Before You Sell a Crypto License Company in the EU, Gather These Records

If you own an EU crypto company with a MiCA licence, this may be a good time to sell. On 1 July 2026, the last grace period under MiCA, the EU’s crypto law, ended. Firms that were relying on national rules, and are not authorised, must now wind down that unlicensed EU business. Some of them would rather buy a licensed company than wait for their own.

But you cannot simply sell a crypto license like a car. The regulator must approve the buyer. And a good buyer will check your company closely before they sign. Sellers who have their records ready get better offers and close faster.

You have a duty too, not only the buyer

Most guides talk about the buyer’s side. MiCA also puts a duty on the seller.

Under Article 83(2) of MiCA, anyone who plans to sell a qualifying holding must tell the regulator first. The seller must "notify in writing the competent authority of its decision and indicate the size of such holding". A qualifying holding means at least 10% of the capital or voting rights, held directly or indirectly, or a holding that gives significant influence over the firm’s management.

You must also tell the regulator if your stake will drop below 10%, 20%, 30% or 50%, or if the company will stop being your subsidiary.

The buyer then files its own notice and waits for approval. The regulator has 60 working days to assess the buyer, counted from when it confirms in writing that it has the buyer’s notice. Its questions can pause that clock, usually for up to 20 working days. Our guide on what the EU checks when you buy a crypto license company covers that side of the deal.

Why buyers are careful

A buyer is not paying for a piece of paper. They are paying for a company that the regulator trusts. If that trust has problems, the buyer inherits them.

So a buyer asks three questions. Is the licence clean? Will the regulator approve me? And will the company keep its licence after I take over? Your records answer all three.

The records a buyer will ask for

Gather these before you list the company. Put them in one folder, in this order.

The licence itself

• The regulator’s decision granting the MiCA authorisation.
• The list of services the licence covers, such as custody or exchange.
• The company’s entry on ESMA’s register of crypto-asset service providers.
• Any conditions the regulator attached to the licence.

Every letter with the regulator

• All correspondence since the licence was granted.
• Any findings, warnings or requests for changes, and how you answered them.
• Any open questions the regulator is still waiting on.

This is the folder buyers care about most. A finding that was fixed and closed is fine. A finding that is still open can stop a deal.

Your people

• The current directors and key managers, with their CVs.
• Who holds the compliance and anti-money-laundering (AML) roles.
• Which of these people will stay after the sale, and for how long.

The licence depends on real people doing real jobs. If your compliance officer is leaving, say so early and have a plan.

Your AML set-up

• Your AML policy and risk assessment.
• Your last internal and external AML audit reports.
• Your process for reporting suspicious transactions. Do not share the reports themselves, or say whether any were made. EU tipping-off rules forbid telling a third party, and a buyer is a third party.

Money and capital

• Financial statements for the last two or three years.
• Proof that you meet MiCA’s capital rules today.
• A list of any debts, guarantees or open disputes.

Clients and contracts

• How many active clients you have, and in which countries.
• Your main contracts with banks, custodians and technology providers.
• Any outsourcing, and whether the regulator was told about it.

Common reasons a sale falls apart

Sales fail for a few repeated reasons. The licence covers fewer services than the buyer needs. The company has open issues with its regulator. Key staff leave during the sale. Or the buyer cannot pass the regulator’s own checks.

You control the first three. Check the licence scope against what buyers want. Close open findings before you list. And agree with key staff that they will stay through the approval period.

You do not control the fourth, but you can protect yourself. Ask early about the buyer’s owners, source of funds and management team. A buyer who cannot answer those questions for you will not answer them for the regulator either.

What moves the price

No authority publishes prices for licensed crypto companies, so each deal is priced on its own facts. Still, buyers look at the same things.

The first is the licence scope. A company licensed for several services, such as custody and exchange, is worth more to most buyers than one licensed for advice only.

The second is the country. Buyers weigh how the local regulator works, how long its reviews take and how easy banking is there.

The third is how alive the company is. A company with staff, systems, a bank account and some real clients is a working business. A company with a licence and nothing else is an empty company, and a regulator may ask hard questions about whether the licence should stay.

The fourth is how clean the records are. A buyer who finds gaps will either lower the offer or walk away. Clean records do not raise the price much. Missing records can cut it a lot.

When to start preparing

Start before you tell anyone you want to sell. Gathering the records above can take weeks, especially the letters with the regulator and the audit reports.

Starting early also shows you the problems first. If an old finding is still open, you have time to close it before a buyer sees it. Then the buyer sees a problem that is already fixed, not one that is still open.

How a sale usually runs

1. You prepare the records above and set a price.
2. You list the company or approach buyers directly.
3. A buyer checks your records and agrees terms with you.
4. You notify the regulator of your decision to sell. The buyer files its own notice.
5. The regulator assesses the buyer.
6. Once the regulator approves, or does not oppose in time, the sale closes.

No EU authority publishes an average price or an average time for these sales. The time depends mostly on how fast the regulator can assess the buyer.

Where to list the company

Licensed companies can be offered to buyers through the sell your licence page. Buyers browse the current licensed companies for sale by country and licence type. For help preparing the records and the regulator notices, see support to buy or sell a licensed crypto company.

Frequently asked questions

Can I sell a crypto license in the EU?

You can sell a company that holds a MiCA licence. The licence stays with the company, and the regulator must approve the new owner.

Do I need to tell the regulator before I sell?

Yes. Under Article 83(2) of MiCA, you must notify the regulator in writing before you sell a qualifying holding, and state its size.

How long does it take to sell a licensed crypto company in the EU?

The regulator has 60 working days from its written confirmation of the buyer’s notice, and questions can pause that clock for up to 20 working days in most cases. Preparing records and agreeing terms adds more time.

What records do buyers want when I sell a crypto license company?

The licence decision, all letters with the regulator, details of your people, AML audits, financial statements and your key contracts.

Can the regulator block the sale?

Yes. If the regulator opposes the buyer, the buyer cannot take the qualifying holding.

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*Sources: Regulation (EU) 2023/1114 (MiCA), Articles 3, 83 and 84; ESMA public statement of 23 June 2026.*