If your product handles digital tokens and you have users in Singapore, then yes—you’re likely operating under regulated territory. The crypto license Singapore requirement applies earlier than many teams expect. Even if you’re still pre-launch, once you hold, move, or manage value in tokens, you fall under MAS oversight. This isn’t something to gamble with. MAS doesn’t wait for your company to go viral—they act based on activity, not size.
Founders often assume they can apply later, once things are stable. But waiting too long can cause problems later with compliance history, investor scrutiny, or even user trust. If you plan to stay in Singapore long-term, starting the licensing conversation early saves you headaches later.
What Does MAS Actually Want From Us?
Credit From: pymnts
They’re not asking you to be perfect. But they do want to know that someone in your team—not a third-party lawyer—understands what you’re building and why it matters. Under MAS crypto regulation, you need to show that your team can detect fraud, protect customer assets, handle complaints, and build with compliance in mind. It doesn’t need to be polished—but it needs to be real.
MAS has no tolerance for teams that treat licensing as a formality. If your answers feel templated or disconnected from your actual product, they’ll see through it. What they want is accountability. If you’re serious about running digital token services, then they expect you to take user protection seriously too.
Is a Small Team at a Disadvantage?
Not necessarily. The licensing bar is about readiness—not headcount. If you’re just a few founders, that’s fine. What matters is whether your team actually understands compliance and risk. Plenty of lean teams have successfully gone through the Singapore crypto licensing process, as long as they showed internal clarity and a willingness to build responsibly.
Outsourcing everything to external firms doesn’t help if your team can’t answer basic regulatory questions. MAS wants to see a core team that takes ownership of compliance, not just plugs in external solutions to tick boxes.
How Long Does the Crypto license Singapore Process Take?
There’s no fixed answer, but you’re looking at a range between 6 to 12 months—sometimes more. The application itself is just the first step. MAS may return with additional questions, clarifications, or even interviews. The back-and-forth is what takes time, especially if your documentation isn’t consistent with your product.
If you’re vague about how your system works, or your answers contradict your own user flow, delays will happen. But if you’re clear, transparent, and responsive, the process becomes much smoother—even if still slow.
What If We Start Without the License?
That’s risky. While MAS has provided temporary exemptions in some cases, there’s no guarantee yours qualifies. If you onboard users or launch products before approval and something goes wrong, you could be flagged for non-compliance. For any product offering digital token services, the best approach is to wait, or at least seek formal guidance.
Launching first and fixing later might work in other countries. Not here. If Singapore is your home base, play the long game and build with the license in mind.
Crypto License Singapore: More Than Just a Stamp of Legitimacy
Getting a crypto license in Singapore isn’t just about looking good to investors or partners—it’s about being prepared for long-term accountability. The process can feel slow, and the requirements might seem overwhelming at first, but they’re also a filter. A way to see which teams are in it for the long haul.
You don’t need to be a perfect founder. But you do need to show that you care about what you’re building—and the people you’re building it for. If your answers are honest, your policies make sense, and your team is committed, you’re already ahead of the curve.
