Belgium
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SwedenNikolai 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 FMA licence, including banking and payment rails.
Get a forex license in Austria.
Since 1 February 2023 a forex or CFD market maker can be an Austrian Wertpapierfirma: § 3 of the Wertpapieraufsichtsgesetz 2018 (WAG 2018) lets the Austrian Financial Market Authority (FMA) license dealing on own account, which until then required a banking licence. The licence sits in the WAG 2018, the capital in § 13 of the Wertpapierfirmengesetz (WPFG) - €750,000 for dealing on own account. Client money needs its own express grant. The FMA fee for the market-maker licence is €10,000 under the schedule in force since 1 September 2025, and corporate tax is 23%. We run the file from Vienna.
27 yrs
on the international marketon the market
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400+
Licenses obtainedlicenses obtained
Updated · Reviewed by the Prifinance team
Austria in brief
Two statutes behind one FMA licence.
Austria licenses forex and CFD brokerage under two statutes that work together. The licence is in § 3 of the Wertpapieraufsichtsgesetz 2018 (WAG 2018, BGBl. I Nr. 107/2017), Austria's MiFID II transposition. The FMA grants it service by service, from Z 3 reception and transmission and Z 6 execution to Z 7 dealing on own account; ancillary services such as Z 10 safekeeping and Z 12 foreign-exchange business come only beside one of Z 1-9. The capital is in § 13 of the WPFG (BGBl. I Nr. 237/2022), the IFD transposition in force since 1 February 2023: €750,000 for dealing on own account, €150,000 for a firm that may hold client money, €75,000 for one that may not. CFDs are financial instruments under § 1 Z 7 WAG 2018. The FMA must tell the applicant within six months of a complete application whether the licence is granted (§ 3 Abs. 5).
Until 31 January 2023 an Austrian Wertpapierfirma could be licensed only for advice, portfolio management, order reception and MTF operation, and a dealer needed a banking licence under the BWG. The FMA's practice for CFD market makers is therefore young. Client money is decided separately: without an express authorisation in the licence decision, the firm may not hold client assets at all. The costs are printed. Under the FMA-GebV schedule in force since 1 September 2025 a market maker pays €10,000 on grant and €1,875 for ancillary services, plus stamp duties under the Gebührengesetz. Each year the FMA shares out its securities-supervision costs on the previous year's investment-service revenue, at least €1,000 per firm, and the AeW compensation scheme takes 1 to 3 per mille of revenue from services Z 2-10, plus 1 per mille for a firm outside IFR class 3 that may hold client money. Then the people: two managers, one whose centre of vital interests is in Austria and one fluent in German.
A Wertpapierfirma licence from the FMA under § 3 WAG 2018, open to dealing on own account since 1 February 2023, with capital under § 13 WPFG: €75k/€150k/€750k. Six months from a complete file.
FMA fee €10,000 for a market maker since 1 September 2025, a cost share from €1,000 a year, AeW up to 4 per mille for a market maker. Two managers, one in Austria, one German-speaking. Corporate tax 23%.
The two builds
Market maker or agency Wertpapierfirma.
One licence under § 3 WAG 2018, priced by capital class: the market maker at €750,000 with a €10,000 FMA fee, the agency broker at €75,000 or €150,000 with €3,750 or €6,250. The client-money grant decides the agency class.
Market maker at €750,000 and a €10,000 fee - or agency at €75k-€150k.
01 - DEALING ON OWN ACCOUNT · Z 7
The market-maker Wertpapierfirma
An Austrian market maker holds Z 7 dealing on own account under § 3 Abs. 2 WAG 2018, usually with Z 6 execution, Z 10 safekeeping and Z 12 FX business, and the client-money authorisation goes into the same decision. Capital: €750,000 under § 13 WPFG. Grant fees: €10,000 plus €1,875 for the ancillary services, €11,875 in all.
An Austrian market maker holds Z 7 dealing on own account under § 3 Abs. 2 WAG 2018, usually with Z 6 execution, Z 10 safekeeping and Z 12 FX business, and the client-money authorisation goes into the same decision. Capital: €750,000 under § 13 WPFG. Grant fees: €10,000 plus €1,875 for the ancillary services, €11,875 in all.
