Overview
- Beginning January 1, 2026, crypto-asset service providers in Lithuania must hold a MiCA license to operate legally.
- The Bank of Lithuania detailed sanctions that include fines, website blocking, public warnings, and potential prison terms of up to four years.
- Firms not pursuing authorization are urged to wind down by December 31 and to clearly instruct customers on withdrawals, transfers, and access to custodied funds.
- Lithuania counts more than 370 registered crypto entities, about 120 are actively operating, and roughly 30 had applied for licensing by mid-July, with 10 under review.
- Officials frame the move as implementing the EU MiCA rulebook to bolster oversight and investor protection, with no grace period after the deadline.