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 CSSF decision, including banking and payment rails.
Get an investment license in Luxembourg.
The licence where the money already sits: CSSF authorisation as an investment firm under the 1993 Law - advice, order handling, portfolio management and dealing on tiers from €75,000, the two-manager four-eyes rule, a decision within six months of a complete file, and the passport into thirty states from the union's fund capital.
27 yrs
on the international marketon the market
60+
in-house specialistsspecialists
400+
Licenses obtainedlicenses obtained
Updated
Luxembourg in brief
The licence in the middle of Europe's money.
Luxembourg authorises investment firms under the Law of 5 April 1993 on the financial sector, with the CSSF examining every file. Initial capital follows the service set: €75,000 for advisory and order-transmission models, €150,000 for the general investment-firm tier, rising to €750,000 where dealing on own account enters under the EU's IFD. Two features define the examination: the four-eyes rule - at least two managers of professional standing who effectively conduct the business, and central administration, meaning the firm's real head office, decision-making and infrastructure must sit in Luxembourg. Once the file is complete, the CSSF must decide within six months, and never later than twelve from filing - silence past that point counts as refusal, so the clock is real.
The commercial case is proximity: Luxembourg is the union's fund capital - the largest investment-fund centre in Europe with trillions under administration, so the clients of an asset manager, the custodians, administrators, auditors and prime counterparties are already on the ground. Corporate tax aggregates to roughly 23.9% in Luxembourg City, softened by the participation exemption, a 0.5% net wealth tax that rewards lean balance sheets, the union's lowest headline VAT at 17% with the finance exemption on the core, and an 80+ treaty network. For portfolio managers, advisory houses and broker-dealers serving funds, family offices and private banks, the licence puts the firm inside the room where European wealth is actually run. We build the file end to end.
The licence where the money sits: CSSF investment-firm authorisation under the 1993 Law - €75k/€150k/€750k tiers, two-manager four-eyes rule, central administration in Luxembourg, decision ≤6 months from a complete file (12 hard stop).
≈23.9% aggregate tax with participation exemption, 0.5% NWT, 17% VAT, 80+ treaties, and the union's fund cluster on the ground. Built end to end.
The two builds
The advisory and management firm - or the dealer.
One law, tiered by service set: advisory and portfolio-management firms from €75,000, dealing firms at the IFD's €750,000. We fix the perimeter first, then build once.
The advisory/management firm - or the €750k dealer.
01 - ADVISORY · MANAGEMENT FIRM
The asset-side firm
The wealth permissions under the 1993 Law: investment advice, reception-transmission, execution and discretionary portfolio management - €75,000 to €150,000 by model, examined once, passported across the union from the fund capital.
The wealth permissions under the 1993 Law: investment advice, reception-transmission, execution and discretionary portfolio management - €75,000 to €150,000 by model, examined once, passported across the union from the fund capital.
- ✓Advice · RTO · execution
- ✓Discretionary portfolio management
- ✓€75,000 - advisory tier
- ✓€150,000 - general tier
- ✓Fund-centre client base on the ground
- ✓EU passport into 30 states
02 - THE BROKER-DEALER
The dealing firm
Dealing on own account and underwriting on the IFD's €750,000 tier. The full prudential stack, CSSF colleges where groups span borders, and the standing that Luxembourg counterparties price in.
Dealing on own account at the IFD's €750,000 with the full prudential stack. Custody and clearing in-cluster, upgrade path built in.
- ✓Dealing on own account
- ✓€750,000 per the IFD
- ✓Full IFR/IFD prudential stack
- ✓Four-eyes governance scaled up
- ✓Custody and clearing in-cluster
- ✓Upgrade path from the asset-side firm
Tiers per the 1993 Law and IFR/IFD as of 2026. CSSF examination fees follow the fee regulation. Confirmed at filing.
Why Luxembourg
Six reasons managers choose the Grand Duchy.
✓
The union's wealth pool
Europe's largest fund centre. The funds, family offices and private banks a manager serves are already resident.Clients already resident.
✓
A stamp banks trust
CSSF authorisation opens custody, prime and banking relationships that price Luxembourg standing at par with the union's best.Banks price CSSF at par.
✓
Four-eyes governance
The two-manager rule reads as cost. Allocators read it as institutional quality. It closes due-diligence questions early.Governance allocators like.
✓
A clock with a hard stop
Six months from a complete file, twelve as the statutory maximum. The examination cannot drift indefinitely.6 months · 12 max.
✓
The cluster within one square mile
Custodians, administrators, Big Four auditors and fund lawyers within walking distance. Operational assembly is local.Custody within a mile.
✓
The same passport
Thirty EEA states from one Luxembourg licence. With the fund capital's name on the notification.30 states, full effect.
