P2P Platform Licensing
Comprehensive Global Regulatory Requirements & Licensing Fees Analysis
Complete Capital Requirements & Licensing Costs for Peer-to-Peer Lending Platform Authorization - Updated 2025
🇸🇬
Singapore
SGD
MAS
Monetary Authority of Singapore
10 Shenton Way, Singapore 079117
10 Shenton Way, Singapore 079117
Capital Requirements
SGD 50,000
$37,000
Timeline
4-6 months
Licensing Fees Breakdown
P2P License Fee:
$370
Payment License:
$3,700
Total Licensing Cost:
$4,070
Key Requirements:
- Only accredited investors
- No custody of client funds
- Cannot act as principal
🇬🇧
United Kingdom
GBP
FCA
Financial Conduct Authority
12 Endeavour Square, London E20 1JN, UK
12 Endeavour Square, London E20 1JN, UK
Capital Requirements
£25K-100K
$125,000
Timeline
6-12 months
Licensing Fees Breakdown
P2P License Fee:
$6,250
Payment License:
$3,125
Total Licensing Cost:
$9,375
Key Requirements:
- 10% investment limit retail
- Wind-down plans required
- Fund segregation mandatory
🇺🇸
United States
USD
SEC + All 50 States
Securities & Exchange Commission
100 F Street NE, Washington, DC 20549, USA
100 F Street NE, Washington, DC 20549, USA
Capital Requirements
$10,000,000
$10,000,000
Timeline
6-18 months
Licensing Fees Breakdown
P2P License Fee:
$50,000
Payment License:
$9,200,000
Total Licensing Cost:
$9,250,000
Key Requirements:
- Licensed bank partnership
- All 50 states compliance
- Accredited investor limits
🇦🇺
Australia
AUD
ASIC
Australian Securities & Investments Commission
Level 5, 100 Market Street, Sydney NSW 2000
Level 5, 100 Market Street, Sydney NSW 2000
Capital Requirements
AUD 50K-150K
$100,000
Timeline
4-8 months
Licensing Fees Breakdown
P2P License Fee:
$4,900
Payment License:
$2,400
Total Licensing Cost:
$7,300
Key Requirements:
- AFS License mandatory
- Credit License required
- MIS registration needed
🇨🇦
Canada
CAD
Provincial Securities Commissions
Ontario Securities Commission
20 Queen Street West, Toronto ON M5H 3S8
20 Queen Street West, Toronto ON M5H 3S8
Capital Requirements
CAD 25K-100K
$75,000
Timeline
3-6 months
Licensing Fees Breakdown
P2P License Fee:
$2,600
Payment License:
$11,200
Total Licensing Cost:
$13,800
Key Requirements:
- Accredited investors only
- Multi-provincial registration
- Prospectus exemptions
🇩🇪
Germany
EUR
BaFin
Federal Financial Supervisory Authority
Graurheindorfer Str. 108, 53117 Bonn
Graurheindorfer Str. 108, 53117 Bonn
Capital Requirements
€150,000
$158,000
Timeline
6-12 months
Licensing Fees Breakdown
P2P License Fee:
$8,950
Payment License:
$6,450
Total Licensing Cost:
$15,400
Key Requirements:
- Bank lending partnership
- €500K investor threshold
- AML/CFT compliance
🇦🇪
UAE (Dubai)
AED
DFSA
Dubai Financial Services Authority
Level 13, Al Attar Business Tower, Dubai
Level 13, Al Attar Business Tower, Dubai
Capital Requirements
AED 100K-800K
$218,000
Timeline
4-6 months
Licensing Fees Breakdown
P2P License Fee:
$13,600
Payment License:
$6,800
Total Licensing Cost:
$20,400
Key Requirements:
- UAE resident officers
- Dubai office required
- Comprehensive framework
🇭🇰
Hong Kong
HKD
SFC
Securities & Futures Commission
54/F, One Island East, 18 Westlands Road
54/F, One Island East, 18 Westlands Road
Capital Requirements
HKD 500K-5M
$641,000
Timeline
15+ weeks
Licensing Fees Breakdown
P2P License Fee:
$14,000
Payment License:
$7,000
Total Licensing Cost:
$21,000
Key Requirements:
- Professional investors only
- Money Lender License
- Complex dual structure
🇨🇭
Switzerland
CHF
FINMA
Financial Market Supervisory Authority
Laupenstrasse 27, 3003 Bern
Laupenstrasse 27, 3003 Bern
Capital Requirements
CHF 300,000
$330,000
Timeline
4-6 months
Licensing Fees Breakdown
P2P License Fee:
$55,000
Payment License:
$11,000
Total Licensing Cost:
$66,000
Key Requirements:
- Max CHF 100M deposits
- No interest on deposits
- No client fund investment
🇮🇳
India
INR
RBI
Reserve Bank of India
Central Office, Fort, Mumbai 400001
Central Office, Fort, Mumbai 400001
Capital Requirements
INR 20,000,000
$240,000
Timeline
12-18 months
Licensing Fees Breakdown
P2P License Fee:
$12,000
Payment License:
$6,000
Total Licensing Cost:
$18,000
Key Requirements:
- 12-month initial approval
- No balance sheet funds
- India data storage
🇯🇵
Japan
JPY
FSA
Financial Services Agency
3-2-1 Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
3-2-1 Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Capital Requirements
¥100,000,000
$650,000
Timeline
6-12 months
Licensing Fees Breakdown
