Ireland

On-shore VASP

Conditional · high burden.

Self-custodial wallet

Conditional · no licensing.

Crypto debit card

Conditional · high burden.

Stablecoin issuer

Conditional · high burden.

CEX

Conditional · high burden.

DeFi frontend

Conditional · high burden.

Custodial SaaS

Conditional · high burden.

Crypto ATM

Conditional · high burden.

Compare operating models across jurisdictions on the scenario hub.

Primary Legislation

Law / Regulation	Year	Scope
MiCA Regulation (EU) (2023)	2023	MiCA Regulation (EU) (2023) — CASP authorization, comprehensive crypto regulation
Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Act 2010 (amended) (2021)	2010	Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Act 2010 (amended) (2021) — Pre-MiCA VASP AML registration
EU Crypto Regulation and Ireland Compliance: https://www.binance.com/en/square/p		EU Crypto Regulation and Ireland Compliance: https://www.binance.com/en/square/post/14988785377977
Directive 2022/1530	2022	MiCA Regulation (Directive 2022/1530): Establishes a comprehensive regulatory framework for crypto assets across the EU, including Ireland.
Financial Services and Markets Act 2019: Provides the legal basis for CBI's over	2019	Financial Services and Markets Act 2019: Provides the legal basis for CBI's oversight of financial activities, including crypto-related services.

Licensing Requirements

✅30%

CBI — CASP authorization, VASP registration, AML supervision. Coinbase and Gemini chose Ireland as EU base.

licensingregulator

[primary] CBI

[secondary] esma.europa.eu — CASPS.csv [secondary] thebanks.eu — Ireland [] thebanks.eu — Ireland

Verified Apr 12, 2026 Report Issue

🟡60%

No "top 20" ranking exists in sources; lists are unranked. https://thebanks.eu/list-of-vasps/Ireland

licensingno-top-20-ranking-exists

[secondary] esma.europa.eu — CASPS.csv [secondary] thebanks.eu — Ireland

Verified Apr 12, 2026 Report Issue

🟡60%

For complete/current data, use the Firm Search with VASP/AML filters.

licensingfor-completecurrent-data-use-the

[secondary] esma.europa.eu — CASPS.csv [secondary] thebanks.eu — Ireland

Verified Apr 12, 2026 Report Issue

🟡60%

A third-party PDF reports 22 VASPs as of Q4 2024 but lacks extractable details here.[web:3 from DuckDuckGo]

licensinga-third-party-pdf-reports-22

[secondary] centralbank.ie — International Financial Sanctions [secondary] ezine.eversheds-sutherland.com — Ireland [primary] ofac.treasury.gov [secondary] binance.com [secondary] lightspark.com — Is Crypto Legal In Ireland

Verified Apr 12, 2026 Report Issue

❓50%

Central Bank of Ireland International Financial Sanctions: https://www.centralbank.ie/regulation/how-we-regulate/international-financial-sanctions

licensingcentral-bank-of-ireland-international

[secondary] centralbank.ie — International Financial Sanctions [secondary] ezine.eversheds-sutherland.com — Ireland [primary] ofac.treasury.gov [secondary] binance.com [secondary] lightspark.com — Is Crypto Legal In Ireland

❓50%

Ireland Global Sanctions Guide: https://ezine.eversheds-sutherland.com/global-sanctions-guide/ireland

licensingireland-global-sanctions-guide-httpsezineeversheds-sutherlandcomglobal-sanctions-guideireland6

[secondary] centralbank.ie — International Financial Sanctions [secondary] ezine.eversheds-sutherland.com — Ireland [primary] ofac.treasury.gov [secondary] binance.com [secondary] lightspark.com — Is Crypto Legal In Ireland

❓50%

OFAC Virtual Currency FAQs: https://ofac.treasury.gov/faqs/topic/1626

licensingofac-virtual-currency-faqs-httpsofactreasurygovfaqstopic16267

[secondary] centralbank.ie — International Financial Sanctions [secondary] ezine.eversheds-sutherland.com — Ireland [primary] ofac.treasury.gov [secondary] binance.com [secondary] lightspark.com — Is Crypto Legal In Ireland

