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Practice area 01

Regulatory & Licensing

From the first perimeter question to the authorisation letter: choosing the right regime, building a credible application file and managing the dialogue with the regulator.

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An authorisation document with a brass seal, ribbon and fountain pen.

Typical deliverables

  • Regulatory perimeter memorandum
  • Jurisdiction and licence comparison matrix
  • Complete application pack, ready for submission
  • Policy and procedure framework
  • Managed regulator correspondence
  • Post-licence compliance calendar

Overview

Why it matters

Most licensing problems start long before the application is filed. A business model that sits awkwardly across two regimes, an ownership chain the regulator cannot follow, or a compliance function that exists only on paper will surface in the review — usually at the point where delays are most expensive.

We start with the perimeter: what the business actually does, which activities trigger authorisation and where. From there we build the licensing route, prepare the application pack to the standard the regulator expects, and stay with the file through every round of questions until authorisation and the conditions that follow it.

Scope

What we do

  1. 1.

    Gaming & Gambling Licensing

    B2C and B2B licences, supplier approvals and national market authorisations — from established hub licences to local regimes.

  2. 2.

    Payment & E-Money Licensing

    Payment institution, e-money institution and money services authorisation, including agent models and the exemptions that may apply.

  3. 3.

    Crypto-Asset Licensing (CASP / VASP)

    Authorisation as a crypto-asset service provider under MiCA, and virtual asset service provider registration or licensing under national regimes.

  4. 4.

    Investment & Forex Licensing

    Investment firm, broker and dealer licences for brokerage, dealing and portfolio management, onshore and in international centres.

  5. 5.

    Regulatory Perimeter Analysis

    A reasoned view of which activities require authorisation, which exemptions may apply and where the business model creates regulatory exposure.

  6. 6.

    Licence Selection and Comparison

    Side-by-side assessment of candidate regimes on capital, substance, timelines, passporting, banking acceptance and ongoing cost.

  7. 7.

    Application Preparation

    Business plans, programmes of operations, financial projections, governance maps and the policy framework each regulator requires.

  8. 8.

    Fit and Proper Preparation

    Preparing shareholders, directors and key function holders for regulatory scrutiny, including personal questionnaires and interview readiness.

  9. 9.

    Regulator Engagement

    Pre-application meetings, handling rounds of questions and keeping the review moving with complete, consistent responses.

  10. 10.

    Post-Authorisation Conditions

    Meeting licence conditions, go-live requirements and the first reporting cycle without losing momentum after approval.

Jurisdictions

Licensing routes by sector

Jurisdictions in our directory with a licensing route for each regulated sector. Each overview names the authority and the route; licences are not interchangeable between sectors or markets.

Compare authorities and routes in the jurisdiction register

Industries

Where we apply it

Questions

Frequently asked

How do you decide which licence a business needs?

We map the actual activities — who holds client money, who controls the game or the trade, who contracts with the end customer — against the definitions in each candidate regime. The answer often depends on details of the flow of funds and the contractual chain rather than on how the product is marketed.

Can you tell us how long authorisation will take?

We give an estimate for each route based on the regulator's published timelines and the completeness of the file, and we explain what typically extends it. Regulators control their own review, so we do not promise fixed approval dates.

Do you work with local counsel in the licensing jurisdiction?

Where a jurisdiction requires locally qualified lawyers, a local corporate service provider or resident officers, we coordinate them as part of one engagement so you deal with a single point of contact.

Related

Related practice areas

  • Corporate Structuring

    02

    Group architecture, incorporation, substance and governance built around your licences, banking and investors.

  • AML & Financial Crime Compliance

    04

    AML/CFT programmes, MLRO-as-a-Service, independent AML/CFT audits, risk assessments, monitoring, sanctions and inspection support.

  • Legal Opinions

    08

    Regulatory, business model, perimeter, payment, gaming, crypto-asset and cross-border opinions for banks, partners and investors.

All 11 practice areas

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