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 AFM decision, including banking and payment rails.
Get a crypto license in the Netherlands.
The AFM granted the EU's first MiCA licences and closed its transition earliest - mid-2025, so the Dutch market has run fully licensed longer than anywhere in Europe. Experienced desk, pragmatic supervision, payments-hub infrastructure.
27 yrs
on the international marketon the market
60+
in-house specialistsspecialists
400+
Crypto licenses obtainedlicenses obtained
Updated
Netherlands in brief
The desk with the most MiCA practice in Europe.
The Netherlands moved first and fastest on MiCA. The AFM granted the EU's very first CASP authorisations as the regime opened, and the Dutch transitional period was Europe's shortest - it ended on 30 June 2025, a full year before the EU-wide backstop. The practical consequence in 2026: the AFM has processed more of the licensing cycle than almost any desk in the Union, its case officers work from precedent rather than improvisation, and the Dutch market has operated fully licensed for over a year. The AFM authorises and supervises conduct; DNB, the central bank, covers the prudential side and stablecoin issuers.
Around the licence sits the infrastructure argument: the Netherlands is Europe's payments laboratory - home to global processors, a dense fintech talent pool, English-language business culture and banks that have onboarded licensed crypto firms for years. For founders, the personal tax angle is distinctive: the Netherlands has no capital gains tax - private crypto sits in Box 3, taxed annually on a deemed return rather than on disposal.
The AFM granted the EU's first MiCA licences and closed its transition earliest - 30 June 2025. The most practised desk in the Union, with DNB on prudential.
Around it: the payments-hub ecosystem, English-first supervision, and no personal capital gains tax, with private crypto in Box 3.
Licence classes
One authorisation, scoped to your services.
MiCA defines ten crypto-asset services in three capital classes. The AFM authorises the exact scope you apply for - from precedent, not improvisation. We fix the perimeter first, then build once.
Ten MiCA services in three capital classes. The AFM authorises from precedent.
01 - CASP · CLASS 1-2
Core crypto services
For brokers, exchangers and custodians. Execution, exchange and safekeeping of client crypto-assets under one authorisation. Minimum capital €50,000-€125,000 depending on scope.
For brokers, exchangers and custodians. Execution, exchange and safekeeping of client crypto-assets under one authorisation. Minimum capital €50,000-€125,000 depending on scope.
- ✓Exchange of crypto ↔ fiat and crypto ↔ crypto
- ✓Execution, reception and transmission of orders
- ✓Custody and administration of client crypto-assets
- ✓Transfer services for crypto-assets
- ✓Advice and portfolio management on crypto-assets
- ✓Placing of crypto-assets
02 - CASP · CLASS 3
First MiCA licences in the EUTrading platform
The highest MiCA tier. Operation of a crypto trading venue with €150,000 minimum capital, listing rules and market-abuse controls, passportable across the EU from the desk with the deepest MiCA case file.
The highest MiCA tier. A trading venue with €150,000 capital, at the EU's most experienced desk.
- ✓Operation of a crypto-asset trading platform
- ✓Matching of buyers and sellers in the venue
- ✓Admission-to-trading (listing) framework
- ✓Market-abuse monitoring under MiCA Title VI
- ✓Combines with custody and exchange services
- ✓One home authorisation - for all 27 EU states
Costs and timelines are confirmed for your case before any work begins. AFM fees are statutory; the real investment is the file and substance. Both scoped individually in your quote. EMT / stablecoin issuance runs through DNB and is quoted separately.
Why the Netherlands
Experience you can file into.
The framework is MiCA, supervised by the AFM with DNB on prudential matters. The pairing that processed Europe's first licences.
✓
The EU's most practised desk
First authorisations granted, earliest transition closed, a full licensing cycle already behind it. The AFM reviews your file against live precedent, which makes outcomes predictable.First licences, earliest transition, live precedent.
✓
A pragmatic, English-first regulator
Dutch supervision is famously direct: clear expectations, real dialogue, no theatre. Applications, meetings and ongoing supervision all run comfortably in English.Clear expectations, real dialogue, no theatre.
✓
Europe's payments laboratory
Global processors and payment giants grew up here. The banking, PSP and compliance infrastructure a crypto firm needs already exists and already works with licensed CASPs.Banks and PSPs already serve licensed CASPs.
