Regulatory changes we're tracking and practical guides from the team that prepares the applications.
Banking
Migom Bank had a licence and a following among businesses other banks turned away. In February 2024 Dominica's regulator stopped it overnight. What the case says about how fintech companies choose their banks.
Company formation
Setting up a company in Europe as a non-resident in 2026: the UK, Cyprus, Malta, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania compared — tax, banking, substance and when onshore beats offshore.
Company formation
Second passports and residence permits in 2026: what changed for St Lucia, Vanuatu and Caribbean passports, and the residency routes that work — Malaysia, Labuan, Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Cyprus and Mauritius.
iGaming
How to start an online casino, sportsbook or iGaming company in 2026: which licence fits — Malta, Estonia, Gibraltar, Curaçao, Mauritius, Vanuatu or a Costa Rica company — payments, prediction markets and what's changed.
Regulatory updates
Latvia issued 9 standalone MiCA CASP and 4 EMI licences in 2026 — more than Lithuania and Estonia combined. What changed on the Baltic licensing map.
Regulatory updates
Noah LV became Latvia's 12th MiCA licensee on 30 September. Every 2026 Latvijas Banka licence, the new €1M bank licence, and what it means for applicants.
Banking
Most coverage of CRD VI points to January 2027. The date that mattered more was 11 July 2026 — the grandfathering cut-off for third-country bank lending into the EU — and it has already passed.
Payments & EMI
Your licence is approved. Your bank account isn't. Zitadelle AG holds 28 active partnership agreements with payment providers, EMIs and acquirers — and applies to multiple providers on your behalf under one engagement.
Regulatory updates
PSD3/PSR final texts, FINTRAC's 2026 MSB crackdown in Canada, Mauritius PIS tax relief, and tightened BVI/Cayman/Seychelles substance rules — what payment and offshore founders need to know now, and which changes are in force versus still proposal-stage.
Regulatory updates
MiCA transitional window closed July 1. 204 CASPs authorised out of 1,200+ registrants. New guides on VASP setup, EMI licensing, holding companies, and prediction markets — plus 33 verified regulated entities for sale across 16 jurisdictions.
Payments & EMI
Complete guide to Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) merchant acquiring registration. Malaysia processed 18.4 billion e-payment transactions in 2025 — 25% YoY increase. Stripe, ShopeePay, TNG Digital, Razer licensed. BNM vs MAS distinction explained. Multi-jurisdiction ASEAN payment strategy. Zitadelle AG Malaysia office.
Company formation
Complete guide to Labuan company formation — 3% trading tax, 0% holding rate, 70+ DTAAs, LBATA substance requirements, VASP Act 2025, UAE-Malaysia CEPA October 2025, LFSA fee revision January 2026, annual 15 January fee deadline, banking, and annual compliance. By Zitadelle AG from our Labuan office.
Regulatory updates
Costa Rica enacted Legislative Decree No. 10961 on May 27 2026, amending Law No. 7786 to add VASPs as obligated AML/CFT subjects for the first time. SUGEF registration mandatory. Banking exclusion for unregistered VASPs. Penalties USD $1,800–$90,000. CONASSIF implementing regulations expected within 3 months of La Gaceta publication.
Company formationUpdated
Does the OECD 15% global minimum tax kill offshore holding structures? What still works in BVI, Cayman, Cyprus, Mauritius, and Singapore — economic substance requirements, January 2026 Side-by-Side Safe Harbor, and CFC rules by founder residency.
BankingUpdated
How forex brokers, iGaming operators, crypto companies, VASPs, and payment firms open corporate accounts, access card processing, and structure client fund arrangements in 2026. Practical advisory from Zitadelle AG.
iGaming
Side-by-side comparison of the Malta MGA, Estonia EMTA, and Gibraltar Gambling Commissioner iGaming licences in 2026. State fees, GGR tax rates, minimum capital, timelines, and pros and cons — verified against official government sources.
Regulatory updates
Spain's CNMV has formally notified CySEC that spot-quoted futures and perpetual futures offered to Spanish retail clients must be treated as CFDs — triggering ESMA leverage caps and marketing restrictions. Belgium's blanket CFD ban remains in force. What CIF brokers need to review now.
Company formationUpdated
Complete 2026 guide to setting up an offshore or international company — jurisdiction selection, corporate bank account opening (Swiss, EU, Asian), private banking for directors, payroll, accounting, and compliance.
Crypto & MiCA
Complete 2026 guide to starting a VASP or CASP crypto company — MiCA CASP deadline July 2026, Dubai VARA, Mauritius VAITOS, Seychelles, Cayman, Labuan, El Salvador. Business models, technology stack, Travel Rule, and realistic cost breakdowns.
Payments & EMIUpdated
The complete 2026 guide to starting an EMI or PSP payment company — license types, jurisdiction comparison (Lithuania, Singapore, Mauritius, Labuan, Canada), technology stack, capital requirements, and realistic budgets from USD $50,000 to USD $500,000+.
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Licensing and regulatory changes across our jurisdictions, with our analysis, sent to your inbox.