EU regulation, in plain English

From "what licence do I need?" to application-ready.

Compass scores your project across all eight EU financial frameworks, compares the requirements, plans the roadmap, and builds your pre-application checklist. One tool. Six surfaces.

CompassComparisonRoadmap+3
MiCAMiFID IIPSD2EMD2DORASFDR
Example output for a custodial wallet project
01 — WHY THIS EXISTS

Most startups discover regulation too late.

By the time a lawyer tells you that you need an e-money licence in three jurisdictions, you've already shipped, hired, and signed the lease.

€8k–€40k
typical first invoice for a regulatory scoping memo from a law firm.
3–6 wks
average wait for that memo to land in your inbox.
8
EU regulations that might apply to a single fintech idea.
02 — INSIDE COMPASS

Six tools that walk you from idea to filing.

Each tab answers a different question every founder eventually has to face.

SURFACE 01 / 06 — COMPASS

A score for every framework. Toggles to test pivots.

See your project ranked across MiCA, MiFID II, PSD2, EMD2, DORA, EMIR, CSDR and SFDR — with confidence levels and unresolved-flag chips that tell you what to clarify next.

MiCA
Primary
DORA
Horizontal
MiFID II
Not relevant
PSD2
Not relevant
What if… toggle assumptions to see how the compass moves
Crypto custodyYesNoTarget usersRetailProB2B only
Example output. Your scoring depends on your project.
SURFACE 02 / 06 — COMPARISON

Requirements, side by side.

Authorisation, capital, conduct, reporting, safeguarding, governance, DORA, disclosures — Required, Conditional, or not applicable.

REQUIREMENTMiCADORA
AuthorisationRequired
Minimum capitalRequired
Best executionConditional
SURFACE 03 / 06 — ROADMAP

A phased plan with timelines.

Foundation, build, application, approval — with weeks per stage, blocker flags, and the DORA layer threaded through.

1
Foundation & structuring
Legal entity, scope, counsel
2
Compliance build
Policies, governance, controls
3
Application preparationBlocker
Dossier, capital evidence, audit
Example for a custodial wallet project. Phases and timelines vary by scope and jurisdiction.
SURFACE 04 / 06 — JURISDICTIONS

Where to incorporate, compared.

Per-country cards with timeline, substance requirements, passporting, and regulator stance.

🇩🇪 GermanyProgressive
BaFin · full passporting
🇫🇷 FranceProgressive
AMF / ACPR · full passporting
🇮🇪 IrelandNeutral
CBI · strict substance
🇨🇾 CyprusNeutral
CySEC · MiFID hub
SURFACE 05 / 06 — CHECKLIST

Everything between you and a complete file.

A pre-application checklist tailored to your project. Severity tags. Progress bar. CSV export when you're ready to hand off.

In progress
HighMedium
EU legal entity established
Compliance officer appointed
AML/CTF policies in place
Fit & proper management body
03 — WHO USES IT

For people building, and the people advising them.

Founders

Know what you're walking into.

Before you raise, before you hire, before you ship in the EU.

Operators

Stress-test new product lines.

Use the “what if…” toggles to see how staking, lending or a debit card moves the compass.

In-house counsel

Brief the board with the matrix.

Export the comparison and checklist. Walk in with answers, not questions.

External advisors

Triage client intake faster.

Spend billable hours on judgement, not on locating the right RTS clause.

04 — START FROM A TEMPLATE

Not sure how to describe what you're building?

Pick the closest match. Compass tunes the analysis to your model.

05 — WHO BUILT IT

Built by the licensing team behind Licentium.

Compass is the same workbench our specialists use to scope client engagements across 51 jurisdictions.

When you outgrow directional guidance, the same humans are one click away.

Visit licentium.io →
51
jurisdictions advised
500+
regulatory updates tracked
107
active partnerships
<24h
expert response SLA

Open the workbench.

Free to try. No card. No legalese.