✓
No personal capital gains tax
Private crypto is not taxed on disposal. It sits in Box 3, taxed annually on a deemed return. For actively-trading founders, the difference against 26-33% exit taxes elsewhere is structural.Box 3 deemed return instead of exit taxes.
✓
A market licensed longest
Fully licensed since mid-2025. A year ahead of the EU. Competitors here are authorised firms, banks treat the sector as normal, and grey-zone operators are long gone.Clean market since mid-2025.
✓
Talent and logistics
Amsterdam's fintech talent pool, Schiphol's connectivity and an ecosystem of MiCA-experienced lawyers, auditors and compliance officers. Hiring and scaling are solved problems.Amsterdam's pool; hiring is a solved problem.
How it compares
How the Netherlands differs from other routes.
The Dutch desk trades a moderate tax rate for maximum regulatory experience and infrastructure. The side-by-side comparison is below.
Netherlands vs other jurisdictions
| Feature |  Netherlands | Other jurisdictions |
|---|---|---|
| Regulatory regime | MiCA CASP - AFM + DNB | National regimes or newer desks |
| Desk experience | EU's first licences, most precedent | Practice still forming in many states |
| Personal taxation | No CGT - Box 3 deemed return | 19-33% on disposal typical |
| Licensing speed | 5-8 months, predictable | 4-12 months, variable |
Regulatory regime
NetherlandsMiCA CASP - AFM + DNB
Other jurisdictionsNational regimes or newer desks
Desk experience
NetherlandsEU's first licences, most precedent
Other jurisdictionsPractice still forming in many states
Personal taxation
NetherlandsNo CGT - Box 3 deemed return
Other jurisdictions19-33% on disposal typical
Licensing speed
Netherlands5-8 months, predictable
Other jurisdictions4-12 months, variable
Country by country
| Country | License type | Taxation | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Netherlands | MiCA CASP (AFM) | 19% / 25.8% CIT · no personal CGT | Experienced, pragmatic, precedent-led |
 Germany | MiCA CASP (BaFin) | ~30% effective | Document-heavy, benchmark stamp |
 Ireland | MiCA CASP (CBI) | 12.5% CIT on trading | Thorough, engagement-led |
 Lithuania | MiCA CASP (Bank of Lithuania) | 17% CIT (2026) | Fast, but strict AML practice |
NetherlandsLicense typeMiCA CASP (AFM)
Taxation19% / 25.8% CIT · no personal CGT
RequirementsExperienced, pragmatic, precedent-led
GermanyLicense typeMiCA CASP (BaFin)
Taxation~30% effective
RequirementsDocument-heavy, benchmark stamp
IrelandLicense typeMiCA CASP (CBI)
Taxation12.5% CIT on trading
RequirementsThorough, engagement-led
LithuaniaLicense typeMiCA CASP (Bank of Lithuania)
Taxation17% CIT (2026)
RequirementsFast, but strict AML practice
Before you apply
Requirements for the AFM authorisation.Requirements for AFM authorisation.
The AFM reviews against a year of live precedent. It knows exactly what a working CASP looks like. The checklist below is what a passing file contains.
01
Dutch entity. A B.V. with its registered office and effective management in the Netherlands.
02
Substance. Decision-making genuinely in the country: local management, compliance and risk on the ground.
03
Fit & proper management. Screened directors and qualifying shareholders, with DNB involved on holdings.
04
Own funds - €50,000, €125,000 or €150,000 by service class, or one quarter of fixed overheads if higher.
05
Programme of operations. Services, target markets, volumes and a business plan the AFM can interrogate.
06
AML/CFT framework. Wwft-grade KYC, EDD, monitoring and reporting to FIU-Nederland, with a named officer.
07
ICT and DORA compliance. Resilience testing, incident reporting and the ICT third-party register.
08
Safeguarding of client assets. Segregation of client crypto and funds, custody policy, key management.
09
Governance. Ownership to UBOs, qualifying holdings disclosed, conflicts and complaints procedures.
10
Wind-down plan. Credible, funded and documented.
11
Consumer-facing standards. The AFM watches marketing and product governance closely; build them in.
