Crypto Law Profile

Lithuania Law on Markets in Crypto-Assets No. XIV-2879

Lithuania’s national MiCA implementation act designates the Bank of Lithuania as supervisory authority, sets licensing and governance rules for CASPs and token issuers, and establishes sanctions, audits, complaints, and wind-down rules.

Lithuania Effective Act Jul 25, 2024

At a glance

Status In force; Seimas shows a current consolidated version from 2026-07-02.
Primary regulator The Bank of Lithuania is the MiCA supervisory authority for covered crypto entities.
EU framework National implementation act for Regulation (EU) 2023/1114, the EU MiCA rulebook.
Transition Bank guidance says Lithuania’s CASP licensing transition ended on 2025-12-31.

Overview

The Republic of Lithuania Law on Markets in Crypto-Assets (No. XIV-2879) is Lithuania’s national act for applying the EU Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation, known as MiCA, in the Lithuanian financial market. Adopted by the Seimas on 11 July 2024 and published in TAR on 24 July 2024, the law is shown by the Seimas database as in force, with a current consolidated version from 2 July 2026 to 9 January 2030. Its main entry-into-force date is 25 July 2024, while Articles 7 and 8 entered into force on 1 August 2024.

What the Lithuania crypto-assets law does

The law does not create a standalone crypto regime separate from MiCA. Instead, it supplies the national machinery for MiCA in Lithuania: competent-authority functions, licensing mechanics, local governance and audit rules, supervisory reporting, client complaint handling, sanctions, and rules for reorganisation, liquidation and bankruptcy of supervised entities. The stated purpose is to support fair, open and effective crypto-asset markets and protect holders of crypto-assets, holders of asset-referenced and e-money tokens, and clients of crypto-asset service providers.

The act uses MiCA’s categories, including crypto-assets other than asset-referenced tokens or e-money tokens, asset-referenced tokens, e-money tokens and crypto-asset service providers. It also cross-references Regulation (EU) 2023/1114 and related Lithuanian financial-sector laws, making the national law a bridge between the EU rulebook and Lithuania’s domestic supervisory architecture.

Regulator and licensing framework

The Bank of Lithuania is designated as the supervisory authority. The law assigns it functions for persons offering crypto-assets to the public or seeking admission to trading, issuers of asset-referenced tokens, issuers of e-money tokens and crypto-asset service providers. Bank of Lithuania guidance states that it is the national competent authority for licensing and supervising entities subject to MiCA and that MiCA will be implemented to its full extent in Lithuania.

For crypto-asset service providers, the Bank of Lithuania explains that a person intending to provide crypto-asset services must submit documents before starting activities and must receive either an approval, for certain financial institutions and services, or a licence, for other legal persons or undertakings. Non-exempt applicants must apply to the competent authority of their home Member State, and the Bank describes review steps for completeness checks and authorisation decisions under MiCA.

Key compliance architecture

The law covers governance, managerial suitability, operating requirements, supervisory reporting, audited financial statements, auditor notification duties and complaint handling. It also addresses Bank of Lithuania inspection powers and mandatory instructions, including measures to address legal breaches, internal-control weaknesses, risk-management deficiencies, outsourced operations, financial reporting concerns and risks to the stability or reliability of supervised entities.

Its enforcement chapter provides for sanctions and administrative fines for breaches of MiCA, the Lithuanian law and implementing measures. The official English translation published through the Bank of Lithuania states that fines may reach EUR 15 million or 15% of annual gross income for legal persons for certain MiCA market-abuse infringements, with separate ceilings for other violations and natural persons.

Status, phase-ins and transition

The original law applied some provisions in stages. Article 22 provided that the law’s Articles 7 and 8 would apply from 1 August 2024, that implementing legislation would be adopted before relevant application dates, and that requirements for public offers or admissions to trading of crypto-assets and crypto-asset service providers would apply from 30 December 2024. Later official Bank of Lithuania communications state that Lithuania’s transitional period for obtaining a crypto-asset service provider licence ended on 31 December 2025 and that unlicensed providers would lose the right to operate after that period.

As of 22 July 2026, the profile should be treated as a current, in-force Lithuanian implementation act for MiCA rather than a pending bill. Editors should verify future consolidated versions before publication, because the Seimas display indicates the current consolidation runs through 9 January 2030.

Key provisions

Bank of Lithuania supervision

Designates the Bank of Lithuania as supervisory authority for MiCA-covered issuers, offerors and crypto-asset service providers.

Supervision Jul 25, 2024 Source

CASP and token issuer licensing

Provides for licensing of asset-referenced token issuers and crypto-asset service providers under MiCA-linked procedures.

Licensing Dec 30, 2024 Source

Governance and management fitness

Sets management-body, good-repute, qualification and experience requirements for supervised token issuers and service providers.

Governance Dec 30, 2024 Source

Accounting, reports and audit

Requires supervisory reporting and audited annual financial statements, with auditor duties to notify the regulator of certain issues.

Reporting Aug 1, 2024 Source

Supervisory measures and inspections

Gives the Bank of Lithuania inspection powers and tools such as mandatory instructions, risk mitigation, disclosure and prudential measures.

Supervision Jul 25, 2024 Source

Sanctions and fines

Establishes sanctions for MiCA and national-law breaches, including fines, warnings, licence suspension or withdrawal and temporary administrators.

Enforcement Jul 25, 2024 Source

Legacy VASP transition

Bank guidance says existing unlicensed operators lost the right to operate after Lithuania’s CASP licensing transition ended on 2025-12-31.

Transition Dec 31, 2025 Source

Timeline

  1. Adopted by Seimas

    The Seimas adopted the Law on Markets in Crypto-Assets as No. XIV-2879.

    Enacted Source
  2. Published in TAR

    The law was published in the Lithuanian Register of Legal Acts as TAR No. 2024-13487.

    Enacted Source
  3. Main entry into force

    The Seimas entry lists 2024-07-25 as the principal entry-into-force date.

    In force Source
  4. Audit articles effective

    Articles 7 and 8 on financial accounting, statements and auditor duties entered into force.

    Effective Source
  5. MiCA application date

    The law applies to covered public offers, admissions to trading and CASPs from this date.

    Effective Source
  6. Article 22 amendment adopted

    Seimas adopted Act No. XV-185 amending Article 22 of Law No. XIV-2879.

    Enacted Source
  7. CASP transition period ended

    Official Bank guidance stated Lithuania’s CASP licensing transitional period ended on 2025-12-31.

    Effective Source
  8. Current consolidated version

    Seimas shows a current consolidated version beginning on 2026-07-02.

    In force Source

Who it affects

Actors

Bank of Lithuania, Financial Crime Investigation Service, Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania

Asset classes

Asset-referenced tokens, Crypto assets, E-money tokens

Official sources

Editorial note

Status checked against the Seimas consolidated entry and Bank of Lithuania materials on 2026-07-22. Use the Lithuanian official text for final legal verification; the Bank of Lithuania English document is treated as an official regulator-published translation aid.