What Is a CASP License Under MiCA?
A CASP license lets a company provide specific crypto services in the EU under MiCA. Here's which services it covers, what it requires, and how to check one.
If a crypto platform says it's licensed in the European Union, the license it should hold is a CASP authorization under MiCA. Knowing what that license covers helps you understand exactly what a company is, and isn't, allowed to do.
What CASP Means
CASP stands for Crypto-Asset Service Provider. Under MiCA, any company that provides crypto services to customers in the EU on a professional basis needs to be authorized as a CASP by a national regulator.
Which Services Require a CASP License
MiCA lists specific services that fall under the license, including holding crypto on behalf of customers (custody), operating a trading platform, exchanging crypto for money or other crypto, executing or passing on customers' orders, placing crypto-assets, giving advice on crypto-assets, managing crypto portfolios, and transferring crypto for customers.
A License Covers Specific Services, Not Everything
Each CASP is authorized for particular services. A company licensed to offer custody isn't automatically allowed to run a trading platform or give investment advice. When you check a license, it's worth looking at which services it actually covers.
What a Licensed CASP Must Do
Licensed companies must meet requirements such as holding minimum capital, which depends on the services they offer, keeping customer assets separate from their own, having proper governance and risk controls, handling complaints, and disclosing fees and risks clearly. MiCA's requirements for exchanges go into these in more detail.
Who Issues the License
The license is granted by a national competent authority in one EU member state, usually the financial regulator of the country where the company is based. Once licensed, a CASP can serve customers across the EU through passporting.
What a CASP License Doesn't Cover
A CASP license is about services. It isn't approval of any token a company lists or sells, and it doesn't cover issuing stablecoins, which follow separate MiCA rules. A licensed service and a safe token are two different questions.
How to Check a CASP License
Licensed CASPs appear in an official EU register. Search for the company's exact name or website domain, confirm the country and services listed, and make sure the domain matches the site you're actually using.
Search the EU register of licensed crypto service providers before opening an account. If a company claims a license but isn't listed, treat the claim as unverified.
This article is general information, not legal advice.