The Netherlands is a large euro-area banking and payments market with a strong fintech and payment-institution sector centred on Amsterdam. Prudential supervision sits with De Nederlandsche Bank (and the ECB for banks) while the AFM supervises conduct, investment firms and crypto-asset service providers.
Risk flagStandard
FATFNot listed
EU AML high-risk listNot listed
EU tax listNot listed
Licence regimes6
CurrencyEUR
S&P ratingAAA
Next electiondue by 2030
The Netherlands is not on the FATF grey or black lists (plenary of 19 June 2026); as an EU Member State it is outside the scope of the EU high-risk third-country list (Delegated Reg. 2016/1675, consolidated 29 January 2026) and the EU tax list (Annex I, updated 17 February 2026). Checked 7 October 2026.
Government and politics
Government
Parliamentary constitutional monarchy
King
Willem-Alexander · since April 2013
Prime Minister
Rob Jetten (Democrats 66 (D66))
Governing parties
Democrats 66 (D66), People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA)
Last election
General election (House of Representatives), 29 October 2025
Next election
General election (House of Representatives), due by 2030. Jetten leads a minority cabinet holding 66 of 150 seats; The Hague is the seat of government
Legislature
States General: House of Representatives (150 seats) and Senate (75 seats)
Legal system
Civil law based on the French system
Economy and finance
Population
18.1m (2025)
GDP
USD 1.3tn (2025)
GDP per person
USD 73,833 (2025)
Currency
Euro (EUR), euro (floating, managed by the ECB as part of the Eurosystem)
Central bank
De Nederlandsche Bank (part of the Eurosystem)
Credit rating
S&P AAA (stable) · Moody's Aaa (stable) · Fitch AAA (stable) (as of January 2026)
A trade and logistics hub built around the port of Rotterdam, with strong high-tech, agrifood and services sectors; Amsterdam is a major centre for securities trading, pension fund assets and holding company structures.
Bank
Licence to pursue the business of a bank
Minimum capitalUSD 5.6m
TimelineDNB: statutory consideration period of 26 weeks from the formal application; can take longer if the file is incomplete
AuthorityECB, with the application handled by DNB
EUR 5 million minimum own funds for a bank (Bpr art. 48(1)(a)); EUR 2.5 million for a bank mainly providing investment services (art. 48(1)(b))
Law
Wet op het financieel toezicht (Wft) art. 3:53 (minimum own funds); Besluit prudentiële regels Wft art. 48(1)(a); Regulation (EU) No 1024/2013 art. 14
Fees
DNB charges a one-off application fee set in the Regulation on the financing of financial supervision of one-off actions (Dutch only); amount not stated on the DNB page
Passporting
Yes: EU passport under CRD (Arts. 33 to 39) for branches and cross-border services
Key requirements
Registered office in the Netherlands
Informal preliminary phase with DNB (business plan and draft application) before the formal filing
Fit and proper management body and suitable qualifying shareholders
Business plan addressing required capital, governance and risk management
TimelinePSD2/EMD2 decision period of 3 months from a complete application; DNB notes it may need more than three months if information is insufficient
AuthorityDNB
EUR 350,000 minimum own funds (Bpr art. 48(1)(n)); ongoing own funds of at least 2% of average outstanding e-money (EMD2 art. 5)
Law
Wft (licensing requirement for issuing e-money) and art. 3:53; Bpr art. 48(1)(n)
Fees
DNB charges a one-off application fee set in the Regulation on the financing of financial supervision of one-off actions (Dutch only); amount not stated on the DNB page
Passporting
Yes: EU passport under EMD2/PSD2 by branch, agent, distributor or free provision of services
Key requirements
Ten-step DNB application process using the DNB application form
Fit and proper assessment of policymakers
Safeguarding of funds received for e-money
Sound and controlled business operations and AML/CFT framework
TimelinePSD2 Art. 12: decision within 3 months of a complete application
AuthorityDNB
EUR 125,000 for payment services 1 to 5; EUR 50,000 for payment initiation only; EUR 20,000 for money remittance only (Bpr art. 48(1)(j) to (l))
Law
Wft (licensing requirement for payment service providers, implementing PSD2) and art. 3:53; Bpr art. 48(1)(j) to (l)
Fees
DNB charges a one-off application fee set in the Regulation on the financing of financial supervision of one-off actions (Dutch only); amount not stated on the DNB page
Passporting
Yes: EU passport under PSD2 Art. 28 (branch, agent or free provision of services)
