Innovation & FinTech
FinTech is the term used to describe the impact of new technologies on financial services. These technologies have led to new services and business models of current financial institutions and new participants, and can benefit both consumers and enterprises by enabling better access to financial services and offering a wider choice of operations and more efficiency.
Law 24/2022, of 30 June, on the digital representation of assets through the use of cryptography and distributed record book technology and Blockchain regulates the activity linked to digital assets and establishes deadlines to complement this regulation. It also establishes that any participant wishing to make a request for authorisation to the AFA in the field of digital assets must designate a "Digital Overseer".
The figure of the "Digital Overseer" is developed by regulation and has, among others, the functions of advising license applicants and the administrative dialogue with the AFA. To become a digital overseer, AFA license application process must be followed.
Regulations in the field of digital assets:
- Law 24/2022, of 30 June, on the digital representation of assets through the use of cryptography and distributed record book technology and Blockchain
- Law 37/2021, of 16 December, amending Law 14/2017, of 22 June, on preventing and combating the laundering of money or securities and terrorism financing
- Decree 478/2022, of 23-11-2022, approving the regulations for the development of the requirements to exercise as digital overseer
- Decree 335/2022, of 17-8-2022, approving the Regulation on the requirements of cryptoactive mining installations with regard to their impact on the electrical system.
If you want to raise any enquiry, you can contact us through the following section:
FAQ
Can I submit a request for authorisation for an activity regulated by the Law on Digital Assets directly to the AFA?
Any participant who wants to request an authorisation in the field of digital assets in Andorra must designate a digital overseer from among those registered in the AFA, which will carry out the administrative dialogue with the AFA. Therefore, with the exception of the overseer itself, a participant cannot submit authorisation requests directly.
Who can be a digital overseer?
Law 24/2022, regulates the figure of the digital overseer and, Decree 478/2022, of 23-11-2022 approves the regulation of development of the requirements to act as a digital overseer.
Note that the registered digital overseer must be a lawyer or an economist, must be affiliated, and must have the nationality or the tax residence in the Principality of Andorra, among others.
Does Law 24/2022 on digital assets apply to NFTs?
Although the issuance of non-fungible tokens (NFT) is excluded from Law 24/2022, other services linked to them are not and, consequently, in these cases, the applicant must designate a registered digital overseer in order to submit to the AFA the corresponding request.