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How to Check if a Crypto Company Is Licensed: Best VASP Registers and Lookup Tools in 2027
How to check if a crypto company is licensed: the best VASP registers and licence lookup tools for 2027, from the Coincub registry to ESMA, FCA, FINTRAC, FinCEN, AUSTRAC, VARA, MAS, SFC and FSA.
Updated November 2026 · By the Coincub research team
Quick answer: To check if a crypto company is licensed, search the brand on a multi-jurisdiction VASP registry such as the Coincub registry to find its legal entities, regulators and licence status, then confirm the exact entity on the regulator’s own public register: ESMA’s interim MiCA register in the EU, the FCA Register in the UK, FINTRAC’s MSB registry in Canada, FinCEN’s MSB search in the US, AUSTRAC in Australia, VARA in Dubai, MAS in Singapore, the SFC in Hong Kong or the FSA in Japan.
Key takeaways
- A brand is not a licence. Licences sit with legal entities, and big crypto brands run many of them with different permissions.
- Regulator registers are the final word, but each covers one jurisdiction and rarely links brands to entities.
- Use a two-step check: a multi-jurisdiction registry for the full picture, the regulator’s register to confirm.
- Re-check regularly. Licences get suspended, narrowed and revoked.
Why VASP licence checks matter
Before you onboard an exchange, accept a Travel Rule transfer, sign a payments partner or buy a licensed company, you need to know who the counterparty is and what it is allowed to do. Regulators expect counterparty due diligence under FATF guidance, MiCA and the EU Transfer of Funds Regulation, and banks ask for it before they open accounts for crypto firms.
Best VASP registers and licence lookup tools in 2027
1. Coincub Registry (multi-jurisdiction)
The Coincub registry covers licensed crypto companies across jurisdictions in one search. It links each brand to its legal entities, regulators, licence types and status, updates weekly and adds regulatory news linked to each entity. It also shows compliant traffic: the share of a brand’s visitors from countries where it holds a licence.
Best for: the first pass on any counterparty, and seeing all of a brand’s entities at once.
Then: confirm the specific entity on the regulator’s register below.
2. ESMA interim MiCA register (EU)
The European Securities and Markets Authority publishes the crypto-asset service providers authorised under MiCA, compiled from national regulators, including the services each CASP may provide and where it passports.
Best for: checking EU-wide CASP authorisation and passporting.
3. FCA Financial Services Register (UK)
The FCA Register lists firms registered with the Financial Conduct Authority for cryptoasset activities under the UK money laundering regulations.
Best for: UK counterparties and firms marketing to UK customers.
4. FINTRAC MSB registry (Canada)
FINTRAC lets you search Canada’s money services businesses, including those dealing in virtual currency, and see their registered activities and status.
Best for: Canadian MSB counterparties and buyers checking an MSB before an acquisition.
5. FinCEN MSB registrant search (USA)
FinCEN’s MSB search shows federal money services business registrations. US firms usually also need state money transmitter licences, which are tracked separately by each state.
Best for: confirming US federal MSB registration.
6. AUSTRAC digital currency exchange register (Australia)
AUSTRAC keeps a register of digital currency exchange providers in Australia.
Best for: Australian DCE counterparties.
7. VARA public register (Dubai)
Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority publishes the firms it licenses and the activities each may carry out.
Best for: Dubai and UAE VASPs.
8. MAS Financial Institutions Directory (Singapore)
The Monetary Authority of Singapore directory lists licensed payment institutions, including digital payment token service providers.
Best for: Singapore DPT providers.
9. SFC and FSA registers (Hong Kong and Japan)
Hong Kong’s Securities and Futures Commission lists licensed virtual asset trading platforms, and Japan’s Financial Services Agency lists registered crypto-asset exchange service providers.
Best for: Hong Kong and Japanese exchanges.
VASP registers compared
| Source | Coverage | Brand to entity mapping | Use it for |
| Coincub Registry | Multi-jurisdiction | Yes | First pass, full brand picture |
| ESMA MiCA register | EU | No | MiCA authorisation and passporting |
| FCA Register | UK | No | UK cryptoasset registration |
| FINTRAC MSB registry | Canada | No | Canadian MSBs |
| FinCEN MSB search | USA (federal) | No | US MSBs |
| AUSTRAC DCE register | Australia | No | Australian DCEs |
| VARA register | Dubai | No | Dubai VASPs |
| MAS directory | Singapore | No | DPT service providers |
| SFC / FSA lists | Hong Kong / Japan | No | Licensed exchanges |
How to check a crypto company’s licence in 4 steps
- Search the brand on the Coincub registry and note every legal entity.
- Identify the exact entity you’ll contract or transact with. It’s usually on the terms of service or the invoice.
- Confirm it on the regulator’s register and check the licence covers the activity and the customer’s country.
- Re-check at least yearly, and whenever news hits. Licences get suspended, revoked and changed.
Red flags when checking a VASP
- The brand names a licence but not the legal entity that holds it.
- The licence is in one country but the firm markets to customers in others without a passport.
- The entity on the contract differs from the one on the regulator’s register.
- A registration is described as a “licence” when the regime only requires AML registration.
- Regulator warnings or enforcement news linked to the brand.
Licence checks and the rest of your compliance stack
Licence data tells you who a counterparty is. Blockchain analytics tells you where its funds come from. Most firms use both, plus Travel Rule messaging. See our guides to the best blockchain analytics and KYT tools and FATF Travel Rule compliance tools.
Frequently asked questions
How do I check if a crypto exchange is licensed?
Search the brand on the Coincub registry to see its legal entities and licences, then confirm the exact entity on the regulator’s public register.
Is a registration the same as a licence?
No. Some regimes, like Canada’s MSB registration, are registrations with AML obligations. Others, like MiCA, are full authorisations with capital and conduct rules.
Why does the legal entity matter?
The licence, the regulator and your legal rights all attach to the entity, not the brand.
Where can I find the MiCA register?
ESMA publishes an interim MiCA register of authorised CASPs on its website, compiled from national regulators.
How often should I re-check a counterparty’s licence?
At least once a year and whenever there is news about the firm, such as enforcement action, a licence change or a merger.
Where can I buy a licensed crypto company?
See the Coincub Marketplace for licensed companies for sale across jurisdictions.