01
Dutch B.V., managed from the Netherlands.
02
Local management, compliance and risk.
03
Screened directors; DNB reviews holdings.
04
Own funds €50k-€150k by class.
05
Programme of operations + business plan.
06
Wwft-grade AML, reporting to FIU-NL.
07
ICT resilience under DORA.
08
Segregation and custody of client assets.
09
Ownership disclosed up to UBOs.
10
Credible, funded wind-down plan.
Reflects MiCA and AFM/DNB practice as of 2026. The Dutch transitional period ended 30 June 2025. The market has been authorisation-only for over a year.MiCA + AFM/DNB practice as of 2026. Authorisation-only market since 30 Jun 2025.
How it works
From first call to the AFM register.
01
Perimeter and strategy
We map your services to the MiCA classes and fix scope, capital and timeline in writing. Against the AFM's live precedent.Classes, capital. Against AFM precedent.
02
Dutch company and substance
B.V. formation, registered office, local management and governance. The presence the AFM and DNB verify.B.V., office, local management.
03
The application file
Programme of operations, AML/CFT framework, DORA documentation, safeguarding and wind-down. Complete before filing.Programme, AML, DORA - complete first.
04
AFM review
25 working days to completeness, 40 more to decision on the statutory clock - 5-8 months in practice, with real dialogue instead of silence.25+40 wd statutory; 5-8 months, with dialogue.
05
Authorisation and passport
Entry in the AFM register, ESMA notification and passporting into all 27 EU states - plus ongoing reporting we can keep running.Register entry, then all 27 EU states.
Quick facts
RegulatorAFM · DNB prudential
FrameworkMiCA CASP
Capital€50k / €125k / €150k
Statutory clock25 + 40 working days
In practice5-8 months
Transition ended30 June 2025 - EU's first
Stablecoins (EMT)DNB track
PassportAll 27 EU states
The AFM works from precedent. Files that match what it has already approved move fastest.
On the ground in Netherlands
Run from our Amsterdam office.
Prifinance - Netherlands
Amsterdam · Netherlands
Amsterdam, Netherlands
01
Dutch company formation
B.V. incorporation, registered office, KvK registration and the corporate layer the AFM expects. Structured for the authorisation.B.V., KvK, structured for the file.
02
The authorisation file
Programme of operations, Wwft AML pack and DORA documentation. Drafted by us and defended through the AFM's precedent-driven review.Programme, AML, DORA - precedent-matched.
03
Substance and staffing
Director and compliance recruitment, office arrangements and payroll. The presence Dutch supervision verifies, assembled pragmatically.Directors, compliance, office - assembled.
04
Banking and PSP rails
Introductions into the Dutch payments ecosystem. Banks and processors that already serve licensed CASPs.Intros into the Dutch payments ecosystem.
We also have offices in
Tallinn
Estonia
Roseni 13
Vilnius
Lithuania
Gedimino pr. 2
Prague
Czech Republic
Vlkova 532/8, Žižkov
Dubai
UAE
33 Level, Al Saqr Business Tower
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 the Netherlands.
A two-bracket corporate system, a famous innovation regime, and for founders, no capital gains tax at all: private crypto lives in Box 3.
Corporate: 19% / 25.8%
19% on the first €200,000 of profit, 25.8% above. Ordinary deductions, loss relief and one of Europe's most sophisticated treaty networks on top.Two brackets at €200k; deep treaty network.
No personal capital gains tax
Private crypto is not taxed on disposal. It sits in Box 3, taxed annually on a deemed return (36% of a statutory yield). A structural difference from the 26-33% exit taxes common elsewhere.Box 3 deemed return - 36% of statutory yield.
Box 3 reform coming
The deemed-return system is being replaced with actual-return taxation, currently slated for 2028. Positions taken now stand on the deemed-return rules, and we model both.Actual-return system pending; we model both.
Innovation box 9%
Profits attributable to qualifying self-developed technology. Matching engines, custody infrastructure. Can reach a 9% effective rate under the innovation box.Self-developed tech profits qualify.
The 30% ruling
Qualifying inbound employees keep a tax-free allowance on Dutch salary - 30%, moving to 27% from 2027. A real lever when relocating a licensed team.27% from 2027. For relocating teams.
