National Supervisory Authority & Licensing Qualification Dossier • European Economic Area & Switzerland
FIU
EstoniaEstonian Financial Intelligence Unit
Source / Native Reference: 爱沙尼亚金融情报单位
- Supervisory tier
- Tier-2
- License classes
- 2
- Licensed records
- 8
- Active / regulated
- 7
Statutory Supervisory Mandate & Scope
Estonian Financial Intelligence Unit (Rahapesu Andmebüroo / FIU) (FIU) serves as the statutory financial intelligence, anti-money laundering (AML/CFT), and Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) supervisory authority in Estonia. Regulated entities must maintain registration in good standing, implement risk-based KYC/CDD screening, comply with FATF Recommendation 16 Travel Rule wire-transfer obligations, and submit suspicious transaction reports (STRs).
Prudential Tier Assessment
Tier-2Tier-2 national Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) and AML/CFT / Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) supervisor in Estonia.
National licensing qualifications & statutory authorisation classes (FIU)
Authorisation categories, permitted institutional and retail activities, minimum initial capital adequacy, and ongoing prudential solvency rules enforced by FIU in Estonia.
| License class / code | Official designation | Permitted institutional & retail activities | Minimum initial / base capital | Ongoing prudential & solvency rule |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VASP / DCE Registration | Virtual Asset Service Provider & Custodial Wallet Registration | Fiat-to-crypto exchange, crypto-to-crypto exchange, virtual asset transfer, and custodial wallet administration. | USD $50,000 – $150,000 equivalent share capital (or statutory fit-and-proper + local MLRO presence). | Continuous KYC/CDD onboarding, blockchain analytics transaction monitoring, and annual independent AML audit. |
| MSB / Currency Exchange Registration | Money Services Business & Remittance Registration | Money transmission, foreign currency dealing, and payment instrument issuance. | Subject to state/national surety bond and minimum net worth requirements. | Currency Transaction Reports (CTRs) and Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs/STRs) via goAML / BSA E-Filing. |
Investor compensation, client money segregation & digital-asset regime
Statutory counterparty protections, custody reconciliation mandates, and virtual-asset licensing status under FIU.
AML/CFT Registration Only (Non-Prudential / No Investor Compensation Scheme)
- Maximum coverage per client
- Not covered by statutory investor compensation (FIU/MSB registration supervises AML/CFT compliance rather than prudential solvency)
- Eligible counterparties & scope
- Counterparties must verify whether the entity also holds a separate prudential securities or banking licence.
FIU VASP Custodial Wallet & Client Ledger Separation Rules
- Reconciliation & audit cadence
- On-chain and off-chain omnibus ledger reconciliation; separation of customer virtual assets from corporate treasury.
- Approved custodian requirements
- Multi-signature / MPC hardware security module (HSM) custody and segregated fiat settlement accounts.
FIU Statutory VASP / Digital Currency Exchange Registration
- Travel Rule, custody & stablecoin rules
- Mandatory originator and beneficiary Travel Rule data transmission for virtual asset transfers.
Primary Governing Statutes & Rulebooks
- Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing Act of Estonia
- FATF Recommendations 15 (Virtual Assets & VASPs) & 16 (Wire Transfer / Travel Rule)
- FIU Mandatory VASP / MSB Registration & Beneficial Ownership Regulations
Regulatory Reporting & Audit Obligations
Prompt filing of Suspicious Transaction Reports (STRs) and Threshold Transaction Reports with FIUAppointment of a resident Money Laundering Reporting Officer (MLRO) and annual independent AML/CFT compliance audit5-year retention of KYC identity records and Travel Rule cryptographic counterparty data
Cross-Border Equivalence & Passporting
Territorial registration required in Estonia whenever soliciting or onboarding domestic residents.
Supervised institutions & FIU licence records in our database
8 licence records referencing FIU (7 regulated/registered).
| Institution | Licence number | Status | Licensed legal entity | Effective date | Verification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BAM(Global network record) | 305595206 | Regulated | Bifinity UAB | — | |
| Change(Global network record) | FVT000072 | Regulated | xChange AS | 2020-07-24 | |
| Crypto(Global network record) | FVT000346 | Regulated | Crypto Brokers OÜ | 2020 | |
| Crypto(Global network record) | FRK000284 | Regulated | Crypto Brokers OÜ | 2020 | |
| SwissBorg(Global network record) | FVT000326 | Regulated | SwissBorg Solutions OÜ | 2020 | |
| Bibox(Global network record) | 14389881 | Cancelled | Bibox Technology OÜ | 2017 | |
| Dream(Global network record) | FVT000166 | Regulated | Dream Finance OÜ | 2024-05-07 | |
| zondacrypto(Global network record) | FVT000209 | Regulated | BB Trade Estonia OÜ | 2023-01-02 |
FIU (Estonia): institutional licensing & due diligence FAQ
Key statutory capital, compensation, custody segregation, and verification answers for compliance teams.
