incorporation, governance and the fit-and-proper dossiers the SC vets.Local entity + fit & proper dossiers.
03
The application file
Business plan, systems and custody documentation, AML programme. Assembled to the Guidelines on Recognized Markets.To the Guidelines on Recognized Markets.
04
SC review
Question rounds with the recognized-markets team - 6-10 months in practice for complete files. We answer every round.6-10 months of rounds - we answer.
05
Registration and operation
Entry in the SC's register, launch under supervision, and the reporting calendar we can keep running.Register entry, launch, reporting.
Quick facts
RegulatorSecurities Commission
Framework2019 Prescription Order
TracksDAX · DAC · IEO
Registered DAX5 operators
Tradeable assets23 · 15 Shariah-endorsed
In practice6-10 months
Corporate tax24%
Investor CGTNone
The SC curates the market deliberately. Complete, institutional files are what get through.
On the ground in Malaysia
Run from our Kuala Lumpur office.
Prifinance - Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur · Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
01
Malaysian company formation
Local incorporation, registered office and the corporate layer the SC expects. Structured for the registration from day one.Incorporated and structured for the file.
02
The registration file
Business plan, systems documentation, fit-and-proper dossiers and AML pack. Drafted by us and defended through the SC's rounds.Plans, dossiers, AML. Defended in rounds.
03
Substance and staffing
Directors, compliance and operations hires from Kuala Lumpur's deep English-speaking talent pool - assembled pragmatically.KL's English-speaking pool, assembled.
04
Shariah strategy
Asset selection and positioning against Shariah Advisory Council resolutions. The differentiator we build in from the start.Built in from the start.
We also have offices in
Vilnius
Lithuania
Gedimino pr. 2
Prague
Czech Republic
Vlkova 532/8, Žižkov
London
United Kingdom
7 Bell Yard
Madeira
Portugal
Rua da Alegria 31, 1F
Budapest
Hungary
Korányi Sándor u. 4
Istanbul
Turkey
Perpa Ticaret Merkezi, A Blok
Good to know
Taxation of crypto companies in Malaysia.
A straightforward system: ordinary corporate tax on the business, no capital gains tax on investors, and no exotic layers in between.
Corporate tax 24%
The standard rate on platform and custody profits; the reduced SME tiers need paid-up capital of RM2.5 million or less, below a DAX's capital floor. Ordinary deductions and a broad treaty network apply.Ordinary deductions; no SME tiers for a DAX.
No capital gains tax on crypto
Malaysia levies no CGT on investors' crypto disposals. Gains are taxable only where activity amounts to a trade or business, under ordinary badges-of-trade analysis.Badges-of-trade only for businesses.
No SST on digital-asset trades
Sales and service tax does not apply to trading digital assets themselves. The tax cost of the product stays clean.Clean product-level taxation.
Islamic-finance alignment
Shariah-endorsed assets open bank partnerships and fund mandates unavailable elsewhere. A commercial advantage with tax-neutral mechanics.Mandates others cannot touch.
Regional cost base
Payroll, offices and professional services run well below Singapore. Margins compound in a market where the register has five names.Margins compound vs Singapore.
Treaties and stability
70+ double-tax treaties and decades of predictable administration. Cross-border structures model cleanly.Clean cross-border modelling.
Tax summary
Corporate tax24%
Investor CGT on cryptoNone
Trading as businessOrdinary income rules
SST on asset tradesNot applicable
Dividend systemSingle-tier
Tax treaties70+
*Figures as of 2026. Investor-versus-trader characterisation drives personal outcomes. We model both before you commit.
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: Malaysian 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, SC-registered business.
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Malaysia · SC
Get your crypto license in Malaysia with expert support.
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Is Malaysia the right fit for your project?
Our legal team will analyze your case at no cost and provide a written legal opinion: which jurisdiction, licence scope, or route fits your business.
Written assessment within 2-5 business days
Request a free conclusion →FAQ
The Malaysian crypto licence: frequent questions.
What licence does a crypto business need in Malaysia?+
Registration with the Securities Commission - as a Recognized Market Operator for a Digital Asset Exchange (RMO-DAX) for trading venues or as a Digital Asset Custodian for custody; IEO operator registration for token-offering platforms is currently closed.
How many operators are registered?+
The register is deliberately short: five DAX operators, three custodians and two IEO platforms as of 2026 - the SC curates the market rather than crowding it.
What assets can be traded?+
Digital assets that meet the SC's listing criteria - the SC's list shows 23 tradeable assets, of which 15 carry Shariah endorsement from the Shariah Advisory Council. Since May 2026 the exchange assesses and lists new assets itself; privacy tokens are banned.
Why does the Shariah endorsement matter?+
It makes Malaysia the world's reference market for Islamic-finance-compatible crypto - opening bank partnerships, fund mandates and a 1.9-billion-consumer horizon that no other licensed market anchors.
How long does a crypto license in Malaysia take?+
Complete files move in 6-10 months in practice, including the SC's question rounds - with governance and systems documentation the usual pacing items.
What substance is expected?+
A locally incorporated company with fit-and-proper shareholders and directors, real governance, segregated client assets - trust accounts for ringgit, segregated wallets for crypto, and systems the SC can audit. A DAX also needs RM15 million paid-up capital and an Institutional Corporation shareholder with 5% or more.
How are crypto companies taxed?+
24% corporate tax with ordinary deductions; no SST on digital-asset trades; a single-tier dividend system and 70+ treaties keep structures clean.
And investors?+
No capital gains tax on crypto disposals - gains become taxable only where activity amounts to a trade under badges-of-trade analysis. The investor proposition is among Asia's cleanest.
Can foreign groups own a Malaysian operator?+
Yes - subject to the same fit-and-proper vetting, and since 20 May 2026 a DAX needs at least one Institutional Corporation holding 5% or more with a board seat; a firm licensed by a foreign counterpart of the SC can qualify. The registered operators include internationally backed groups. Local incorporation and substance are required.
Why Malaysia rather than Singapore or Thailand?+
Singapore is more selective and far costlier; Thailand's licences are heavier documents. Malaysia offers a curated register with real market position, the only Shariah-anchored framework in crypto, and no investor CGT - at Southeast Asia's most sensible cost base.
What is needed?+
SC registration - DAX or custodian; IEO closed.
How many registered?+
5 DAX, 3 custodians, 2 IEO platforms.
Assets?+
23 tradeable; 15 Shariah-endorsed.
Why Shariah?+
The world's reference Islamic-crypto market.
How long?+
6-10 months for complete files.
Substance?+
Local company, vetted people, segregation.
Company taxes?+
24% CIT; no SST on trades.
Investor taxes?+
No CGT on disposals.
Foreign ownership?+
Yes - with a 5%+ institutional holder.
Why Malaysia?+
Curation + Shariah + no CGT, at half the cost.
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
“I had their assistance in company registration and I would recommend them. They were answering all my clarification during the process and offering all their supportThank you Daniel and Irinia”
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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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 Securities Commission Malaysia or any other public authority. Authorisations are granted by, and obtained directly from, the competent authorities.