The Anjouan crypto license is issued by the Anjouan Offshore Finance Authority (AOFA), the same body that issues the island's gaming licenses, under a separate framework covering virtual asset activity. It authorises crypto exchange operations, custodial wallets, token issuance, brokerage and OTC desks.
The reason operators choose it is cost and speed. Licensing fees run in the low thousands against tens of thousands or more for a Lithuanian VASP registration, a UAE virtual asset license, or anything MiCA-aligned, and processing is fast because the framework carries little bureaucracy. Anjouan applies no income tax, withholding tax or company tax, so the operating cost after issuance is minimal.
Be straight about what this is not. It is not MiCA and it is not a tier-one framework. Some practitioners note that the Anjouan license is issued under the autonomous island's own framework rather than by the Union of Comoros government, and treat that as a legal weakness worth understanding before you build a business on it. Banking and payment acceptance is correspondingly narrow, and serious institutional counterparties will not treat it as equivalent to an EU or Gulf authorization.
Where it fits is as regulatory coverage while you scale, or as the operating layer in a structure whose credibility comes from somewhere else. Used that way, it is a reasonable position. Used as a permanent substitute for a license you actually need, it is not, and we will say so before taking the engagement.
If you are also running a casino, note that the Anjouan gaming license is a separate authorization from the same authority. Operators running both typically hold both.
The AOFA license fee is quoted at around EUR 5K, with company incorporation and a modest annual maintenance on top. With our application management that starts from approximately EUR 12.5K, and a full setup including the AML policy pack typically runs to around EUR 16K. A fixed written quote is issued before engagement.
Crypto exchange operations, custodial wallet services, token issuance, brokerage and OTC desk activity. It is a broad authorization by offshore standards, which is part of its appeal.
Typically 3 to 6 weeks from a complete file, in line with the Anjouan gaming license.
No. Gaming and virtual asset services are licensed separately in Anjouan, even though both are issued by the same authority. A crypto casino that also runs an exchange or a wallet product needs both licenses.
It is an offshore license, not a tier-one authorization, and it is not equivalent to a MiCA registration or a UAE virtual asset license. Some practitioners also question its standing with the Union of Comoros government as distinct from the autonomous island authority. Banking and payment acceptance is limited and you should assume institutional counterparties will not treat it as equivalent to an EU license.
As cost-effective regulatory coverage while you scale toward something heavier, or as the operating layer in a structure that draws its credibility elsewhere. It does not make sense as a permanent substitute for a license your market actually requires, and we will tell you if that is your situation.