Two specialised arms, one structured License Framework.

Licensing under the Neves Licensing Authority

The Neves Licensing Framework is intended for firms that wish to carry out defined financial services, markets-facing, fintech, payments, digital asset, corporate support, remote gaming, or related activities in or from Neves. The framework is structured to help applicants understand which category may apply to their proposed activity, what type of documentation may be required, and how recorded status may later be referenced through the Public License Register.

The framework is designed to provide applicants with clear entry conditions, defined authorisation pathways, and a structured way to demonstrate alignment with governance, transparency, operational readiness, and category-specific expectations. It is also designed to give counterparties, service providers, and the public a more legible basis for understanding whether an entity appears within the official Neves licensing model.

In broad terms, the Neves Licensing Framework:

• Defines which activities fall within NFSA or NGA scope and may require a License or related approval.
• Provides a structured pathway for how applications are reviewed for each License family.
• Sets out high-level expectations for ownership clarity, key individuals, governance, and documentation.
• Requires applicants to present policies, systems, and controls appropriate to the relevant activity.
• Supports public visibility and verification through the official Public License Register.

Public License Register

Entities authorised under the Neves Licensing Framework may appear in the Public License Register, where stakeholders can verify basic information including License category and recorded status. The register is intended to support transparency, reduce ambiguity, and provide a central reference point when assessing whether an entity appears within the official framework administered by NLA.

This public-facing verification path is an important part of the overall framework. It allows firms to direct clients, players, service providers, legal advisers, payment partners, and counterparties toward an official reference point rather than relying on unsupported claims or informal representations alone.

How the framework is structured

The Neves Licensing Framework is divided into two specialised arms so that applicants and external stakeholders can more easily understand where a proposed activity sits and which category-specific materials are relevant. This improves clarity across the wider ecosystem by reducing overlap, making internal routing more coherent, and allowing category pages to focus on the activities they are actually intended to cover.

• NFSA — financial services, trading, fintech, payments, banking, funds, digital assets, and adjacent categories.
• NGA — remote gaming, betting, esports, operator models, technical services, and gaming-related categories.

Each arm publishes category-specific guidance and application expectations aligned with the wider framework. This page is not a substitute for those detailed materials. It serves as a high-level map so users can identify the relevant direction before moving to the deeper category pages and supporting documentation.

Eligibility and expectations (high-level)

Specific criteria differ between NFSA and NGA Licenses, and between individual categories, but a common set of themes usually appears across the framework. These points are intentionally high-level and do not replace the more detailed materials on the dedicated NFSA and NGA pages.

Owners & controllers

Applicants should present a clear and transparent ownership structure, together with supporting information sufficient to explain who ultimately owns or controls the proposed activity and how capital and funding fit within the business model.

• Clear identification of ultimate beneficial owners (UBOs).
• Sources of capital and funding that can be explained and documented.
• No material concerns evident from the information provided.

Key individuals

Individuals proposed for key roles should be capable of explaining the activity, understanding the operating model, and discharging the responsibilities associated with their role within the relevant framework category.

• Relevant experience for the role and business model.
• Understanding of the proposed products, services, operations, and associated risks.
• Clear internal allocation of responsibilities.

Governance & decision-making

The governance structure should be proportionate to the size, complexity, and profile of the proposed activity. Applicants should be able to explain how decision-making works, how responsibilities are allocated, and how material issues are identified and addressed.

• Defined decision-making arrangements.
• Visibility over key business, governance, and risk areas.
• Ability to identify, challenge, and escalate issues internally.

Risk management & controls

Applicants should be capable of explaining how they identify, manage, document, and monitor the main risks in their business model. The level of detail should be appropriate to the relevant category and operating scale.

• Documented policies and procedures where relevant.
• Control checks proportionate to the activity and scale.
• Arrangements for review, updating, and internal accountability.

AML / CFT & client or player-facing protections

Appropriate arrangements should exist for AML / CFT and for protecting clients or players in a way that fits the business model. Expectations will vary by category, but applicants should be able to explain how key risks are identified and addressed in practice.

• Risk-based AML / CFT measures and monitoring arrangements.
• Basic client or player-related protective measures where relevant.
• Clarity on how user-facing risks are managed and documented.

Use of Neves & local arrangements

Applications should explain how Neves fits into the operating model and what local arrangements, service providers, registered agents, or support structures are expected to be maintained in connection with the activity.

• Clear rationale for selecting Neves as a base.
• Information on local service providers or Registered Agents where relevant.
• Clarity on how the Neves connection is presented to clients, players, and commercial counterparties.

The weight given to these themes, and the level of detail expected, differs between NFSA and NGA categories. Applicants should therefore review the relevant arm-specific pages before preparing a final submission.

Using this page effectively

The Licensing Overview page is intended as a high-level introduction to the structure of the Neves Licensing Framework. Applicants should use it to identify whether NFSA or NGA is the more relevant starting point, and then move to the appropriate category pages, supporting materials, and Public License Register references for more detailed context.

Where a business model spans multiple functions or includes mixed structures, the overview can also be used to understand how the different parts of the framework fit together before a more detailed submission strategy is prepared.