Licentium

Fintech Licensing Hub

Czech Republic

The Czech Republic regulates crypto under MiCA through the Digital Finance Act (Act No. 31/2025 Coll., effective 15 February 2025), with the Czech National Bank (ČNB) as competent authority for CASPs and the Financial Analytical Office (FAÚ) handling AML and out-of-scope VASPs; the transitional regime ran to 1 July 2026 for providers that applied by 31 July 2025. Payments and e-money run under the Payment System Act (Act No. 370/2017 Coll.), supervised by the ČNB, with the Instant Payments Regulation and DORA in force and PSD3/PSR moving toward adoption. Gambling is licensed by the Ministry of Finance under the Gambling Act in a liberalised, EU/EEA-open market with high capital and deposit requirements (CZK 50,000,000) and a 30%–35% gambling tax — and the Czech Republic uses the koruna and is outside the euro area and banking union, with a 2025 reform giving individuals a three-year holding exemption on crypto gains.

Available licences

Crypto-Asset Service Provider authorisation (ČNB under MiCAR and the Digital Finance Act)

Custody, operation of a trading platform, exchange of crypto-assets for funds or other crypto-assets, execution, placing, reception and transmission of orders, advice, portfolio management and transfer services require ČNB authorisation under Article 63 MiCAR. The ČNB is the sole CASP licensing authority and expects genuine management substance in the Czech Republic; an authorisation passports across the EEA.

Asset-Referenced Token (ART) issuer authorisation (ČNB)

Public offering or admission to trading of a token referencing a basket of values, rights or currencies requires authorisation as an ART issuer under Title III MiCAR, with reserve, custody and disclosure requirements, supervised by the ČNB.

E-Money Token (EMT) issuer (credit institution or EMI; ČNB)

EMTs may be issued only by an authorised credit institution or e-money institution, with redemption at par; the ČNB is the competent authority, consistent with its prudential role over e-money.

Article 60 MiCAR notification route (existing financial institutions)

Credit institutions, investment firms, e-money and payment institutions, UCITS management companies, AIFMs, CSDs and market operators already authorised under EU law may provide specified crypto-asset services by notifying the ČNB for the services their existing licence covers.

VASP registration for out-of-scope services (FAÚ)

Virtual-asset service providers offering services that fall outside MiCAR remain obliged entities and must register with and are supervised by the Financial Analytical Office under the AML Act — a lighter regime than CASP authorisation.

Payment Institution authorisation (ČNB under the Payment System Act)

A licence to provide payment services under Act No. 370/2017 Coll., supervised by the ČNB and entered in its public register; payment institutions may not take deposits or issue e-money.

E-Money Institution authorisation (ČNB under the Payment System Act)

A licence to issue electronic money and provide related payment services, with EUR 350,000 minimum initial capital, supervised by the ČNB.

Small-scale payment service provider / small-scale e-money issuer (ČNB)

Lighter national regimes below set thresholds, able to operate only in the Czech Republic and without EEA passporting.

Account Information and Payment Initiation Services (ČNB)

Open-banking providers — account information and payment initiation service providers — fall within the Payment System Act, supervised by the ČNB, with strong customer authentication under PSD2.

Banking authorisation (ČNB under the Banking Act)

Deposit-taking and lending require a banking licence under the Banking Act, granted and supervised solely by the ČNB; the Czech Republic is outside the banking union, so the ECB does not supervise Czech banks.

Investment firm authorisation (ČNB — MiFID II)

Investment services in financial instruments require authorisation under the Capital Markets Undertakings Act transposing MiFID II, supervised by the ČNB.

Gambling basic licence (Ministry of Finance under the Gambling Act)

The Ministry of Finance licenses lotteries, odds betting, technical games, live games and bingo — land-based and online — under a discretionary basic licence (up to six years), with a separate municipal premises licence for land-based venues. The market is open to operators seated in the Czech Republic, the EU or the EEA.

Detailed overview

Czech Republic at a glance

The Czech Republic combines an integrated ČNB supervisor with competitive costs, a 2025 crypto-tax improvement, and a liberalised gambling market protected by high financial barriers. Crypto is supervised by the ČNB (CASPs and ART/EMT issuers) under the Digital Finance Act, with the FAÚ handling AML and out-of-scope VASPs; the transitional regime expired on 1 July 2026. Payments run under the Payment System Act with the ČNB as supervisor and the Instant Payments Regulation and DORA in force. Gambling is licensed and taxed by the Ministry of Finance, open to EU/EEA operators meeting the capital and deposit requirements. The koruna is the national currency, and the Czech Republic sits outside the euro area and banking union.