- ✓Z 7 dealing on own account
- ✓€750,000 initial capital, § 13 WPFG
- ✓FMA fees €10,000 + €1,875
- ✓Express client-money authorisation
- ✓AeW entry contribution on admission
- ✓FMA-PIV retail rules: 30:1 to 2:1
02 - AGENCY · Z 3 AND Z 6
€75k-€150k · fee €3,750-€6,250The agency Wertpapierfirma
An Austrian agency broker holds reception and transmission (Z 3) and execution (Z 6) without a dealing book: €75,000 and a €3,750 fee where the firm may not hold client money, €150,000 and €6,250 where it may. The WPDLU is no shortcut: it covers securities and fund units only, in Austria, and never client money.
RTO and execution; €3,750 or €6,250 fee; Z 7 later for €7,500.
- ✓Z 3 RTO and Z 6 execution
- ✓€75,000 - no client money
- ✓€150,000 - with the client-money grant
- ✓FMA fee €3,750 or €6,250
- ✓Extension to Z 7 later: €7,500
- ✓WPDLU unusable for CFDs
Costs and timelines are confirmed for your case before any work begins. FMA fees follow the FMA-GebV schedule as replaced by BGBl. II Nr. 187/2025; stamp duties, AeW contributions and the annual FMA cost share are itemised in your quote.
Why Austria
Open to CFD market makers since February 2023.
Austria became a market-maker jurisdiction in 2023, with printed fees and a low supervisory floor; the manager rules and the compensation scheme are the price.
✓
Own-account dealing since 2023
Since 1 February 2023 § 3 Abs. 2 WAG 2018 covers every MiFID service, Z 7 dealing on own account included. Before that date a CFD market maker in Austria needed a full banking licence under the BWG.No banking licence needed any more.
✓
Fees printed to the euro
The FMA-GebV schedule in force since 1 September 2025 prices the licence and the steps around it: €10,000 for the €750,000 class, €6,250 and €3,750 for the lighter classes, €1,875 for ancillary services, and €625 per acquirer for a later qualifying-holding non-objection. The licence fees fall due when the licence is granted, not when the file goes in.FMA-GebV schedule since September 2025.
✓
A €1,000 supervisory floor
The FMA-KVO 2016 allocates the FMA's securities-supervision costs on the previous year's investment-service revenue. Audited reference data are due by 30 June, and a Wertpapierfirma pays at least €1,000.FMA cost share by revenue.
✓
23% corporate tax
§ 22 Abs. 1 KStG 1988 sets 23% for calendar years from 2024. The 2026 amendment keeps that rate from 2028 and adds 24% only on the part of income above €1 million.24% only above €1m, from 2028.
✓
Two managers, one in Austria
§ 5 Abs. 1 BWG, applied through § 3 Abs. 5 Z 6 WAG 2018, requires at least two managers without sole power of representation, one whose centre of vital interests is in Austria and one fluent in German. Both face the FMA's fit-and-proper hearing.One in Austria, one German-speaking.
✓
€320 per passport notification
§ 3 Abs. 12 WAG 2018 extends the licence across the EU, and the EEA Agreement takes it to 30 states. A services notification under § 18 costs €320 at the FMA; a branch under § 20 costs €375.One notification per host state.
How it compares
How Austria differs from other routes.
Germany and Czechia write licence and capital into one act; Austria splits them between the WAG 2018 and the WPFG and prices the licence in a published schedule.
