Austria crypto license 2026 — FMA CASP authorisation
The FMA is Austria's competent authority for CASP authorisation and supervision under MiCA and the MiCA-VVG (BGBl. I Nr. 111/2024), and it also supervises AML/CFT. FMA-registered VASPs could continue until 31 December 2025; that transitional period has ended.
Last reviewed by the Crypto Law Index editorial desk
Vienna as a DACH alternative to Germany
Austria is a DACH-region option for a MiCA passport-hub strategy. The FMA is an experienced supervisor, Vienna is a Central European financial centre, and advisers report that Austrian substance costs less than German substance. Firms that want a DACH base without German cost levels often compare the two.
Advisers report closer supervisor engagement on each file in Austria. That helps a well-prepared applicant and creates friction for one that is not, because every issue surfaces in the dialogue.
The single-supervisor model
Austria built its MiCA implementation, set out in the MiCA-VVG (BGBl. I Nr. 111/2024), around the FMA as a single supervisor. The FMA handles CASP authorisation under Article 63, prudential supervision under Article 67, the conduct rules in Articles 66-73, and AML/CFT. That keeps the process administratively simple — one case team, one file, one dialogue — but the bar is high across every dimension.
Suspicious-transaction reports go to the Austrian Financial Intelligence Unit (A-FIU) within the Federal Criminal Police Office, separately from the FMA's supervisory engagement. Advisers report that the FMA reviews a CASP's AML programme against the standards it applies to Austrian banks.
The realistic Austrian timeline
The MiCA Article 63 clock of 40 working days runs from a complete file, but the end-to-end timeline is longer. Advisers' working estimates are: pre-filing preparation including German translation 8-12 weeks, the FMA pre-screen and completeness cycle 4-8 weeks, the 40-working-day assessment about eight weeks (up to twelve with one suspension for an information request), and decision plus onboarding 2-4 weeks. Seven to ten months end-to-end is the working assumption (practitioner estimate).
Smaller, simpler Class 1 files sometimes complete faster — five to seven months, by advisers' estimates — but the longer timeline is standard for substantial files. Advisers group Austria with Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg and France as jurisdictions with heavy substance expectations and rigorous review, and report lower setup cost than Germany.
Austria's CASP authorisation is the licence granted by the Austrian Financial Market Authority (FMA, Finanzmarktaufsicht) under MiCA Regulation (EU) 2023/1114 Articles 59 and 63, with national rules in the MiCA-Verordnung-Vollzugsgesetz (MiCA-VVG, BGBl. I Nr. 111/2024), to crypto-asset service providers established in Austria.
Fast facts
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Competent authority | Austrian Financial Market Authority (FMA, Finanzmarktaufsicht), Vienna |
| Legal basis | MiCA Regulation (EU) 2023/1114 + MiCA-Verordnung-Vollzugsgesetz (MiCA-VVG, BGBl. I Nr. 111/2024) |
| AML supervisor | FMA (single-supervisor model for both authorisation and AML) |
| FIU | Austrian Financial Intelligence Unit (A-FIU) within the Federal Criminal Police Office |
| Transitional period | FMA-registered VASPs could continue until 31 December 2025 at the latest, unless authorised or refused earlier; the period has ended |
| Statutory clock | 40 working days from a complete file to decision under MiCA Article 63(9); one information request can suspend it for up to 20 working days |
| Capital floor | €50,000 / 125,000 / 150,000 by Class 1 / 2 / 3 under MiCA Annex IV |
| Application language | Not set out in the FMA's published MiCA information; advisers prepare the formal application in German. Confirm with the FMA |
Top counsel for Austria CASP work
Firms below are ranked according to the published CLPAI methodology.
No firms in the index currently feature Austria work.
Frequently asked questions about Austria CASP authorisation
Who supervises CASPs in Austria under MiCA?
The FMA is the single national competent authority for CASP authorisation, prudential supervision, conduct supervision and AML/CFT, under MiCA and the MiCA-VVG — a single-supervisor model unlike the split arrangements in Italy or Belgium.
Did Austria have a pre-MiCA crypto register?
Yes. VASPs operating in Austria had to register with the FMA under the FM-GwG, an AML-only regime. Registered VASPs could continue until 31 December 2025 at the latest unless authorised earlier; that window has closed.
How long does FMA CASP authorisation take?
Advisers estimate seven to ten months end-to-end for a clean first-time file. The statutory decision period is 40 working days from a complete file; most of the time goes on preparation and the completeness cycle. Advisers place the FMA at the heavier end of the EU range.
Is Austria a good alternative to Germany for DACH-focused CASPs?
Advisers often compare the two for DACH-focused firms. Setup costs are reported to be lower than in Germany, while the FMA applies demanding supervisory standards. The choice depends on market focus, budget and where the management team will sit.
Pitfalls and nuances in Austria
1 Underestimating the FMA's expectations
Advisers report that the FMA applies to CASP files the supervisory standards it uses for Austrian banks and investment firms. Governance, internal controls, risk management, ICT resilience and the AML programme are all assessed in depth. Applicants with venture-stage governance should expect substantial supervisory questions.
2 Filing without German-language capacity
Advisers prepare the formal application in German, and core documents — articles of association, internal policies, AML manual and ICT framework — usually need German versions. The FMA's published MiCA information does not set out a language rule, so confirm the approach with the FMA early. Advisers estimate 6-8 weeks for translating a substantial file (practitioner estimate).
3 Treating the pre-MiCA FMA register as a head-start
Austrian VASPs on the pre-MiCA register could continue until 31 December 2025, but the registration was an AML compliance arrangement, not a licence. The CASP file still required the full dossier — governance, prudential, conduct and client-asset protection.
4 Overlooking banking-access friction
Advisers report that Austrian banks remain cautious about crypto-asset businesses and that CASP banking often runs through specialist providers or banks outside Austria. Plan banking in parallel with authorisation.
Regulator and primary sources
The supervisor of CASP authorisations in Austria is Austrian Financial Market Authority (Finanzmarktaufsicht, FMA). The legal basis is MiCA Regulation (EU) 2023/1114 + MiCA-Verordnung-Vollzugsgesetz (MiCA-VVG, BGBl. I Nr. 111/2024). Visit www.fma.gv.at/en/securities/crypto-assets for the regulator's official guidance, application forms, and supervisory expectations.
For where every EU and EEA state stands — its authority, its national act and when its transitional period ended — see the MiCA implementation tracker.