Crypto regime under MiCA — ČNB-led, post ultra-light past:

  • MiCA + national implementing law — Regulation (EU) 2023/1114 (MiCAR); the Digital Finance Act (Act No. 31/2025 Coll.) and Amendment Act No. 32/2025 Coll., both effective 15 February 2025
  • Competent authorities — the ČNB for CASP authorisation and ART/EMT supervision; the FAÚ for AML and for virtual-asset services that fall outside MiCAR
  • Grandfathering — closed. Providers operating before 30 December 2024 under a Czech trade licence (activity code 81, "providing services related to virtual assets") who applied for CASP authorisation by 31 July 2025 could continue until a final decision, but no later than 1 July 2026. That EU-wide backstop has now expired, and the old trade-licence model no longer authorises CASP services
  • Article 60 notifications — already-authorised financial institutions may notify the ČNB to provide crypto-asset services within their existing licence
  • AML/CFT — the AML Act applies, supervised by the FAÚ; the EU AML package (Regulation (EU) 2024/1624 / AMLR, with AMLA in Frankfurt) applies from 10 July 2027
  • TFR — Regulation (EU) 2023/1113 (recast Transfer of Funds Regulation) applies the Travel Rule to crypto-asset transfers from 30 December 2024
  • Tax — corporate income tax is 21%; from 15 February 2025, individuals benefit from a securities-style exemption on crypto disposals under a three-year holding test and a CZK 100,000 annual value test (subject to an aggregate CZK 40 million cap), with personal income tax otherwise at 15% / 23%
  • Substance — the ČNB scrutinises shell structures and expects real management and decision-making in the Czech Republic

Payments and e-money regime (ČNB-led):

  • PSD2 — Directive (EU) 2015/2366; transposed by the Payment System Act (Act No. 370/2017 Coll.), supervised by the ČNB
  • Payment Institution licensing — initial capital EUR 20,000 (money remittance), EUR 50,000 (payment initiation) and EUR 125,000 (other payment services)
  • EMD2 / E-Money Institution — Directive 2009/110/EC; EUR 350,000 initial capital
  • Small-scale regimes — small-scale payment service providers and small-scale e-money issuers operate domestically without EEA passporting
  • Instant Payments Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2024/886) — euro instant payments: receiving applicable from 9 January 2025 and sending from 9 October 2025; as a non-euro state the Czech Republic faces later deadlines for koruna instant payments under the Regulation
  • DORA (Regulation (EU) 2022/2554) — applicable from 17 January 2025
  • PSD3 / PSR — Commission proposals of 28 June 2023; provisional political agreement reached 27 November 2025, with final compromise texts published 23 April 2026 and formal adoption expected during 2026; the package will repeal PSD2 and EMD2 and fold e-money institutions into payment institutions, with PSD3 transposed nationally and the PSR directly applicable after a phased timeline
  • Banking — banks are licensed and supervised solely by the ČNB under the Banking Act; the Czech Republic is outside the banking union, so the ECB does not supervise Czech banks
  • Currency: Czech koruna (CZK), floating and outside the euro area; no exchange controls

Gambling regime — liberalised, Ministry-of-Finance-licensed, high barriers:

  • Gambling Act (Act No. 186/2016 Coll.) and Gambling Tax Act (Act No. 187/2016 Coll.) — the framework, administered by the Ministry of Finance (Gambling and Lottery Department), with the Customs Administration enforcing and the FAÚ handling AML
  • Open market — no monopoly; operators must be seated in the Czech Republic, the EU or the EEA, and online and land-based gambling are treated alike
  • Dual permit — a basic licence from the Ministry of Finance (up to six years, non-transferable, discretionary) plus, for land-based venues, a municipal premises licence
  • Licence types — lotteries, odds betting, technical (slot) games, live games and bingo, available land-based and online
  • Financial barriers — the operator must hold own capital and assets each of at least CZK 50,000,000, plus a security deposit per game type (around CZK 30,000,000 for betting and CZK 50,000,000 for casino/online casino)
  • Online requirements — a Czech-language platform, technical equipment located in the EU/EEA, verified player registration, the Register of Excluded Persons (self-exclusion), and a "panic button" for online casino
  • Tax — gambling tax of 35% on lotteries and technical games and 30% on other games of chance, on a gross-gaming-revenue base; player winnings above CZK 50,000 may be subject to income tax
  • Enforcement — the Ministry maintains a list of unlicensed sites that ISPs must block and to which payment service providers may not process payments; administrative fines reach CZK 50 million
  • Minimum age — 18; operators are AML obliged entities
  • No EU passport — gambling is licensed nationally

Last verified: July 2026. Reference rate: USD 1 = EUR 0.87 (EUR 1 = USD 1.15). The national currency is the Czech koruna (CZK); the EUR/CZK rate floats (indicatively around EUR 1 = CZK 25 in mid-2026) — confirm the current ČNB reference rate.

