🇱🇹 Lithuania Tightens Standards for Forex Licensing

📌 What Has Changed?

Recent updates emphasise transparency, stronger AML oversight, and closer alignment with EU standards. The licensing framework – overseen by the Bank of Lithuania – requires full disclosure of company structure, business plans, shareholder information, and management details. Applications are reviewed within six months if documentation is complete, and the state levy of €947 is payable before acceptance.

📜 Regulatory Framework and Official Standards

The Bank of Lithuania oversees the authorisation of financial brokerage firms under the Law on Markets in Financial Instruments. Applicants must submit:

• a comprehensive business plan,

• internal governance and risk-management policies,

• audited financial statements (if applicable),

• shareholder and director information, and

• evidence of compliance with AML/CTF obligations.

The regulator may request additional documentation, and only after full submission does the six-month decision period begin. Examination and licensing fees are modest but mandatory:

• trader examination

• consultant examination

• general licence examination

• licence issuance levy

The Bank also publishes every granted or revoked broker license within three business days, ensuring transparency and investor confidence.

⚖️ Analysis and EU Comparison

Lithuania’s licensing regime is often chosen by Forex firms due to the jurisdiction’s credibility and EU passporting rights. While some jurisdictions in the EU impose higher capital requirements or residency conditions, Lithuania has maintained an accessible but strictly supervised system.

Unlike offshore centres, Lithuania requires an applicant’s management structure and compliance framework to meet EU MiFID II standards. While industry sources often refer to specific minimum capital thresholds, the official Bank of Lithuania website does not currently publish such figures for brokerage licenses. Instead, firms must meet prudential standards proportionate to their activities, with the regulator assessing adequacy case-by-case.

This flexibility allows Lithuania to attract smaller entrants while ensuring systemic risks remain under control. However, applicants should not mistake accessibility for leniency – the regulator enforces AML, governance, and conduct obligations rigorously, as recent sanctions demonstrate.

🔎 Evidence, Enforcement, and Applicability

The practical impact of this framework is evident. In April 2025, the Bank of Lithuania fined Revolut Bank UAB €3.5 million for anti-money-laundering deficiencies, showing its willingness to act decisively against even large, high-profile institutions.

In the crypto-linked segment, the Bank issued a “No Action Letter” in June 2025, confirming that from 2 March 2026, certain electronic money token (EMT) operations will require a payment services license under PSD2. This underscores the regulator’s proactive stance on bridging traditional financial services and emerging digital markets.

Applicants seeking a Forex license must therefore ensure not only that they satisfy application formalities, but also that their compliance systems are operationally strong enough to withstand scrutiny after authorisation.

✅ Conclusion

Lithuania remains one of the most attractive EU jurisdictions for Forex and brokerage licensing, offering regulatory credibility, market access, and legal clarity. The process is demanding but transparent – with clearly published fees, timelines, and disclosure obligations.

Firms considering entry should be mindful that the Bank of Lithuania prioritises AML compliance, corporate governance, and risk controls, and will not hesitate to sanction breaches.

For businesses exploring the Lithuanian market, professional legal guidance is essential to avoid delays and ensure successful authorisation. Contact NUR Legal if you wish to assess your licensing options in Lithuania.

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