VAT-exempt exchange · DAC8
Crypto ↔ fiat exchange is VAT-exempt under the Hedqvist line; the 21% standard rate touches only ordinary supplies. DAC8 CASP reporting applies from 2026.Hedqvist line; EU reporting from 2026.
Tax summary
Corporate tax19% to €200k · 25.8%
Personal CGTNone - Box 3
Box 3 (2026)36% on deemed return
Innovation box9% effective
Inbound ruling30% · 27% from 2027
VAT on crypto exchangeExempt
DAC8 reportingfrom 2026
*Figures as of 2026. Box 3 outcomes depend on portfolio size and the reform timeline. We model deemed versus actual return 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: Dutch B.V., 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, AFM-authorised business.
Follow Prifinance
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Netherlands · AFM
Launch your crypto project in the Netherlands with expert support.
Full-service assistance - from B.V. registration to AFM authorisation and ongoing compliance.
Get a consultation →Free legal opinion
Is the Netherlands 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 Dutch crypto licence: frequent questions.
What licence does a crypto business need in the Netherlands?+
CASP authorisation from the AFM under MiCA - required for exchange, brokerage, custody, transfer, advice and trading-platform services aimed at the Dutch market. DNB handles the prudential side and stablecoin issuers.
Why is the Dutch desk considered the most experienced?+
The AFM granted the EU's first MiCA authorisations and the Dutch transition ended 30 June 2025 - the earliest in the Union. A year-plus of full licensing practice means your file is reviewed against precedent, not theory.
How much capital is required?+
MiCA's three classes: €50,000 for advice and order services, €125,000 for exchange, execution and custody, €150,000 for a trading platform - or a quarter of annual fixed overheads if that is higher.
How long does AFM authorisation take?+
The statutory clock is 25 working days to completeness plus 40 to decision; in practice, complete files land in 5-8 months. The AFM engages in real dialogue - questions arrive early, not at month six.
What substance does the AFM expect?+
A Dutch B.V. with effective management in the Netherlands: screened local directors, a compliance function on the ground, and systems that demonstrably run. DNB separately assesses qualifying shareholders.
Is it true there is no capital gains tax for individuals?+
Yes - the Netherlands taxes private wealth annually in Box 3 on a deemed return (36% of a statutory yield in 2026) instead of taxing disposals. For founders who trade actively, that is structurally different from 26-33% exit taxes elsewhere. Actual-return reform is slated for 2028.
How are crypto companies taxed?+
19% on the first €200,000 of profit and 25.8% above, with the innovation box at 9% for qualifying self-developed tech. Crypto-fiat exchange is VAT-exempt; DAC8 reporting applies from 2026.
What about relocating my team?+
The 30% ruling gives qualifying inbound employees a tax-free salary allowance (27% from 2027), English is the working language, and Amsterdam's fintech talent pool covers the hires you cannot relocate.
Does the Dutch licence passport across the EU?+
Yes - one AFM authorisation covers all 27 EU member states through MiCA passporting after notification. Dutch-licensed firms were among the first to passport at scale.
Why the Netherlands rather than another MiCA desk?+
Predictability. The AFM has the deepest MiCA case file in Europe, the banking and payments ecosystem already serves licensed CASPs, and the market has been clean since mid-2025. If you value a known process over the lowest headline tax rate, this is the desk.
What licence is needed?+
AFM CASP authorisation under MiCA; DNB on prudential.
Why the AFM?+
EU's first licences; transition closed 30 Jun 2025.
Capital?+
€50k / €125k / €150k by service class.
How long?+
5-8 months; dialogue, not silence.
Substance?+
Dutch B.V., screened directors, local compliance.
No CGT - really?+
Box 3 deemed return replaces disposal tax.
Company taxes?+
19%/25.8%; innovation box 9%; VAT exempt.
Team relocation?+
30% ruling (27% from 2027), English-first.
EU passport?+
Yes - all 27 states by notification.
Why NL?+
The known process - precedent, banks, clean market.
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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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 jurisdiction, licence scope, or route fits your business.Free legal opinion: which Dutch 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 licence 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 AFM, DNB or any other public authority. Authorisations are granted by, and obtained directly from, the competent authorities.