Austria vs other jurisdictions
| Feature |  Austria | Other jurisdictions |
|---|---|---|
| Regime | § 3 WAG 2018 licence + § 13 WPFG capital | One act: WpIG in Germany, ZPKT in Czechia |
| Licence fee | €10,000 for the €750,000 class | Hourly in Germany · €6,336 fixed only without client money |
| Annual supervision | FMA cost share, minimum €1,000 | BaFin levy from €6,500 · no annual ČNB levy |
| Corporate tax | 23% · 24% above €1m from 2028 | 29.8% Germany at 400% · 21% Czechia · 15% Cyprus |
Regime
Austria§ 3 WAG 2018 licence + § 13 WPFG capital
Other jurisdictionsOne act: WpIG in Germany, ZPKT in Czechia
Licence fee
Austria€10,000 for the €750,000 class
Other jurisdictionsHourly in Germany · €6,336 fixed only without client money
Annual supervision
AustriaFMA cost share, minimum €1,000
Other jurisdictionsBaFin levy from €6,500 · no annual ČNB levy
Corporate tax
Austria23% · 24% above €1m from 2028
Other jurisdictions29.8% Germany at 400% · 21% Czechia · 15% Cyprus
Country by country
| Country | License type | Taxation | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austria | FMA Wertpapierfirma - § 3 WAG 2018 | 23% CIT · 24% above €1m (2028) | IFD €75k-€750k, €10,000 fee, 2 managers |
 Germany | WpIG Wertpapierinstitut - BaFin | 15.825% + trade tax | IFD €75k-€750k, German file, 6-month clock |
 Czechia | ČNB investment firm (OCP) | 21% CIT · 15% WHT | IFD €75k-€750k, no annual levy |
 Cyprus | CySEC CIF | 15% CIT (2026) | IFD €75k-€750k, EU passport |
AustriaLicense typeFMA Wertpapierfirma - § 3 WAG 2018
Taxation23% CIT · 24% above €1m (2028)
RequirementsIFD €75k-€750k, €10,000 fee, 2 managers
GermanyLicense typeWpIG Wertpapierinstitut - BaFin
Taxation15.825% + trade tax
RequirementsIFD €75k-€750k, German file, 6-month clock
CzechiaLicense typeČNB investment firm (OCP)
Taxation21% CIT · 15% WHT
RequirementsIFD €75k-€750k, no annual levy
CyprusLicense typeCySEC CIF
Taxation15% CIT (2026)
RequirementsIFD €75k-€750k, EU passport
Europe
Forex licences in neighbouring jurisdictions
Before you apply
Requirements for the FMA licence.Requirements for the licence.
The FMA runs a multi-stage procedure under the AVG and recommends informal contact before the form goes in. The ten items below are what a Wertpapierfirma application for dealing on own account contains.
01
Austrian company - a GmbH or AG with registered office and head office in Austria (§ 3 Abs. 1 and Abs. 5 Z 1 WAG 2018).
02
Initial capital - €750,000 for dealing on own account under § 13 WPFG, unencumbered and at the managers' free disposal (§ 3 Abs. 5 Z 2 WAG 2018).
03
Two managers - joint representation only, one whose centre of vital interests is in Austria and one fluent in German (§ 5 Abs. 1 Z 10-12 BWG).
04
Qualified, reliable managers - professional qualification under § 12 WAG 2018, orderly finances, no main profession outside the financial sector, and a home-supervisor confirmation for managers from abroad.
05
Suitable shareholders - qualifying holders vetted under § 5 Abs. 1 Z 3 BWG, with close links that do not impede supervision (Z 4 and 4a).
06
The FMA application form - services by number, instruments, any tied agents or Wertpapiervermittler, and whether client money will be held, with the business model and organisation.
07
Client-money authorisation - requested in the same file, because the FMA decides on holding client money and instruments separately in the licence decision (§ 3 Abs. 2).
08
AeW membership - compulsory under § 73 Abs. 1 WAG 2018; the AeW is heard before the grant (§ 3 Abs. 9), and a dealer outside class 3 pays an entry contribution equal to one annual contribution (§ 74 Abs. 2a).
09
Retail CFD conduct - FMA-PIV § 3 Abs. 2 built into the platform: initial margin from 3.33% (30:1) to 50% (2:1), close-out at 50%, negative balance protection, no incentives, the Anlage 1 risk warning in German.
10
AML/CFT - a money-laundering officer as key-function holder under the FM-GwG, with suspicious transactions reported to the A-FIU at the Bundeskriminalamt.
01
GmbH or AG, seat in Austria.
02
Capital per § 13 WPFG.
03
Two managers, joint representation.
04
One in Austria, one German-speaking.
05
Qualifying shareholders vetted.
06
FMA form, services by number.
07
Client-money grant requested.
08
AeW member, heard first.
09
FMA-PIV conduct built in.
10
ML officer, A-FIU reporting.
Reflects the WAG 2018 as amended by BGBl. I Nr. 237/2022, the WPFG, § 5 BWG, the FMA-PIV and the FMA-GebV as of October 2026.WAG 2018 + WPFG + § 5 BWG + FMA-PIV + FMA-GebV, as of 2026.
How it works
From the first FMA contact to the Board decision.
01
Model and services
Market maker or agency, the Z numbers and the client-money question, fixed in writing, because together they set the capital, the fee and the AeW contribution.Z numbers and client money.
