Finjuris advises forex and CFD brokers on obtaining authorisation from the Bank of Lithuania under MiFID II — the EU’s fastest front door to a 30-state EEA passport, from a regulator known for its structured newcomer programme and English-language engagement.
Lithuania has established itself as one of Europe’s leading jurisdictions for financial innovation, offering an efficient licensing process, constructive regulatory engagement and a well-developed fintech ecosystem. A Lithuanian investment firm licence provides access to one of the world’s largest financial markets through the EEA passporting regime — enabling authorised firms to provide investment services across EEA Member States, subject to the applicable notification requirements.
Our team supports clients throughout the licensing process, from regulatory strategy and corporate structuring to application preparation, governance documentation and ongoing compliance implementation.
A Lithuanian forex licence is an authorisation granted by the Bank of Lithuania to operate as a Financial Brokerage Firm under the national legislation implementing MiFID II. Licensed firms may provide investment services such as receiving and transmitting orders, execution of orders, dealing on own account and other regulated investment activities.
Once authorised, firms may exercise passporting rights across the European Economic Area in accordance with the MiFID II notification procedures. Lithuania applies the full EU regulatory framework: MiFID II, MiFIR, ESMA product intervention measures and the Investor Compensation Directive.
Every MiFID investment firm licence provides access to the same European passporting regime. What differentiates jurisdictions is the regulatory process, supervisory approach and overall business environment. Lithuania’s distinction is its regulator.
The Bank of Lithuania runs a dedicated pre-application engagement framework for prospective financial institutions — structured dialogue before you formally apply, reducing surprises during the assessment.
Applications are accepted in English and the Bank of Lithuania engages in English throughout — no translation requirement and no language barrier for international applicants.
The Bank of Lithuania targets roughly three to six months for a complete application — faster than most EU peers. Including incorporation and preparation, plan for six to twelve months overall.
A well-developed financial services sector with access to banks, EMIs, payment institutions and other financial infrastructure — the full stack available for a launching brokerage.
Lithuania frames the MiFID tiers as Types A, B and C, mapped to the IFR/IFD initial-capital floors. The choice turns on whether you deal on own account and whether you hold client money.
| Type | Initial Capital | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| Type C | EUR 75,000 | Reception, transmission and execution of orders, portfolio management and/or investment advice without holding client money. |
| Type B | EUR 150,000 | The above where the firm holds client assets — the typical STP brokerage tier. No own-account dealing. |
| Type A | EUR 750,000 | Full scope including dealing on own account — the market-maker tier. |
Capital shall be paid in cash (not loans) and evidenced by a bank letter before issuance. Ongoing own funds shall exceed the higher of the floor and the IFR-based requirement, monitored quarterly. Finjuris confirms the right Type and figure for your model.
| Expectation | In Practice | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| A Lithuanian Company | A Lithuanian UAB (private limited company) with a registered office in Lithuania. | The licensed legal entity. |
| Initial Capital | EUR 75,000 / 150,000 / 750,000 by Type, paid in cash and evidenced by a bank letter before issuance. | Solvency appropriate to the model; verified pre-license. |
| Management Board | Generally at least three board members (some Type C firms may use two), fit-and-proper and experienced. | Governance and accountability. |
| Brokerage Examination | Relevant individuals pass the Bank of Lithuania’s financial-broker examination and demonstrate good repute. | A distinctive Lithuanian competence requirement — Finjuris helps candidates prepare. |
| Local Substance | At least a local presence / employee and genuine operations — a real, supervisable firm. | The regulator authorises substance, not shells. |
| Governance & Controls | Compliance, risk-management, internal-audit and conflicts frameworks under MiFID II. | Organisational competence. |
| DORA / ICT Resilience | A documented ICT and operational-resilience framework with incident reporting. | Mandatory for EU financial firms since January 2025. |
| Client Protection | Client-money segregation, client categorisation and investor-compensation participation. | Core MiFID II investor protections. |
| AML/CFT Framework | A full AML/CFT programme with an MLRO, aligned with Lithuanian and EU law. | Strictly supervised in the Lithuanian fintech sector. |
| Business Plan & Financials | A detailed plan and projections behind the services and Type sought. | The basis for the regulator’s viability and capital assessment. |
The Bank of Lithuania requires relevant individuals to pass a financial-broker examination and demonstrate good repute — a distinctive Lithuanian competence requirement that does not exist in most other EU jurisdictions. Finjuris helps candidates understand and prepare for this requirement as part of the application process.
With the Bank of Lithuania’s target of roughly three to six months for a complete application, Lithuania can be one of the faster EU routes. Including incorporation and preparation, plan for around six to twelve months. Finjuris runs it in four streams.
| Element | Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Corporate Tax | 17% | Standard corporate income tax rate applicable from 1 January 2026. |
| Qualifying Small Companies | 7% | Reduced rate for eligible small businesses, subject to the applicable statutory conditions. |
| New Qualifying Small Companies | 0% | Available during the first two tax periods, provided the statutory eligibility requirements are satisfied. |
| Dividends to Qualifying EU Parent Companies | 0% | Relief may be available under the EU Parent-Subsidiary Directive, subject to qualifying conditions. |
Lithuania offers a competitive and transparent corporate tax regime. The start-up reliefs can be meaningful in a brokerage’s early years, but eligibility conditions apply and global minimum-tax (Pillar Two) rules can affect larger groups. Finjuris models the real position for your structure and stage.
This is general information, not tax advice. Outcomes depend on your facts and the rules in force at the time; obtain tailored advice before relying on any figure.
Finjuris provides comprehensive legal and regulatory support throughout the Lithuanian licensing process, helping clients navigate the Bank of Lithuania’s authorisation requirements with confidence.
We initiate structured pre-application discussions with the Bank of Lithuania and manage the newcomer dialogue so your proposal lands aligned with regulatory expectations.
We facilitate the appointment of board members and preparation of candidates for the mandatory financial-broker examination — Lithuania’s distinctive competence requirement.
Business plan, DORA framework, AML/CFT programme and all MiFID II documentation built to the Bank of Lithuania’s standard from the outset.
Multi-jurisdictional advice across leading European financial centres, enabling you to select the licensing jurisdiction that best supports your commercial objectives and target markets.
Our engagement begins with a review of your business plan, capital structure and timeline objectives. We initiate structured discussions with the Bank of Lithuania under its Newcomer Programme, confirm the requisite license type, facilitate board appointments and broker exam preparation, draft and submit the complete MiFID II application, and coordinate EEA passport notifications on approval. A single designated contact from initial consultation to successful launch.