❓50%

EU Crypto Regulation and Ireland Compliance: https://www.binance.com/en/square/post/14988785377977

licensingeu-crypto-regulation-and-ireland

[secondary] centralbank.ie — International Financial Sanctions [secondary] ezine.eversheds-sutherland.com — Ireland [primary] ofac.treasury.gov [secondary] binance.com [secondary] lightspark.com — Is Crypto Legal In Ireland

❓50%

Central Bank of Ireland Crypto Regulations 2026: https://www.lightspark.com/knowledge/is-crypto-legal-in-ireland

licensingcentral-bank-of-ireland-crypto

[secondary] centralbank.ie — International Financial Sanctions [secondary] ezine.eversheds-sutherland.com — Ireland [primary] ofac.treasury.gov [secondary] binance.com [secondary] lightspark.com — Is Crypto Legal In Ireland

❓70%

Ireland Global Sanctions Guide: https://ezine.eversheds-sutherland.com/global-sanctions-guide/ireland

licensingireland-global-sanctions-guide-httpsezineeversheds-sutherlandcomglobal-sanctions-guideireland

[secondary] centralbank.ie — International Financial Sanctions [secondary] ezine.eversheds-sutherland.com — Ireland [primary] ofac.treasury.gov [secondary] binance.com [secondary] lightspark.com — Is Crypto Legal In Ireland

❓70%

OFAC Virtual Currency FAQs: https://ofac.treasury.gov/faqs/topic/1626

licensingofac-virtual-currency-faqs-httpsofactreasurygovfaqstopic1626

[secondary] Central Bank of Ireland [secondary] Source

❓50%

Central Bank of Ireland (CBI): Regulates financial services, including crypto assets under MiCA.

licensingcentral-bank-of-ireland-cbi

[secondary] Central Bank of Ireland [secondary] Source

❓50%

National Crime Agency (NCA): Oversees AML/CFT measures related to crypto activities.

licensingnational-crime-agency-nca-oversees

[secondary] Central Bank of Ireland [secondary] Source

❓50%

Website: Central Bank of Ireland

licensingwebsite-central-bank-of-ireland

[secondary] Central Bank of Ireland [secondary] Source

❓50%

MiCA Regulation (Directive 2022/1530): Establishes a comprehensive regulatory framework for crypto assets across the EU, including Ireland. Effective from July 2024.

licensingmica-regulation-directive-20221530-establishes

[secondary] Central Bank of Ireland [secondary] Source

❓50%

Financial Services and Markets Act 2019: Provides the legal basis for CBI's oversight of financial activities, including crypto-related services.

licensingfinancial-services-and-markets-act

[secondary] Central Bank of Ireland [secondary] Source

❓50%

Ireland is aligned with FATF (Financial Action Task Force) recommendations, adopting similar AML/CFT standards for crypto assets. Source

licensingireland-is-aligned-with-fatf

❓50%

Custody and settlement of crypto assets.

licensingcustody-and-settlement-of-crypto

❓50%

Provision of exchange services for regulated crypto-assets.

licensingprovision-of-exchange-services-for

❓50%

Minimum Capital: EUR 50,000 to EUR 150,000, depending on the specific service provided. Source

licensingminimum-capital-eur-50000-to

❓50%

Submit a detailed application to the CBI.

licensingsubmit-a-detailed-application-to

❓50%

Undergo a risk assessment by the NCA for AML/CFT compliance.

licensingundergo-a-risk-assessment-by

❓50%

Expected processing time: 3–6 months.

licensingexpected-processing-time-36-months

[secondary] centralbank.ie — Virtual Asset Service Providers

(6 more unverified fact(s) )

AML/KYC Requirements

❓40%

Customer Due Diligence (CDD/KYC): VASPs must conduct CDD, including identifying customers, verifying identities, understanding transaction purposes, and assessing risks, as outlined in Part 4 of the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Acts 2010 to 2021. This involves stricter KYC obligations like user identity verification and real-time monitoring, with no anonymous crypto transactions allowed.

