Investment firms specialise in providing investment services to individuals or companies and performing one or more investment operations regularly.
An investment firm can offer a wide range of services:
- Reception and transmission of orders related to securities
- Execution of orders related to securities in the name of the client
- Investment advice
- Securities portfolio management
- Organising an offer/issue of securities
- Safekeeping and administration of securities for a client
- Dealing in securities on own account
- Guarantee of securities
- Operation of a multilateral trading facility
- Operation of an organised trading facility.
The legal and regulatory framework applicable to investment firms is harmonised at the EU level. Therefore, we can support your company in getting an investment firm license in Estonia and other selected European jurisdictions.
Further, we can assist your investment firm in guaranteeing compliance during its operations.
General requirements
The general requirements slightly change from country to country. In any case, they can be summarised as follows:
- The shareholders must have an impeccable business reputation
- The members of the board must have an impeccable business reputation, along with education, experience and professional qualifications necessary to manage an investment firm
- Permanent establishment in the country in which the company applies for the license
- Compliance with the anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing law and regulations
- Compliance with the GDPR
- Minimum share capital: from EUR 50.000 to EUR 730.000, depending on the investment services offered.
Passporting / Operating abroad
European investment firms have the right to provide investment and auxiliary services within the European Economic Area.
Timeframe
The time to obtain a license varies from country to country. In any case, the decision on the application for an investment firm license is usually made in 2-4 months.