How it compares
How Luxembourg differs from other routes.
The comparison in plain terms: the wealth-capital premium. Priced in governance, repaid in standing and proximity.
Luxembourg vs other jurisdictions
| Feature |  Luxembourg | Other jurisdictions |
|---|---|---|
| Regime | 1993 Law - CSSF | EU MiFID or offshore |
| Capital | €75k-€750k tiers | Same tiers, other terms |
| Governance | Two managers · central admin | Lighter local anchoring |
| Clientele | Funds and wealth on the ground | Clients passported in |
Regime
Luxembourg1993 Law - CSSF
Other jurisdictionsEU MiFID or offshore
Capital
Luxembourg€75k-€750k tiers
Other jurisdictionsSame tiers, other terms
Governance
LuxembourgTwo managers · central admin
Other jurisdictionsLighter local anchoring
Clientele
LuxembourgFunds and wealth on the ground
Other jurisdictionsClients passported in
Country by country
| Country | License type | Taxation | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Luxembourg | Investment firm - CSSF | ≈23.9% aggregate | Four eyes, central admin |
 Switzerland | Portfolio manager - FINMA·SO | ≈12% in Zug | CHF 100k + SO affiliation |
 England | Investment firm - FCA | 25% main rate | MIFIDPRU £75k-£750k |
 Cyprus | CIF - CySEC | 12.5% · 15% large | IFD tiers, practised cluster |
LuxembourgLicense typeInvestment firm - CSSF
Taxation≈23.9% aggregate
RequirementsFour eyes, central admin
SwitzerlandLicense typePortfolio manager - FINMA·SO
Taxation≈12% in Zug
RequirementsCHF 100k + SO affiliation
EnglandLicense typeInvestment firm - FCA
Taxation25% main rate
RequirementsMIFIDPRU £75k-£750k
CyprusLicense typeCIF - CySEC
Taxation12.5% · 15% large
RequirementsIFD tiers, practised cluster
Before you apply
Requirements for the Luxembourg licence.Requirements for the licence.
The CSSF examines central administration as hard as capital. The checklist below is what a passing file contains.
01
Luxembourg company. Registered office and central administration in the Grand Duchy, genuinely run there.
02
Initial capital - €75,000, €150,000 or €750,000 by service set, fully paid and sourced.
03
Two managers. The four-eyes rule: professional standing and experience, effectively conducting the business.
04
Qualifying shareholders. Holdings from 10% vetted to UBO level, with CSSF pre-approval on changes.
05
Business plan. Services, client base and three-year forecasts an examiner can interrogate.
06
Central administration proof. Decision-making, accounting and IT infrastructure resident in Luxembourg.
07
Governance and internal control. Compliance, risk and audit functions per CSSF circulars.
08
Client-asset arrangements. Segregation and depositary logic where the service set holds assets.
09
Prudential machinery. IFR/IFD own-funds and reporting computations live from day one.
10
AML/CFT programme. The 2004 Law with named responsible officers.
11
Substance. Premises and presence the CSSF can inspect.
01
Lux company, centrally run.
02
Capital per tier, sourced.
03
Two managers, four eyes.
04
Holdings vetted from 10%.
05
Interrogable business plan.
06
Central admin evidenced.
07
Governance per circulars.
08
Client assets safeguarded.
09
IFR/IFD machinery live.
10
AML per the 2004 Law.
Reflects the Law of 5 April 1993 and IFR/IFD as of 2026. The six-month decision clock runs only from a complete file.1993 Law + IFR/IFD, as of 2026.
How it works
From first call to the CSSF register.
01
Structuring
Service set, capital tier and the central-administration design. The perimeter fixed before anything is built.Perimeter fixed first.
02
Company and bench
Luxembourg entity, capital paid, two managers and qualifying shareholders vetted.Four eyes recruited.
03
The application
The complete file. Plan, governance, prudential pack. Completeness is the whole game: the clock runs from it.Complete - clock starts.
04
CSSF examination
Questions answered, on-site logistics handled. Six months from completeness, twelve as the hard stop.6 months · 12 max.
05
Licence and passporting
Register entry, EEA notifications, custody live in-cluster. The firm operating where its clients already sit.Custody in-cluster.
Quick facts
RegulatorCSSF
Advisory tier€75,000
General tier€150,000
Dealing tier€750,000 · IFD
ManagersTwo - four eyes
Decision≤6 months · 12 max
Central adminIn Luxembourg
Tax≈23.9% aggregate
Silence past twelve months counts as refusal in law. The CSSF decides on the clock, which is why the file must be complete on day one.
On the ground in Luxembourg
Run from our Luxembourg office.