The Czech Republic is an integrated-supervisor jurisdiction outside the euro area: crypto runs under MiCAR and the Digital Finance Act with the ČNB as authority and the FAÚ on AML, payments sit under the Payment System Act with the ČNB as supervisor, and gambling is a liberalised but high-barrier market licensed and taxed by the Ministry of Finance.

Is there a crypto licence in the Czech Republic?

Yes. The Czech Republic applies MiCAR through the Digital Finance Act, with the ČNB authorising and supervising CASPs and the FAÚ handling AML and out-of-scope VASPs. The transitional regime expired on 1 July 2026, so operating now requires a ČNB authorisation, a valid MiCA passport, or an Article 60 notification.

The legal foundation:

  • Regulation (EU) 2023/1114 (MiCAR) — the directly applicable EU framework for offerings, admission and crypto-asset services
  • Digital Finance Act (Act No. 31/2025 Coll.) and Amendment Act No. 32/2025 Coll. — designate the ČNB and adapt national law for MiCAR and DORA
  • AML Act — AML/CFT obligations, supervised by the FAÚ
  • Regulation (EU) 2023/1113 — Travel Rule for crypto-asset transfers

Structure:

  • A Czech legal entity (commonly an s.r.o.) with genuine local management and substance — the ČNB scrutinises shell arrangements
  • MiCAR own-funds floors by class — EUR 50,000 (Class 1), EUR 125,000 (Class 2), EUR 150,000 (Class 3) — with the higher of the floor or a fixed-overheads measure
  • Fit-and-proper management and qualifying shareholders, AML officers, a white paper for in-scope offerings, and custody, conflicts, complaints and market-abuse arrangements

Operational reality:

  • The Czech Republic combines competitive costs, a 21% corporate rate and a 2025 individual crypto-tax break (three-year holding and CZK 100,000 value tests) with a credible, demanding ČNB process
  • The pre-MiCA trade-licence model is gone; a complete, well-documented CASP file with real substance is essential
  • New activity should be structured through a ČNB authorisation, a valid passport or an Article 60 notification — not the closed transitional regime

Official CASP roadmap: The ČNB sets out its CASP authorisation approach on its dedicated MiCA page, where it published guidance and a call for applications and confirmed it is ready to receive Article 63 applications and Article 60 notifications; the trade-licence transition required an application by 31 July 2025, with the window closing 1 July 2026.

Payments & E-money (ČNB — PSD2 / EMD2)

Best for payment, remittance, acquiring, wallet and open-banking operators that want a credible single-supervisor base inside the EU but outside the euro area.

What it is: Authorisation as a payment institution or e-money institution under the Payment System Act, supervised by the ČNB and passportable across the EEA.

Who it suits: Money-remittance and transfer providers, acquirers, card and wallet issuers, payment-initiation and account-information providers, and e-money issuers seeking a cost-effective EU foothold; smaller entrants may use the small-scale regimes.

Covers: The payment services under the Payment System Act — incoming and outgoing transactions, transfers, card and instrument-based payments, money remittance, payment initiation and account information — plus issuance of electronic money.

Operational requirement: A Czech entity carrying out at least part of its payment business locally; minimum initial capital by service type; ongoing own-funds and safeguarding of client funds; strong customer authentication; AML/CFT; DORA operational-resilience obligations; and fit-and-proper management.

Headline figures

  • Primary instruments: Payment System Act (Act No. 370/2017 Coll., PSD2 / EMD2); Instant Payments Regulation (EU) 2024/886; DORA (Regulation (EU) 2022/2554)
  • Regulator: ČNB (authorisation and supervision; sole banking supervisor)
  • Entry capital: payment institutions EUR 20,000 / 50,000 / 125,000 by service type; e-money institutions EUR 350,000
  • Light regime: small-scale payment service providers and small-scale e-money issuers, domestic only, no passport
  • Instant payments: euro instant payments receiving from 9 January 2025 and sending from 9 October 2025; later deadlines apply to koruna instant payments under the Regulation
  • Reform pipeline: PSD3 / PSR — political agreement November 2025, compromise texts April 2026, adoption expected during 2026; EMD2 to be repealed and EMIs folded into payment institutions
  • Currency: CZK (outside the euro area); no exchange controls

Is there a gambling licence in the Czech Republic?

Yes. The Ministry of Finance licenses lotteries, odds betting, technical games, live games and bingo — land-based and online — under the Gambling Act, in a liberalised market open to EU/EEA operators but protected by high capital and deposit requirements.