What are the primary licensing classes and minimum capital requirements under FIU (Estonia)?
FIU (Estonian Financial Intelligence Unit) supervises financial institutions in Estonia under Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing Act of Estonia and FATF Recommendations 15 (Virtual Assets & VASPs) & 16 (Wire Transfer / Travel Rule). Key statutory authorisation classes include: VASP / DCE Registration (Virtual Asset Service Provider & Custodial Wallet Registration — min. capital: USD $50,000 – $150,000 equivalent share capital (or statutory fit-and-proper + local MLRO presence).); MSB / Currency Exchange Registration (Money Services Business & Remittance Registration — min. capital: Subject to state/national surety bond and minimum net worth requirements.). Ongoing prudential supervision requires strict adherence to capital adequacy and liquidity buffers.
Does FIU provide statutory investor compensation and mandatory client asset segregation?
Under FIU's framework, investor protection is governed by AML/CFT Registration Only (Non-Prudential / No Investor Compensation Scheme) with maximum coverage of Not covered by statutory investor compensation (FIU/MSB registration supervises AML/CFT compliance rather than prudential solvency) (Counterparties must verify whether the entity also holds a separate prudential securities or banking licence.). For client money and custody assets, supervised firms must comply with FIU VASP Custodial Wallet & Client Ledger Separation Rules, performing on-chain and off-chain omnibus ledger reconciliation; separation of customer virtual assets from corporate treasury. with multi-signature / mpc hardware security module (hsm) custody and segregated fiat settlement accounts..
How does FIU regulate digital assets, crypto exchanges (VASPs/CASPs), and stablecoins?
FIU's digital-asset regime is structured around FIU Statutory VASP / Digital Currency Exchange Registration (Active mandatory AML/CFT and VASP registration with public register verification.). Custody and AML/CFT compliance obligations require: Mandatory originator and beneficiary Travel Rule data transmission for virtual asset transfers.
How can I verify an institution's FIU licence number and check our 8 recorded licence entries?
Our database currently tracks 8 licence records referencing FIU (7 marked regulated or registered). To verify a counterparty at the primary source, open FIU's official public register (https://mtr.ttja.ee/taotluse_tulemus/540587), search by the exact reference number and legal entity name, and confirm that the firm's domain and permitted activities match its statutory authorisation.
Related regulatory & market structure briefings
Research and compliance analysis from FinLexicon Wiki relevant to FIU and Estonia.
Statutory Law & Custody Architecture
Statutory Client Asset Segregation & Insolvency Waterfalls: Comparative Legal Architecture of FCA CASS 7, SEC Rule 15c3-3, SIPA, and EU MiFID II Custody Regimes (2026)
A definitive statutory and insolvency-law reference comparing UK FCA CASS 7 statutory trusts, US SEC Rule 15c3-3 customer reserve formulas and SIPA liquidations, EU MiFID II Article 16(8)-(10) title-transfer prohibitions, and Japanese FIEA Article 43-2 trust bank mandates.
Derivatives Margin & Prudential Regulation
ISDA 2026 SIMM Risk Weights, Uncleared Margin Rules (UMR) Thresholds & VM/IM Collateral Eligibility
ISDA Standard Initial Margin Model (SIMM) refers to a parametric, sensitivity-based methodology calibrated across a 10-day margin period of risk (MPOR) at a 99% confidence interval to calculate regulatory initial margin for non-centrally cleared over-the-counter (OTC) derivatives under BCBS-IOSCO Uncleared Margin Rules (UMR).
Prudential Regulation & Capital Standards
Expanded Risk-Based Approach (ERBA) Basel III Endgame Standard: Statutory Definition, Regulatory Scope & Compliance Deadlines (-4.8% Cat I/II CET1 Change Benchmark)
Expanded Risk-Based Approach (ERBA) Basel III Endgame Standard (BASEL-ERBA-2026) stands at -4.8% (Cat I/II CET1 Change) (Source: Federal Reserve / OCC / FDIC, 2026-10-20), governing exact rule citations, covered entities
Market Microstructure & Derivatives Taxonomy
Expanded Risk-Based Approach (ERBA) Basel III Endgame Standard: Balance-Sheet Netting Mechanics & RWA Capital Weight Calculation (-4.8% Cat I/II CET1 Change Benchmark)
Expanded Risk-Based Approach (ERBA) Basel III Endgame Standard (BASEL-ERBA-2026) stands at -4.8% (Cat I/II CET1 Change) (Source: Federal Reserve / OCC / FDIC, 2026-10-20), governing multilateral netting compression and T
Statutory licensing classes, base capital rules, and investor protection summaries for FIU (Estonia) are maintained for institutional benchmarking and do not constitute legal advice. Always verify current rulebooks and active firm authorisations directly on FIU’s official public register.