Prifinance - Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Luxembourg
01
Company and capital
Luxembourg entity with real central administration. Structured for the licence from day one.Real central admin.
02
The CSSF file
Business plan, governance pack and prudential computations. Complete at filing so the six-month clock starts immediately.Complete on day one.
03
The four-eyes bench
Two managers recruited and vetted to CSSF standard. The governance that allocators price.Two managers vetted.
04
Passporting and launch
EEA notifications, custody and banking assembled in-cluster. Thirty markets from the fund capital.30 states in-cluster.
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 investment firms in Luxembourg.
A headline aggregate near 24%. Engineered downward by exemptions built for exactly this industry.
≈23.9% aggregate
Corporate income tax, the solidarity surcharge and Luxembourg City municipal business tax combined. The all-in operating rate.City aggregate rate.
Participation exemption
Qualifying dividends and gains flow up the group untaxed. The holding architecture above the firm stays clean.Group flows untaxed.
Net wealth tax 0.5%
Charged on unitary value. Lean regulatory balance sheets keep it small; we plan capital with it in view.Lean balance sheets win.
The union's lowest VAT
17% headline, and the finance exemption keeps core investment services outside it entirely.17% · exempt core.
Treaties 80+
One of Europe's deepest networks. Cross-border fee flows and group dividends route cleanly.Deep network.
Fund-adjacent planning
ManCo pairings, carried structures and sponsor vehicles. The toolkit of the fund capital, modelled per case.ManCo · carry · SPVs.
Tax summary
Corporate tax (city)≈23.9% aggregate
Net wealth tax0.5%
Dividend withholding15% · treaty/PE relief
VAT on servicesExempt core · 17%
Tax treaties80+
*Figures as of 2026 per the Administration des contributions directes. 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: Luxembourg 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, licensed firm.
Follow Prifinance
Active across our channels.
Luxembourg · CSSF
Launch your investment firm in Luxembourg with expert support.
Full-service assistance - from incorporation and central administration to CSSF authorisation and passporting - run through our Luxembourg office.
Get a consultation →Free legal opinion
Is Luxembourg 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 Luxembourg investment licence - the questions we hear.
What licence does an investment firm need in Luxembourg?+
Authorisation as an investment firm under the Law of 5 April 1993 on the financial sector, examined by the CSSF - covering advice, reception-transmission, execution, portfolio management and dealing by tier.
What capital is required?+
€75,000 for advisory and order-transmission models, €150,000 for the general tier, and €750,000 where dealing on own account enters under the EU's IFD - fully paid and sourced.
What is the four-eyes rule?+
The 1993 Law requires at least two managers of professional standing and experience who effectively conduct the business. Allocators and banks read the rule as institutional quality - it closes due-diligence questions before they are asked.
What does central administration mean?+
The firm's real head office must sit in Luxembourg: decision-making, accounting and IT infrastructure, not a brass plate. The CSSF examines it as hard as capital, and we design it into the build from day one.
How long does licensing take?+
The CSSF must decide within six months of a complete file and never later than twelve from filing - silence past twelve counts as refusal. Realistically 9-12 months end to end including preparation.
Does the licence passport across the EU?+
Yes - the full passport into 30 EEA states by notification, with the fund capital's standing attached to the name.
How are Luxembourg investment firms taxed?+
Roughly 23.9% aggregate corporate tax in Luxembourg City, a 0.5% net wealth tax on unitary value, the participation exemption on qualifying holdings, VAT at the union's lowest 17% with the exempt finance core, and 80+ treaties.
Why Luxembourg rather than a cheaper EU licence?+
Proximity: the funds, family offices and private banks an asset manager serves are resident in Luxembourg, with custody and administration in-cluster. The licence is the same passport - the address is the client base.
Luxembourg or Switzerland for a wealth manager?+
Luxembourg gives the EU passport and the fund cluster; Switzerland gives the private-banking brand and Zug economics without the passport. Where your clients sit - union or global - decides. We model both, and build dual structures.
Why Prifinance for Luxembourg?+
A Luxembourg presence backed by a European licensing team that has built investment, payment and fund files across the union - central administration designed, not improvised.
What licence?+
CSSF investment firm.
Capital?+
€75k/€150k/€750k.
Four eyes?+
Two vetted managers.
Central admin?+
Real head office in Lux.
How long?+
≤6 months complete · 12 max.
Passport?+
30 EEA states.
Taxes?+
≈23.9% + 0.5% NWT.
Why here?+
Clients are resident.
Or Switzerland?+
Passport vs brand.
Why you?+
Central admin by design.
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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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 CSSF or any other public authority. Authorisations are granted by, and obtained directly from, the competent authorities.