Company Registration, Bank Accounts and Payment Licences Wiki

SWIFT is the interbank messaging network; a BIC is the 8 or 11 character code (ISO 9362) that identifies each institution. Structure, lookup, and what happens if you get it wrong.

An IBAN is the ISO 13616 account number format, up to 34 characters with a country code and check digits. Structure, validation, which countries use it, and how it pairs with BIC.

paytools.dev checked issuer notices through 2026-10-14: Cardano Card is discontinued on 31 October 2026 after Wirex ends custody for that programme; the Gnosis Pay card stops at 23:59 UTC on 20 December 2026; Cypher ended on 6 September 2026; Solflare paused on 28 July 2026 after Kulipa. Ready is reported by The Defiant only; refunds and a restart date are unknown.

Identify the appropriate domestic or foreign-invested structure, then check market-entry and sector permissions. A company registration and a permission to provide payment services are separate questions.

Non-residents can incorporate a local company. Choose shares or guarantee, a name and an ownership structure; check secretary and registered-office requirements before engaging a service provider.

Follow ACRA guidance on company type, financial year, officers, shares and constitution. A local company needs a director meeting residency rules at registration. Foreign applicants should check eligibility and filing access.

Formation is state-specific. Compare the operating location, financing plan and LLC or corporation structure. Research foreign qualification when operating in another state; compare recurring costs as well as formation fees.

The official process covers company type, directors, shareholders or guarantors and PSCs. Reconcile ownership and actual control before choosing the name and business classification.

A BVI Business Company requires a registered agent. Verify the provider and proposed entity, then agree name checks, due diligence, filing and record-maintenance responsibilities.

The Registry describes exempted companies for activities mainly outside Cayman. Compare the proposed activity and entity type. The word exempted does not remove every reporting, tax or sector obligation.

FSA describes formation, administration, agent and office services as international corporate services. Check current authorisation and notices, and reconcile the contract and payment entity.

Prepare a Mainland China company bank application: clarify jurisdiction, eligibility and evidence, then discuss requirements through Telegram.

Prepare a Hong Kong company bank application: clarify jurisdiction, eligibility and evidence, then discuss requirements through Telegram.

Prepare a Singapore company bank application: clarify jurisdiction, eligibility and evidence, then discuss requirements through Telegram.

Prepare a United States company bank application: clarify jurisdiction, eligibility and evidence, then discuss requirements through Telegram.

Prepare a United Kingdom company bank application: clarify jurisdiction, eligibility and evidence, then discuss requirements through Telegram.

Prepare a BVI company bank application: clarify jurisdiction, eligibility and evidence, then discuss requirements through Telegram.

Prepare a Cayman Islands company bank application: clarify jurisdiction, eligibility and evidence, then discuss requirements through Telegram.

Prepare a Seychelles company bank application: clarify jurisdiction, eligibility and evidence, then discuss requirements through Telegram.

Describe the service, customers, markets and flow of funds before collecting documents. Use that description to check consistency across the company profile, banking arrangements and controls. This is a preparation aid; the current Customs forms govern the filing.

Separate regulator fees, launch preparation and recurring operations. Obtain itemised quotations for premises, staffing, systems and advice. An all-in quote should still explain what it includes and what you must pay separately.

The Customs MSO regime concerns money services. Start with what the business actually does rather than its marketing label.

For Hong Kong MSO payment license lookup, use the Customs MSOS register and compare the legal entity, number and visible status with your contract. The portal helps discover candidates; original regulatory records govern. Keep a dated verification record.

Hong Kong MSO payment license lookup and application research: verify the legal entity in the Customs MSOS register, then review scope, documents and official filing sources. Incorporation, banking, SVF and virtual asset permissions are separate.

Issuing e-wallets or multi-purpose prepaid cards in Hong Kong requires an HKMA SVF licence with paid-up capital of at least HKD 25 million. Scope, criteria and register.

Operating a centralized virtual asset trading platform in Hong Kong requires an SFC VATP licence. Capital and cold storage rules, WINGS filing, and licensed platform lists.

Checked 2026-10-10, the HKMA register (page marked revised 23 April 2026) lists two licensees: Anchorpoint Financial Limited (FRS01) and The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited (FRS02), both effective 10 April 2026. An application or sandbox is not a licence.

List remittance, acquiring, e-money, account-information and virtual asset activities separately. Assess customer locations, funds handling and establishment against each relevant framework.

Separate regulator fees, capital and safeguarding arrangements, preparation costs and continuing operations. Required capital and protected customer funds are not interchangeable with filing fees.

A company identifier, tax number or bank account does not establish permission to provide regulated financial services. Assess the activity separately.

Singapore's SPI and MPI licences under the Payment Services Act cover 7 service types including remittance, e-money and DPT. Thresholds, capital rules, Form 1 and fees.

MAS consultation P015-2026 proposes a stablecoin issuance licence for issuers that would label a coin an MAS-regulated stablecoin. It is a draft. Comments close at 23:59 on 16 October 2026. The text checked here does not state a numeric minimum capital.

How non-banks register as funds transfer service providers in Japan: Type I (over JPY 1M), Type II (up to JPY 1M) and Type III (up to JPY 50K), plus safeguarding rules.

Remittance and virtual asset businesses must register with AUSTRAC before operating in Australia: registration types, 90-day approval and the 2026 DCE to VASP transition.

Virtual asset business in Dubai (outside DIFC) needs a VARA licence covering 8 activity types. Covers the two-stage IDQ and ATI process, Rulebooks and the public register.

US money transmission and crypto firms face two layers: free FinCEN MSB registration within 180 days, plus state Money Transmitter Licenses. Covers scope, BSA E-Filing and NMLS.

FX, remittance and crypto firms in Canada register free with FINTRAC as MSBs; foreign firms serving Canadian clients register as Foreign MSBs. Covers scope and the registry.

EMI and PI are the EU's two core non-bank payment licenses; one national license passports across the EEA. Covers capital (EUR 350,000 for EMI), the EBA register and PSD3.

MiCA is the EU crypto regulation: CASPs are licensed in three capital tiers with passporting. The transition ended on 2026-07-01. On 2026-10-08 ESMA set expectations for services in non-MiCA-compliant stablecoins.

ESMA's 8 October 2026 opinion says authorised CASPs should stop services to EU clients involving non-MiCA-compliant ARTs and EMTs. Legacy exposures should be remediated no later than three months after publication. The opinion does not name a token or regulate crypto cards directly.

Lithuania is the EU's EMI/PI licensing hub: official fees of EUR 1,463 (EMI) and EUR 898 (PI), a statutory 3-month review once the file is complete, and EEA passporting.

Post-Brexit, e-money and payments business in the UK needs FCA authorisation: EUR 350,000 initial capital for an authorised EMI, fees up to GBP 5,640, 3-month review.