amlcustomer-due-diligence-cddkyc-vasps

[secondary] centralbank.ie — Virtual Asset Service Providers

❓40%

Suspicious Transaction Reporting: VASPs must monitor transactions for suspicious activity related to money laundering or terrorist financing and report to the relevant authorities, with enhanced mechanisms under WCTR empowering financial intelligence units to suspend suspicious crypto transfers.

amlsuspicious-transaction-reporting-vasps-must

[secondary] centralbank.ie — Virtual Asset Service Providers

❓40%

Record-Keeping Obligations: VASPs must maintain records of transactions, CDD, and monitoring to demonstrate compliance with AML/CFT rules.

amlrecord-keeping-obligations-vasps-must-maintain

[secondary] Central Bank: MiCAR [secondary] CMS Law [secondary] Central Bank: MiCAR [secondary] Freeman Law [secondary] Lightspark

❓50%

Industrial Development Authority (IDA): Attracts investment and leads Blockchain Ireland initiative.

amlindustrial-development-authority-ida-attracts

[secondary] Central Bank: MiCAR [secondary] CMS Law [secondary] Central Bank: MiCAR [secondary] Freeman Law [secondary] Lightspark

❓50%

European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA): Develops standards/guidelines for consistent EU application and consumer warnings.

amleuropean-securities-and-markets-authority

[secondary] Central Bank: MiCAR [secondary] CMS Law [secondary] Central Bank: MiCAR [secondary] Freeman Law [secondary] Lightspark

❓50%

European Banking Authority (EBA): Sets standards for stablecoins and AML risk management.

amleuropean-banking-authority-eba-sets

❓50%

Customer Due Diligence (CDD): Identity verification, risk assessment based on customer profile.

amlcustomer-due-diligence-cdd-identity

❓50%

Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD): Additional scrutiny for high-risk customers or transactions.

amlenhanced-due-diligence-edd-additional

❓50%

Suspicious Transaction Reporting (STR): Mandatory reporting of suspicious activities to the NCA within 5 days. Source

amlsuspicious-transaction-reporting-str-mandatory

(7 more unverified fact(s) )

Travel Rule

No verified facts yet. 5 unverified fact(s) in explorer

Tax Reporting

❓50%

Capital Gains Tax: Profits from crypto sales are subject to capital gains tax at the standard rate.

taxcapital-gains-tax-profits-from

❓50%

Income Tax: Income derived from crypto activities (e.g., staking rewards) is taxed as income.

taxincome-tax-income-derived-from

❓50%

VAT: Digital assets are generally exempt from VAT, but services related to their trading or issuance may be subject to VAT. Source

taxvat-digital-assets-are-generally

(1 more unverified fact(s) )

Custody Requirements

Custody regulation data collection in progress.

Stablecoin Regulation

No verified facts yet. 13 unverified fact(s) in explorer

Securities Classification

Securities classification data collection in progress.

Sanctions & Restrictions

No verified facts yet. 4 unverified fact(s) in explorer

Enforcement Actions

❓50%

No major enforcement actions reported as of mid-2025, but ongoing monitoring by the NCA ensures compliance with AML/CFT rules.

enforcementno-major-enforcement-actions-reported

❓50%

Potential penalties include fines and revocation of licenses for non-compliance. Source

enforcementpotential-penalties-include-fines-and

Ireland -- AML/CFT Compliance Regulatory Overview

Research & Articles

Ireland -- Custody Regulations Regulatory Overview

Ireland -- Sanctions Compliance Regulatory Overview

Ireland -- Stablecoin Regulations Regulatory Overview

Ireland -- Regulatory Status Regulatory Overview

Ireland -- Travel Rule Implementation Regulatory Overview

Ireland — Licensing Requirements

Grade B

ai-researched · 2026-04-15 · Perplexity Sonar

Ireland -- VASP Registry Regulatory Overview

Grade B