Lithuania's Central Bank Orders Crypto Firms to Get Licences by Dec 31 or Face Penalties
Lithuania’s central bank has issued a firm warning: every crypto service provider must obtain a licence by December 31 or face penalties and be classified as operating illegally in the country. The announcement leaves no grace period and underscores that platforms failing to secure authorization will not be allowed to continue business under current arrangements.
The measure matters because it marks a clear shift from permissive oversight toward full alignment with EU regulatory standards, increasing compliance costs and operational scrutiny for exchanges, custodians and other crypto firms active in Lithuania. Companies now have a short runway to apply for authorization or consider exiting the market, while customers and counterparties should expect tighter controls and enforcement actions if providers remain unlicensed.