The legal foundation:

  • Gambling Act (Act No. 186/2016 Coll.) — the framework for all gambling
  • Gambling Tax Act (Act No. 187/2016 Coll.) — gambling taxation
  • Ministry of Finance — licensing and supervision; the Customs Administration enforces and the FAÚ handles AML
  • Advertising Act (Act No. 40/1995 Coll.) — advertising rules

Structure:

  • Operators must be seated in the Czech Republic, the EU or the EEA, with a transparent ownership and governance structure
  • A basic licence covers the gambling activity; a municipal premises licence is required for land-based venues
  • Own capital and assets of at least CZK 50,000,000 each, plus a per-game security deposit, are required, with a Czech-language platform and EU/EEA-located technical equipment for online operations

Gambling — Online licence (Ministry of Finance)

Best for well-capitalised operators able to meet the deposit, substance and player-protection requirements; not for thinly capitalised entrants.

What it is: A Ministry of Finance basic licence for online gambling (online casino, betting, technical or live games) under the Gambling Act, for up to six years.

Who it suits: EU/EEA operators able to post the security deposit, meet capital requirements and integrate Czech player-protection systems.

Covers: The online verticals specified in the licence; each game type must be precisely defined and approved.

Operational requirement: Own capital and assets of at least CZK 50,000,000, a per-game security deposit, a Czech-language platform, EU/EEA-located technical equipment, verified player registration, the Register of Excluded Persons, a panic button for online casino, AML/CFT and reporting links to the Ministry.

Headline figures

  • Primary instruments: Gambling Act (Act No. 186/2016 Coll.); Gambling Tax Act (Act No. 187/2016 Coll.)
  • Regulators: Ministry of Finance (licensing); Financial Administration (gambling tax); Customs Administration (enforcement)
  • Costs: own capital and assets of at least CZK 50,000,000 each; security deposit around CZK 30,000,000 (betting) or CZK 50,000,000 (casino/online casino); CZK 5,000 application fee per submission
  • Tax/duty: gambling tax of 35% (lotteries and technical games) or 30% (other games) on gross gaming revenue; player winnings above CZK 50,000 may be taxed
  • Online: Czech-language platform, EU/EEA-located equipment, self-exclusion register and panic button
  • Player protection: minimum age 18; AML obligations; ISP blocking and payment-blocking of unlicensed sites

Costs and timelines at a glance

  • Crypto: MiCAR via the Digital Finance Act, ČNB for CASPs/ARTs/EMTs and FAÚ for AML and out-of-scope VASPs; own-funds floors EUR 50,000 / 125,000 / 150,000 by class; Article 63 timeline of a 25-working-day completeness check plus a 40-working-day decision; transitional regime closed 1 July 2026
  • Payments primary instruments: Payment System Act (Act No. 370/2017 Coll., PSD2 / EMD2); Instant Payments Regulation (EU) 2024/886; DORA
  • Payments regulator: ČNB (authorisation and supervision; sole banking supervisor — no ECB/SSM)
  • Banking entry: authorisation under the Banking Act, decided solely by the ČNB
  • Reform pipeline: PSD3 / PSR — agreement November 2025, compromise texts April 2026, adoption expected during 2026
  • Gambling: liberalised Ministry-of-Finance regime under the Gambling Act; CZK 50,000,000 capital and per-game deposits; gambling tax 35% / 30% on GGR
  • Tax: corporate income tax 21%; individual crypto exemption under a three-year holding test and a CZK 100,000 annual value test
  • Currency: CZK (outside the euro area and banking union); no exchange controls
  • FX: USD 1 = EUR 0.87 (EUR 1 = USD 1.15); EUR/CZK floats (indicatively = CZK 25)

Who the Czech Republic suits and who it does not

Suitable for

  • Crypto exchanges, custodians and token issuers wanting a MiCAR CASP authorisation from a credible single supervisor, with EEA passporting, a 21% corporate rate and a favourable individual crypto-tax regime
  • Already-licensed banks, investment firms, payment and e-money institutions that can add crypto-asset services through the Article 60 notification route
  • VASPs offering services outside MiCAR's scope that fit the lighter FAÚ registration
  • Payment, remittance, acquiring, wallet and open-banking operators seeking a cost-effective EU base under ČNB supervision
  • Well-capitalised gambling operators able to meet the CZK 50,000,000 capital, deposit, substance and player-protection requirements

Not suitable for

  • Firms wanting the old ultra-light trade-licence crypto model — the Czech Republic now applies MiCAR in full, with ČNB supervision and a real-substance expectation
  • Providers relying on a former trade-licence registration — the transitional window closed on 1 July 2026
  • Payment or e-money firms expecting to avoid EU prudential, safeguarding, DORA or AML obligations
  • Thinly capitalised gambling operators — Czech licensing requires large capital and security deposits and is fully discretionary
  • Operators seeking euro-area or banking-union features — the Czech Republic uses the koruna and sits outside the banking union

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