--- title: "Article 21 — Grant or refusal of the authorisation" type: regulation legal_status: in_force source: "https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:02023R1114-20240109" shortTitle: "Article 21 — Grant or refusal of the authorisation" instrument_type: level1_regulation authority: Commission binding: true binding_character: binding mica_level2: false legal_basis: Regulation (EU) 2023/1114 instrument: mica celex: 32023R1114 text_version: "Consolidated version of 9 January 2024" source_url: "https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:02023R1114-20240109" check_status: matched verified: true last_checked: 2026-11-09 --- *In force · Consolidated version of 9 January 2024 · Verified 9 Nov 2026 · [Official source](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:02023R1114-20240109)* 1. [Competent authorities](https://www.headlesslaw.com/definitions/mica/competent-authority) shall, within 25 working days of receipt of the opinions referred to in [Article 20](20.md)(5), take a fully reasoned decision granting or refusing authorisation to the [applicant issuer](https://www.headlesslaw.com/definitions/mica/applicant-issuer) and, within five working days of taking that decision, notify it to the applicant issuer. Where an applicant issuer is authorised, its [crypto-asset](https://www.headlesslaw.com/definitions/mica/crypto-asset) white paper shall be deemed to be approved. 2. [Competent authorities](https://www.headlesslaw.com/definitions/mica/competent-authority) shall refuse authorisation where there are objective and demonstrable grounds that: **(a)** the [management body](https://www.headlesslaw.com/definitions/mica/management-body) of the [applicant issuer](https://www.headlesslaw.com/definitions/mica/applicant-issuer) might pose a threat to its effective, sound and prudent management and business continuity and to the adequate consideration of the interest of its [clients](https://www.headlesslaw.com/definitions/mica/client) and the integrity of the market; **(b)** members of the [management body](https://www.headlesslaw.com/definitions/mica/management-body) do not meet the criteria set out in [Article 34](34.md)(2); **(c)** shareholders and members, whether direct or indirect, that have [qualifying holdings](https://www.headlesslaw.com/definitions/mica/qualifying-holding) do not meet the criteria of sufficiently good repute set out in [Article 34](34.md)(4); **(d)** the [applicant issuer](https://www.headlesslaw.com/definitions/mica/applicant-issuer) fails to meet or is likely to fail to meet any of the requirements of this Title; **(e)** the [applicant issuer](https://www.headlesslaw.com/definitions/mica/applicant-issuer)’s business model might pose a serious threat to market integrity, financial stability, the smooth operation of payment systems, or exposes the issuer or the sector to serious risks of money laundering and terrorist financing. 3. EBA and ESMA shall, by 30 June 2024, jointly issue guidelines in accordance with Article 16 of Regulation (EU) No 1093/2010 and Article 16 of Regulation (EU) No 1095/2010, respectively, on the assessment of the suitability of the members of the [management body](https://www.headlesslaw.com/definitions/mica/management-body) of issuers of [asset-referenced tokens](https://www.headlesslaw.com/definitions/mica/asset-referenced-token) and of the shareholders and members, whether direct or indirect, that have [qualifying holdings](https://www.headlesslaw.com/definitions/mica/qualifying-holding) in issuers of asset-referenced tokens. 4. Competent authorities shall also refuse authorisation if the ECB or, where applicable, the central bank gives a negative opinion under [Article 20](20.md)(5) on the grounds of a risk posed to the smooth operation of payment systems, monetary policy transmission, or monetary sovereignty. 5. Competent authorities shall, within two working days of granting authorisation, communicate to the single point of contact of the [host Member States](https://www.headlesslaw.com/definitions/mica/host-member-state), to ESMA, to EBA, to the ECB and, where applicable, to the central bank referred to in [Article 20](20.md)(4), the information specified in [Article 109](109.md)(3). ESMA shall make such information available in the register, under [Article 109](109.md)(3), by the starting date of the [offer to the public](https://www.headlesslaw.com/definitions/mica/offer-to-the-public) or admission to trading. 6. Competent authorities shall inform EBA, ESMA, the ECB and, where applicable, the central bank referred to in [Article 20](20.md)(4), of all requests for authorisations refused, and provide the underlying reasoning for the decision and, where applicable, an explanation for any deviation from the opinions referred to in [Article 20](20.md)(5). *** ### Related * [offer to the public](https://www.headlesslaw.com/definitions/mica/offer-to-the-public) — definition used in this article * [applicant issuer](https://www.headlesslaw.com/definitions/mica/applicant-issuer) — definition used in this article * [management body](https://www.headlesslaw.com/definitions/mica/management-body) — definition used in this article * [crypto-asset](https://www.headlesslaw.com/definitions/mica/crypto-asset) — definition used in this article ## Related Level 2 and Level 3 ### Guidance and Q&A - [EBA Q&A 2024_7167 — Q&A — Passporting procedure for non-CI ART issuers \[Final Q&A\]](../level-3/q-and-a/eba/eba-qa-7167-passporting-art-issuers.md) - [EBA/GL/2024/09 — Guideline — Management Body Suitability \[final\]](../level-3/guidelines/guidelines-on-the-suitability-assessment-of-the-members-of-the-management-body.md) - [EBA/GL/2024/09 — Guideline — Qualifying Holder Suitability \[final\]](../level-3/guidelines/guidelines-on-the-suitability-assessment-of-shareholders-and-members-with-qualifying-holdings.md) *** [Title III — Asset-referenced tokens](../titles/iii.md) › Chapter 1 — Authorisation to offer asset-referenced tokens to the public and to seek their admission to trading · [← Article 20](20.md) · [Article 22 →](22.md)