ABOUT US
Regulatory licencing and compliance advisers to payment institutions, EMIs, MSBs, money transmitters and digital asset firms.
WHO WE ARE
Regulatory Counsel
Regulatory Counsel specialises in four sectors: payment institutions, electronic money institutions, MSBs and money transmitters, and cryptoasset firms. We take firms through authorisation and registration, then keep them compliant afterwards.
The proposition is regulatory licencing and authorisation, compliance advisory and ongoing compliance support, including AML and financial crime and safeguarding where applicable. Priority markets are the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, Australia, the European Union, Singapore and Hong Kong.
We are not a generalist consultancy. Every engagement is led directly by senior practitioners who work daily with the FCA Handbook, the Payment Services Regulations 2017, the Electronic Money Regulations 2011 and the equivalent frameworks operated by FINTRAC, the Bank of Canada, FinCEN and US state regulators, AUSTRAC, EU national competent authorities, MAS and the Hong Kong authorities.
WHAT WE DO
Our Services
Licensing & Authorisation
Payment institution, EMI, cryptoasset, banking and MSB licence applications across all major jurisdictions. End-to-end process management from assessment to authorisation.
Ongoing Compliance
Compliance frameworks, regulatory reporting, safeguarding arrangements, governance support and regulatory change management for authorised firms.
Regulatory Strategy
Jurisdiction selection, regulatory structure, expansion planning, change of control, variation of permission and strategic regulatory advisory for growing firms.
GLOBAL COVERAGE
Jurisdictions We Cover
FCA · PRA · HMRC
United Kingdom
27 Member State NCAs
European Union
FinCEN · State Regulators (MSB & MTL)
United States
MAS
Singapore
FINTRAC
Canada
Global Coverage
+30 Countries
OUR APPROACH
Authorisation is not a one-off hurdle.
For payment institutions, EMIs, MSBs, money transmitters and cryptoasset firms it is the licence to operate, hold client funds and enter new markets. Firms with credible safeguarding, financial crime and governance frameworks clear authorisation faster, keep their banking and scheme relationships and register abroad with less friction. We build that foundation with you, from first application through to ongoing supervision.
Licencing and Authorisation Strategy
Getting authorised as a payment institution, EMI, money services business or cryptoasset firm requires more than preparing an application. It requires choosing the correct permission, the right jurisdiction and a regulatory structure the regulator will accept. We advise on which licence to apply for, whether a small or authorised permission fits, and how safeguarding, capital and governance should be structured before submission.
Authorisation Through to Ongoing Compliance
Regulatory work does not end at authorisation. Payments, e-money, MSB and cryptoasset firms must maintain safeguarding arrangements, AML and financial crime controls, regulatory reporting and governance that survives supervisory scrutiny. We support firms across the full lifecycle including authorisation, ongoing compliance, variations of permission, new market registrations and remediation.
Specialist Sectors
We work only with payment institutions, EMIs, MSBs, money transmitters and cryptoasset firms. Priority markets are the UK, the European Union, Canada, the United States, Australia, Singapore and Hong Kong. We do not advise on insurance, mortgages, consumer credit or investment distribution.