02
Informal FMA contact
The optional preliminary meeting the FMA recommends, used to test the model before the form is filed.Informal, recommended.
03
Application and orders
The written application on the FMA form and its acknowledgement, then an improvement order if pieces are missing and a procedural order for the rest.Form, then orders.
04
Hearing and consultation
An oral hearing under the AVG in which the managers sit the fit-and-proper test, while the AeW, other authorities and referees are consulted. Six months from the complete application.Fit and proper; 6-month clock.
05
Board decision and launch
The FMA Board adopts the Bescheid, the firm enters the register under § 3 Abs. 11, AeW membership starts and passports follow.Board decision, register, AeW.
Quick facts
RegulatorFMA
Licence§ 3 WAG 2018
Capital statute§ 13 WPFG
Own account€750,000
With client money€150,000
FMA fee - market maker€10,000 + €1,875 ancillary
Statutory decision6 months, complete file
Our planning range9-12 months
The six-month clock runs only from a complete application, and the FMA itself ties the duration to the applicant's cooperation. We plan for 9-12 months from the first contact to the Bescheid.
On the ground in Austria
Run from our Vienna office.
Prifinance - Austria
Vienna · Austria
Vienna, Austria
01
Austrian company formation
A GmbH or AG with registered office and head office in Austria, its capital paid in unencumbered and left at the managers' free disposal.GmbH or AG, capital free.
02
The FMA file
The FMA form with services listed by number, the client-money application, the business model and the organisation - drafted by us and carried through the improvement and procedural orders.Form, client money, orders.
03
Managers and the hearing
Two managers found and prepared, one based in Austria and one fluent in German, both rehearsed for the FMA's fit-and-proper hearing.Ready for the hearing.
04
AeW and launch
AeW membership with the entry contribution modelled on your business plan, then the register entry and the first EEA notifications at €320 each.Entry model, register, passports.
We also have offices in
Vilnius
Lithuania
Gedimino pr. 2
Prague
Czech Republic
Vlkova 532/8, Žižkov
Dubai
UAE
33 Level, Al Saqr Business Tower
London
United Kingdom
7 Bell Yard
Madeira
Portugal
Rua da Alegria 31, 1F
Istanbul
Turkey
Perpa Ticaret Merkezi, A Blok
Good to know
Taxation of forex brokers in Austria.
23% corporate tax now, 24% on profit above €1 million from 2028, 27.5% on capital income and VAT-exempt dealing.
Corporate tax 23%
§ 22 Abs. 1 KStG 1988 sets 23% for calendar years from 2024, after 24% for 2023; the version in force runs through 2026 and 2027.From 2024, § 22 KStG.
24% above €1 million from 2028
BGBl. I Nr. 62/2026 keeps 23% from 1 January 2028 but taxes the part of income above €1,000,000 at 24%. The change is enacted, not proposed.24% above €1 million.
27.5% on capital income
Dividends and other capital income carry the special rate of 27.5% under § 27a Abs. 1 EStG 1988 (Kapitalertragsteuer); interest on bank deposits carries 25%.Dividends and capital income.
CFD gains of Austrian clients
Gains from non-securitised derivatives such as CFDs fall outside the 27.5% rate unless a qualifying institution withholds a KESt-equivalent tax voluntarily (§ 27a Abs. 2 Z 7). A broker without Austrian withholding sells to Austrians with that handicap.Outside 27.5% without KESt.
VAT-exempt dealing
§ 6 Abs. 1 Z 8 UStG 1994 exempts currency dealing (lit. b), money claims (lit. c) and securities business with its brokerage (lit. f); safekeeping and administration of securities stay outside.§ 6(1) Z 8 UStG.
Levies beside the tax
Two charges sit next to the tax bill. The FMA cost share is at least €1,000 a year; the AeW contribution is 1-3 per mille of revenue, plus 1 per mille for a firm outside class 3 that may hold client money.FMA share, AeW per mille.
Tax summary
Corporate tax23% · 2026-2027
From 1 Jan 202824% on income above €1m
Capital income (KESt)27.5%
VAT on dealingExempt · § 6(1) Z 8 UStG
Withholding to foreign parentsConfirmed per structure
*As of 2026 per § 22 KStG 1988, BGBl. I Nr. 62/2026, § 27a EStG 1988 and § 6 UStG 1994. Group and founder-level outcomes are modelled per structure.
