Payment Institution Licence in Cyprus
EU-wide passporting, competitive tax, English-speaking. CBC regulated. Capital from €20k to €125k. Typical timeline 4 to 9 months.
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Tell us the business, the markets and your timing. Every enquiry is answered the same business day, with a written proposal: the licence, the requirements, the cost and the timeline.
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Why Cyprus for Your Payment Institution Licence?
Cyprus offers EU passporting with competitive operating costs, favourable tax arrangements, an English-speaking business environment, and a supportive regulatory approach to fintech.
The Central Bank of Cyprus (CBC) regulates payment institutions. Cyprus has emerged as a popular EU jurisdiction for fintech licensing with competitive costs and a supportive environment.
Licence requirements
Detailed requirements
PSD2 capital requirements apply. Local substance including directors required. AML frameworks must comply with EU directives.
Application process
Regulatory Strategy
We assess your business model and regulatory position to develop a clear licensing strategy.
Business Plan
We prepare a comprehensive business plan meeting the regulator's expectations.
Programme of Operations
Detailed programme of operations covering governance, compliance, and operational arrangements.
Compliance Framework
Full AML/CFT framework, compliance monitoring programme, and risk management policies.
Application Submission
We compile and submit the complete application package to the regulator.
Regulator Review
We manage all regulator communications and information requests during the review period.
Authorisation
Upon approval, we support your transition to live operations.
Process detail
4 to 9 months. The CBC has developed significant experience in processing payment institution applications.
Cyprus vs United Kingdom
| Criteria | Cyprus | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|
| Capital | €20k to €125k | £20k to £125k |
| Timeline | 4 to 9 months | 6 to 12 months |
| Regulator | CBC | FCA |
| Key Feature | EU-wide passporting, competitive tax, English-speaking | UK market access: no EEA passporting post-Brexit |
Related services
Licensing & Authorisation
Full-service licensing advisory from strategy to authorisation.
Compliance Support
Ongoing compliance frameworks tailored to your regulatory obligations.
Financial Crime
AML, KYC and financial crime prevention programmes.
Ready to get started?
Every enquiry is answered the same business day, with a written proposal.
Speak to a licensing expertFrequently asked questions
The capital requirement for a payment institution licence in Cyprus is €20k to €125k. PSD2 capital requirements apply. Local substance including directors required. AML frameworks must comply with EU directives.
The typical timeline for a payment institution licence in Cyprus is 4 to 9 months. 4 to 9 months. The CBC has developed significant experience in processing payment institution applications.
Cyprus offers EU passporting with competitive operating costs, favourable tax arrangements, an English-speaking business environment, and a supportive regulatory approach to fintech.
After receiving your payment institution licence in Cyprus, you must maintain ongoing compliance with regulatory requirements including safeguarding of customer funds, regular regulatory reporting, maintaining adequate capital, updating AML and compliance frameworks, and cooperating with supervisory reviews and inspections.
Most jurisdictions require local substance for a payment institution licence. In Cyprus, you will typically need a registered office, at least one locally resident director, and potentially additional operational staff. We can advise on the exact requirements and help you establish the minimum viable local presence.
Yes, a payment institution licence obtained in Cyprus provides EU-wide passporting rights across all EEA member states. This allows you to operate across 30 European countries from a single authorisation.