Crypto-Friendly Structuring & Banking for EU Founders
Secure custody, compliant banking, and legally optimised tax structures for crypto startups, traders and funds — built for European founders who want scale without risk.
Positioning / One-liner
We design compliant on- and off-ramps, custody and banking solutions so your crypto business can operate globally, accept fiat, manage treasury, and meet KYC/AML and tax obligations — while legally optimising costs and tax exposure.
Common crypto banking & compliance pain points
- Bank accounts blocked after large transfers
- Exchanges freezing withdrawals due to poor KYC
- High operational costs for custody & treasury management
- Unclear tax treatment across jurisdictions
- Difficulty accessing onshore banking for crypto businesses
Our Services
Corporate Structuring
Dubai Free Zone, EU holding, US LLC, or hybrid holdings for funds and trading entities. (Substance & substance planning included.)
Banking Onramps & Accounts
Traditional bank introductions, crypto-friendly banks, multi-currency accounts, and fintech partners.
Regulated Custody
Integration with licensed custodians (cold + hot wallet strategies, multi-sig, insurance options).
Treasury & Payments
Fiat on/off ramps, stablecoin management, payroll in crypto/fiat.
Compliance & Reporting
AML/KYC policies, GoAML/UBO filings, ESR, VAT advice, and CRS/FATCA guidance.
Tax Optimisation (Legal)
Residency planning, jurisdiction selection, substance implementation, double-tax treaty analysis.
Fund Structuring & Token Launches
Token legal reviews, fund vehicles, and regulatory gateways.
How We Approach Crypto Banking
Intake & Risk Assessment
Activity type (DEX, CEX, trading, fund, payments), jurisdiction, VASP risk profile.
Entity Design
Choose legal vehicles with substance plans and regulatory compatibility.
Banking Matchmaking
Intro to partner banks (traditional & crypto-native) with tailored KYC packs.
Custody & Security
Cold storage architecture, multi-signature governance and insurance.
Compliance Implementation
AML program, transaction monitoring, audits and reporting.
Tax Planning & Reporting
legal optimisation routes, tax-residency advice, and preparation for filings.
Banking Options Explained (educational)
- Traditional Banks (Correspondent + Local): Best for fiat rails and clear regulatory standing; often require high documentation and in-person steps.
- Crypto-friendly Banks / Neo-banks: Faster onboarding, fintech integrations; some are regulated for crypto services.
- Licensed Custodians: Regulated custodians provide institutional custody, insurance, and audit trails. Ideal for funds and large treasuries.
- Self-custody (with governance): For founders who control keys; must be paired with robust custody policy, key management, and insurance.
- Hybrid setups: Corporate fiat accounts + third-party custodial wallets for large holdings.
Legal Tax Optimisation (compliant strategies)
We don’t hide income. We design structures that legally reduce taxable exposure using legitimate levers:
- Jurisdiction selection: choosing compliant jurisdictions with favourable corporate tax regimes and clear crypto regulation (e.g., certain UAE free zones, Estonia for EU credibility, specific US vehicles).
- Residency planning: helping clients understand how changing tax residency (with full substance and legal advice) affects tax obligations.
- Activity allocation: separating trading, custody, advisory and treasury between entities to match where value is created and taxed.
- Substance & Economic Activity: implementing real operations (people, office, systems) to meet OECD & local substance requirements and defend against CFC rules.
- Use of regulated custodians & counterparties so transactions are transparent and defensible in audits.
All recommendations are coordinated with qualified tax counsel.
We never provide tax-avoidance schemes.
Compliance Risks & How We Mitigate Them
KYC/AML Failures
Strong KYC packs, ongoing monitoring, transaction limits.
Unregulatory Exchanges
Prefer regulated counterparties and vetted liquidity providers.
Tax Exposure Mistakes
Coordinate with onshore tax counsel; produce deterministic reporting for auditors.
Operational Security
Key management, multi-sig governance, cold-storage SOPs.
Packages & Pricing
Start
- Early-stage projects & traders
Pro
- Fund managers / companies with >€1M AUM
Enterprise
- Token launches, institutional custody & treasury
Includes entity design, banking introductions, KYC dossier and initial compliance playbook.
Costs for bank/custodian fees, licenses and onboarding are additional.
Case Studies (anonymised)
✅ DEX infrastructure startup (Estonia + UAE) — secured a custodian, bank rails,
and compliant treasury; enabled fiat payouts across EU.
✅ Crypto trading fund (Dubai FZ holding) — established custody + multi-jurisdiction
reporting; improved liquidity access and institutional partnerships.
✅ NFT platform — hybrid custody + fiat on/off ramps integrated with card payments;
KYC-first model attracted enterprise partners.
FAQs
Can I bank crypto anonymously?
No. Reputable banks and custodians require full KYC and AML. Anonymous banking is not legal and risks account closure and criminal penalties.
Will banks accept crypto revenue?
Some banks and fintechs facilitate crypto-originated revenue if backed by thorough KYC, source-of-funds, and custody proofs.
Can I structure to reduce taxes?
Yes — legally, through residency planning, jurisdiction selection, and activity allocation — but always with transparent reporting and documented substance.
Do you work with custodians?
Yes. We partner with regulated custodians and institutional service providers for secure custody and insurance.
Secure your crypto business with compliant banking and custody
FreeTaxAdvisors provides legal, compliant crypto structuring for EU founders.
No secrets. Only defensible structures.