P2P License Fee:
$13,000
Payment License:
$3,250
Total Licensing Cost:
$16,250
Key Requirements:
- Investor protection schemes
- Comprehensive AML/CFT
- Regular reporting
🇳🇿
New Zealand
NZD
FMA
Financial Markets Authority
Level 2, 1 Grey Street, Wellington 6011
Level 2, 1 Grey Street, Wellington 6011
Capital Requirements
NZD 50K-200K
$120,000
Timeline
3-6 months
Licensing Fees Breakdown
P2P License Fee:
$6,000
Payment License:
$1,200
Total Licensing Cost:
$7,200
Key Requirements:
- Fair dealing obligations
- Client money protection
- Dispute resolution
🇧🇷
Brazil
BRL
BACEN + CVM
Banco Central do Brasil
SBS Quadra 3 Bloco B, Brasília DF
SBS Quadra 3 Bloco B, Brasília DF
Capital Requirements
BRL 1,000,000
$180,000
Timeline
6-12 months
Licensing Fees Breakdown
P2P License Fee:
$27,000
Payment License:
$9,000
Total Licensing Cost:
$36,000
Key Requirements:
- BACEN authorization
- Business plan required
- Consumer protection
🇸🇦
Saudi Arabia
SAR
SAMA
Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority
Sama Road, Al Murabba, Riyadh 11169
Sama Road, Al Murabba, Riyadh 11169
Capital Requirements
SAR 5,000,000
$1,330,000
Timeline
6-12 months
Licensing Fees Breakdown
P2P License Fee:
$133,000
Payment License:
$26,700
Total Licensing Cost:
$159,700
Key Requirements:
- Saudi residency required
- Sharia compliance
- Regulatory sandbox
🇶🇦
Qatar
QAR
QCB
Qatar Central Bank
Grand Hamad Street, Doha
Grand Hamad Street, Doha
Capital Requirements
QAR 1,000,000
$275,000
Timeline
6-12 months
Licensing Fees Breakdown
P2P License Fee:
$275,000
Payment License:
$55,000
Total Licensing Cost:
$330,000
Key Requirements:
- Local partnership required
- Islamic finance compliance
- QFC alternative
🇿🇦
South Africa
ZAR
FSCA
Financial Sector Conduct Authority
Riverwalk Office Park, Block B, Cape Town 7441
Riverwalk Office Park, Block B, Cape Town 7441
Capital Requirements
ZAR 2,000,000
$105,000
Timeline
4-8 months
Licensing Fees Breakdown
P2P License Fee:
$10,500
Payment License:
$2,600
Total Licensing Cost:
$13,100
Key Requirements:
- Fit and proper requirements
- Professional indemnity
- Ombud membership
Global P2P Licensing Summary - Complete Analysis
Total Countries Analyzed
16
Across 6 continents
Total Capital Requirements
$14.5M
All jurisdictions combined
Total Licensing Costs
$10.05M
P2P + Payment licenses
Highest Total Cost
$19.25M
USA (Capital + Licensing)
Lowest Entry Cost
$41K
Singapore (All-in)
Professional Investor Only
78%
14 out of 16 jurisdictions
Critical Regulatory Considerations - Complete Analysis
- Total Investment Required: Complete global P2P platform setup requires $24.6M USD total - $14.5M in capital requirements plus $10.05M in licensing fees across all 16 jurisdictions.
- Dual Licensing Structure: Most jurisdictions require separate P2P platform licenses ($599K total) and payment service licenses ($9.4M total), with USA dominating costs due to 50-state requirements.
- Market Entry Strategy: Singapore offers most cost-effective entry ($41,070 total), followed by New Zealand ($127,200) and Australia ($107,300). Consider sequential market entry starting with these jurisdictions.
- High-Cost Jurisdictions: USA ($19.25M total), Saudi Arabia ($1.49M), and Hong Kong ($662K) represent highest combined capital and licensing costs, requiring careful business case analysis.
- Regulatory Complexity Tiers: Tier 1 (Simple): Singapore, New Zealand, Canada. Tier 2 (Moderate): Australia, UK, Germany, South Africa. Tier 3 (Complex): USA, Japan, Hong Kong, Qatar, Saudi Arabia.
- Professional Investor Restrictions: 78% of jurisdictions limit P2P platforms to professional/accredited investors, significantly reducing addressable market but simplifying compliance requirements.
- Bank Partnership Requirements: USA and Germany mandate licensed bank partnerships, adding operational complexity and potential revenue sharing arrangements.
- Payment License Complexity: Payment services licensing often more expensive and complex than P2P platform licensing itself, particularly in USA ($9.2M), Qatar ($55K), and Saudi Arabia ($26.7K).
- Ongoing Compliance Costs: Annual fees typically add 15-25% of initial licensing costs yearly, plus audit fees, technology compliance, and regulatory reporting requirements.
- Multi-Jurisdiction Operations: No regulatory passporting available. Each jurisdiction requires separate capital pools, compliance teams, and local partnerships, multiplying operational complexity exponentially.