Key requirements
May only start operations after DNB issues the licence or registers it as exempt
Ten-step DNB application process using the DNB application form
Fit and proper policymakers and safeguarding of client funds
Exemption regime available for limited activity (registration with DNB)
Crypto-asset service provider (CASP) authorisation under MiCA
Minimum capitalUSD 56k
TimelineMiCA Art. 63: 25 working days to check completeness, then 40 working days to decide on a complete application (clock can be suspended for information requests)
AuthorityAFM
MiCA Art. 67 and Annex IV: EUR 50,000 (class 1: order execution, placing, transfer services, reception and transmission, advice, portfolio management), EUR 125,000 (class 2: adds custody and administration, and exchange for funds or other crypto-assets), EUR 150,000 (class 3: adds operating a trading platform); or one quarter of prior-year fixed overheads if higher
Law
Regulation (EU) 2023/1114 (MiCA), arts. 59 to 63
Passporting
Yes: MiCA authorisation can be passported across the EU/EEA by notification (MiCA Art. 65)
Key requirements
Registered office in the Member State where at least part of the services are provided, place of effective management in the EU and at least one director resident in the EU (MiCA Art. 59(2))
Fit and proper management body and suitable qualifying shareholders
Safeguarding and segregation of client crypto-assets and funds, complaints handling, conflicts of interest policy
AML/CFT framework and compliance with the Transfer of Funds Regulation (EU) 2023/1113 travel rule
AFM handles CASP applications (art. 63) and notifications from other financial institutions (art. 60); AFM publishes a MiCAR step-by-step plan and forms
Bpr art. 48: EUR 75,000 for firms not dealing on own account and providing only limited services; EUR 150,000 for other investment firms; EUR 750,000 for dealing on own account or underwriting with firm commitment
Law
Wft art. 2:96 and art. 3:53; Bpr art. 48(1)(f) to (i); Regulation (EU) 2019/2033 (IFR)
Passporting
Yes: MiFID II passport (Arts. 34 and 35) for services and branches
Key requirements
Licence from the AFM before providing investment services
Ongoing own funds and liquidity under the IFR
Fit and proper policymakers
Conduct of business, transparency and duty of care rules under the Wft
Licence to organise remote games of chance (Koa licence)
Minimum capitalNot published
TimelineKSA: statutory decision period of 6 months for a complete application; suspended while the applicant supplements information
AuthorityKansspelautoriteit (board of directors)
Law
Wet op de kansspelen art. 31a (Remote Gambling Act / Wet Koa amendments) and arts. 31b to 31g
Fees
Application fee (leges) payable before the application is processed (Wok art. 31e); amount not verified. KSA also requires a financial security (zekerheidsstelling) of EUR 50,000 from every applicant (Beleidsregels vergunning Koa art. 8.1(4))
Passporting
No: the Dutch licence is national; licences are granted for a fixed term and are not transferable
Key requirements
Licence holder must have its registered office, central administration or principal place of business in the EU or EEA (Wok art. 31g)
Legal form of NV, BV or SE (art. 31g(2)) and transparency on ownership and ultimate beneficial owner
Connection to the Cruks self-exclusion register and a control database (CDB)
MiCA: the Netherlands applied a 6-month transitional period for existing crypto service providers, which ended on 30 June 2025 according to the ESMA list of grandfathering periods; the AFM page opened did not state the date. Online gaming licences cover casino games against the operator, peer-to-peer casino games such as poker, sports betting and horse-race betting. Koa licence duration is set by secondary legislation and was not verified. DNB and KSA application fee amounts were not verified.
General information
About Netherlands
Natural Earth boundaries. Map is indicative.
Status
Sovereign state (constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
Capital
Amsterdam
Area
41,543 km²
Official languages
Dutch, West Frisian (in Friesland)
Time zone
UTC+01:00 (UTC+02:00 in summer); capital; Caribbean Netherlands uses UTC-04:00
Main exports
refined petroleum
vaccines
machinery
crude petroleum
broadcasting equipment
Main export partners
Germany
Belgium
France
Italy
United States
Sources for the country information(8)
Country information checked 9 October 2026. Licensing data updated 7 October 2026. Information only, not legal advice; requirements change. Regulatory notice.
