Global Financial Services with Tier-1 authorisations
Global financial regulations are converging towards increasingly demanding standards set by tier-1 authorities of global reference. Operating without local authorisations in regulated jurisdictions exposes your business to cross-border sanctions, exclusion from institutional markets, international banking blockades and legal liability in multiple territories. At Paynfinity, we don't just process registrations; we set up your multi-authorisation structure with optimised passporting strategy, governance framework tailored to each regulator, multi-jurisdictional compliance systems and investor protection procedures designed to withstand simultaneous inspections by specialised supervisors.
We analyse your international expansion strategy (continental Europe, Americas, Asia-Pacific, MENA) to structure the exact authorisation portfolio you need. We assess target markets, financial services by region, aggregate capital requirements and multi-regulatory governance structures to implement an operation that is simultaneously defensible with tier-1 authorities. No off-the-shelf solutions: we deliver a scalable global infrastructure, with verifiable cross-border recognition and ready to operate financial services internationally with full regulatory compliance in every jurisdiction.
Authorisations for Each Financial Market
Not all financial markets require the same regulatory structure; there is an exact licensing strategy for your expansion plan. We design the multi-jurisdictional portfolio that institutional investors and global markets demand, ensuring that your operations meet local standards without operational fragmentation.
Authorisation Portfolio
Tier-1 regulators offer passporting and mutual recognition schemes. We structure their strategy to minimise redundant authorisations: BaFin or AMF allow EU/EEA passporting, FINMA offers equivalence agreements, SEC/CFTC with reciprocity in certain cases, Australia-Singapore-Hong Kong MRAs (Mutual Recognition Arrangements) available.
We implement hub-and-spoke structure with primary licensing in strategic jurisdiction (Germany, France, Switzerland) and complementary registrations only where passporting does not apply, optimising regulatory capital and compliance overhead significantly.
Unified Multi-Regulator Governance
Unlike traditional consultancies, at Paynfinity we ensure efficient consolidated compliance. We do not deliver isolated approvals; we guarantee a unified governance framework that simultaneously meets BaFin, AMF, FINMA, SEC, ASIC requirements, automated multi-jurisdictional reporting systems, consolidated audits by globally recognised Big Four and single compliance dashboard for centralised management of regulatory obligations.
Multi-Jurisdictional Infrastructure Ready to Operate
Multi-Jurisdictional Legal Structure
We implement corporate structure for multi-regulator: holding company in neutral jurisdiction, local subsidiaries where required, branch offices with passporting where permitted, consolidated governance with local boards, shared services for compliance/IT/finance and transfer pricing compliant. All structured to minimise trapped capital and maximise cross-border operations.
Tier-1 Concurrent Authorisations
We obtain simultaneous approvals from multiple tier-1 regulators: BaFin (Germany), AMF (France), FINMA (Switzerland), SEC/FINRA (US), CFTC, ASIC (Australia), JFSA (Japan), CSSF (Luxembourg). We manage coordinated parallel applications, reuse core documentation tailored by jurisdiction and accelerate go-to-market through an optimised phased deployment strategy.
Consolidated Compliance Framework
We developed a compliance framework that simultaneously meets the requirements of multiple regulators: core policies adaptable by jurisdiction, internal control systems, global risk management framework with local overlays, harmonised AML/KYC procedures and centralised audit trails. We include automated compliance monitoring with regulator-specific alerts.
Automated Multi-Regulator Reporting
We deliver multi-jurisdictional consolidated reporting systems: GABRIEL (UK), REGIS-TR (EU), EMIR, MiFID II/MiFIR, Dodd-Frank (US), ASIC reporting (Australia), JFSA submissions (Japan). We set up unified dashboards with automatic mappings between regulatory frameworks, consolidated audit trails for cross-border inspections and variance analysis between jurisdictions.
Key questions about your Global Authorisations
We know that obtaining an international financial licence creates uncertainty. Here we answer critical questions about deadlines, requirements and compliance before you start. No small print.
What minimum social capital does a multi-regulatory strategy require?
Capital varies significantly by jurisdiction and service mix. BaFin (Germany) requires €730,000-€5M under CRR/CRD IV for investment firms. AMF (France) requires €125,000-€1.25M. FINMA (Switzerland) requires CHF 1.5M-10M depending on category (FinTech, Securities Dealer, Bank). SEC (USA) requires $250,000-$5M depending on registration (RIA, Broker-Dealer). ASIC (Australia) requires AUD 1M-10M. However, capital can be optimised by: (1) holding structure with capital at centre, (2) passporting to avoid redundant capital in each EU country, (3) branch structure vs subsidiaries where permitted. Typical global tier-1 strategy: €5M-€20M well-structured consolidated capital.
Can I use European passporting post-Brexit to operate in the UK from the EU?
No. Post-Brexit, EU-UK passporting ended. Firms authorised in the EU can no longer operate in the UK via passport and vice versa. Solutions: (1) Dual authorisation: FCA licence for UK + EU licence (BaFin, AMF, CSSF) for Europe, (2) Reverse solicitation: UK clients can approach EU firm without UK licence but with severe restrictions, (3) Third country regime: UK grants temporary equivalence to some EU jurisdictions but limited and revocable. Serious operators maintain dual presence: UK FCA-authorised entity + EU entity with European passport. Cost: partial duplication of capital, compliance, governance but full access to both markets.
Is a global licence in Luxembourg or Switzerland more efficient vs. multiple local licences?
Depends on target markets and business model. Luxembourg (CSSF): advantage - automatic EU/EEA passport, favourable for fund management, low tax, robust custodian infrastructure. Disadvantage - does not cover UK, US, Asia; perception less premium than London/Singapore. Switzerland (FINMA): advantage - geopolitical neutral, top reputation, equivalence agreements several countries, favourable wealth management. Disadvantage: non-EU (no automatic passporting), higher capital, demanding compliance. Optimal strategy for global: Luxembourg/Switzerland hub for Europe/wealth management + complementary registrations UK (FCA), US (SEC/FinCEN), Singapore (MAS) for full tier-1 coverage. Single jurisdiction never covers all major markets.
How much time and total cost is involved in a multi-regulator tier-1 strategy?
Typical timeline for 3-5 parallel tier-1 authorisations: 18-30 months from start-up to full operation in all jurisdictions. Sequence: (1) Legal structure and planning - 3-6 months, (2) First authorisation (anchor jurisdiction) - 9-18 months, (3) Parallel authorisations - 12-24 months overlap, (4) Operational ramp-up - 6-12 months. Costs: Setup £400K-£1.7M (legal, consulting, application fees), Regulatory capital £4.5M-£17M (depending on jurisdictions), Operational costs per annum £850K-£4.2M (compliance, audit, reporting, governance multi-jurisdiction). ROI justifies investment only for firms with £8.5M+ annual revenue projected or significant institutional mandates. Alternative: start single jurisdiction tier-1, expand gradually according to traction.