Remote VASP serving residents in Cayman Islands

Exchanges/Trading Platforms: Full VASP license required if operating a virtual asset trading platform under the VASP Act; grant fee of 100,000 KYD (~120,000 USD).

Custody Providers: Full VASP license mandatory; grant fee of 30,000 KYD (~36,000 USD).

Payment Processors: Registration suffices for basic services without custody or trading (e.g., transfers); license needed if involving custody or platforms. Fees start at 1,500–15,000 KYD for registration, up to 200,000 KYD for licenses based on scale.

Local Presence: Registered office in Cayman Islands required; no physical office, local staff, or residency mandates; at least one CIMA-approved director (especially for custody).

Incorporate Cayman entity (e.g., exempted company) with registered office.

AML/KYC: Mandatory local AML compliance officer; annual AML audits; fit-and-proper checks on owners/directors/shareholders (KYC docs, non-criminal records, references).

Capital: No fixed minimum share capital generally required, though CIMA may demand proof of adequate net assets; one source notes 100,000 USD minimum paid-up capital.

Stablecoins are classified as virtual assets under the VASP Act, as they represent digital value not as fiat currency but pegged to assets like fiat or securities; they are not explicitly e-money or payment tokens.

If conferring specific rights (e.g., redemption or conversion), or pegged to securities, they may be classified as securities under the Securities Investment Business Act (SIBA), requiring dual VASP and SIBA authorization from CIMA.

Issuers providing virtual asset services (e.g., issuance, sale) in or from the Cayman Islands must register or obtain a VASP license from CIMA; since April 1, 2025, custody services and trading platforms require a full "virtual assets service licence" (previously registration).

Threshold Amounts: USD 0; applies to all virtual asset transfers, defined as any transaction on behalf of an originator to make virtual assets available to a beneficiary.

Technical Implementation Requirements: VASPs must exchange specific originator and beneficiary data (e.g., identification, verification info) during transfers, maintain records for at least 5 years, and implement policies, procedures, and technological tools. Registrants submit compliance details to CIMA via email (vaspinfo@cima.ky) or REEFS portal (APP 101-84 Schedule E). Aligns with FATF Recommendation 16 and 2021 FATF guidance on private wallets, NFTs, and DeFi.

Penalties for Non-Compliance: Not explicitly detailed in available sources; general AMLR penalties apply for breaches, with CIMA supervisory enforcement. Registration is mandatory for VASPs.

Adopted and Effective Date: Adopted via the Anti-Money Laundering (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations, 2020, with Part XA commencing on July 1, 2022. CIMA issued guidance requiring VASPs to submit compliance plans by March 31, 2022.

All Cayman persons/entities (including VASPs) must screen customers, counterparties, and transactions against applicable lists: UK sanctions (mirroring pre-Brexit EU/standalone UK regimes + UN), plus Cayman autonomous terrorist lists under Terrorism Law (2018 Revision), Proliferation Financing (Prohibition) Law (2017 Revision), and Proceeds of Crime Law (2020 Revision).

CIMA advises FSPs (including VASPs) to note OFAC's extraterritorial reach due to global USD/crypto transaction risks, though not legally binding locally; no crypto-specific exemptions apply under international regimes.

OFAC crypto designations (e.g., SUEX exchange, Blender mixer) are not binding but recommended for screening due to secondary risks: https://ofac.treasury.gov/sanctions-programs-and-country-information and https://sanctionssearch.ofac.treas.gov.

Court-supervised liquidations (April 3, 2025): Cayman Grand Court ordered supervised liquidations of AXIA Network Foundation (ANF) and ANF MergeCo Ltd (crypto entities in the failed Axia Group) for efficacy in stakeholder interests; no regulatory penalty specified.

General CIMA fines trend: Increase in administrative fines post-2022 amendments, e.g., September 2025 fines on Blacktower entities for AMLR breaches (non-crypto), and a prior KYD4M+ fine in 2021 (pre-2023).