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: Austrian GmbH or AG, 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, licensed broker.
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Austria · FMA
Launch your forex project in Austria with expert support.
Full-service assistance - from the GmbH and the FMA hearing to the Wertpapierfirma licence and AeW membership - run through our Vienna office.
Get a consultation →Free legal opinion
Is Austria 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 Austria forex licence, answered.
What licence does a forex broker need in Austria?+
A Wertpapierfirma licence from the FMA under § 3 WAG 2018, listing the services by number. A market maker needs Z 7 dealing on own account, usually with Z 6 execution, Z 10 safekeeping and Z 12 FX business, plus an express authorisation to hold client money. Austria has no separate forex or CFD licence.
Why could a CFD market maker not use Austria before 2023?+
Because until 31 January 2023 a Wertpapierfirma could be licensed only for advice, portfolio management, order reception and MTF operation; dealing on own account needed a banking licence under the BWG. Since 1 February 2023 § 3 Abs. 2 WAG 2018 covers every MiFID service.
How much capital does the FMA require?+
€750,000 for dealing on own account, €75,000 for an agency firm that may not hold client money, €150,000 in all other cases - set by § 13 WPFG, not by the WAG. The capital must be unencumbered and at the managers' free disposal, and IFR own funds apply above it.
What does the FMA charge for the licence?+
Under the FMA-GebV schedule in force since 1 September 2025: €10,000 for the €750,000 class, €6,250 for €150,000, €3,750 for €75,000, €1,875 for ancillary services, all due on grant; a later qualifying-holding non-objection costs €625 per acquirer. Stamp duties under the Gebührengesetz come on top and are confirmed in the quote.
What does supervision cost each year?+
The FMA cost share under the FMA-KVO 2016 follows last year's investment-service revenue, minimum €1,000. The AeW takes 1, 2 or 3 per mille of revenue by client count, plus 1 per mille for a firm outside class 3 that may hold client money; special levies after a payout are capped at 2.5% of fixed overheads a year.
How long does the FMA take?+
The FMA must decide within six months of a complete application (§ 3 Abs. 5 WAG 2018), and it says the duration depends primarily on the applicant's cooperation. With the preliminary contact, the orders and the hearing, we plan for 9-12 months end to end.
Who has to manage an Austrian Wertpapierfirma?+
At least two managers with no sole power of representation: one whose centre of vital interests is in Austria, one fluent in German, neither with a main profession outside the financial sector (§ 5 Abs. 1 Z 10-13 BWG). The FMA tests them in an oral hearing with a fit-and-proper test.
Do Austrian CFD rules follow clients abroad?+
Yes. The FMA-PIV (BGBl. II Nr. 118/2019) covers CFDs marketed, distributed or sold 'in oder aus Österreich' since 30 May 2019: 3.33% initial margin on major pairs (30:1), 50% on crypto (2:1), close-out at 50%, negative balance protection and no incentives, for retail clients in other countries too.
Austria or Germany for a CFD market maker?+
Germany does better on scale and rate direction: 682 Wertpapierinstitute were supervised at end-2025, and federal corporate tax is legislated to fall to 10% by 2032. Austria does better today: 23% against 29.8% at a 400% Hebesatz, a fixed €10,000 fee where BaFin bills a market maker by the hour, a €1,000 supervisory floor against €6,500. We model both.
Why Prifinance for Austria?+
We run the file from our Vienna office: GmbH formation, the FMA form with the client-money application, the AeW entry model, and two managers prepared for the fit-and-proper hearing. The FMA-PIV conduct pack is in the platform before the hearing, not promised for later.
What licence?+
FMA Wertpapierfirma, § 3 WAG 2018.
Why only since 2023?+
Dealing needed a banking licence.
Capital?+
€75k/€150k/€750k, § 13 WPFG.
Licence fee?+
€10,000 for the market maker.
Annual cost?+
FMA from €1,000; AeW per mille.
How long?+
6 months statutory; 9-12 planned.
Managers?+
Two: one in Austria, one German.
Rules abroad?+
FMA-PIV follows clients abroad.
Vs Germany?+
Their scale; your 23% and fixed fee.
Why you?+
Vienna office, hearing-ready managers.
Client notes
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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 Austrian Financial Market Authority (FMA) or any other public authority. Authorisations are granted by, and obtained directly from, the competent authorities.